Hi all this my first post so take it easy guy’s.
at some point next year I’m thinking of running my own unit, but before I take the jump, I’m doing work for a few agencies.
i’ve also been looking at the back load websites ,just wanted to see if anyone had some figures on what these back loads pay ,i know it may depend on size and distance.
been driving on and off since dec 08 as me and the other half foster but would really like to run a unit maybe 2.
cheers people for your help
jason74:
Hi all this my first post so take it easy guy’s.
at some point next year I’m thinking of running my own unit, but before I take the jump, I’m doing work for a few agencies.
i’ve also been looking at the back load websites ,just wanted to see if anyone had some figures on what these back loads pay ,i know it may depend on size and distance.
been driving on and off since dec 08 as me and the other half foster but would really like to run a unit maybe 2.
cheers people for your help
( MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL)
Merry Xmas matey and welcome!
Do yourself a big favour and don’t bother running a truck. Running a truck has to be one of the quickest ways to off load money there is…and earning it is far from easy…
Added to which, your stress level will rocket and, unless your going to employ folk, you’ll never be home. Trucks that aren’t moving aren’t earning.
There’s lots of pitfalls but there are also positives (otherwise people wouldn’t do it)
Sadly, most of the replies here will be negative from people who have either failed at it or not even tried.
Your first thing to consider is your O Licence, operating centre and a CPC holder. You will need to have finances in place for all of this and if you haven’t, it will be very tough for you to start.
Also, you need to consider what type of work you will offer and what firms will use contractors and what they pay.
I won’t waffle on as I don’t know how much research you may have already done into this but good luck and I hope you make a go of 2014.
The very first thing you need is guaranteed work.
If you can find a firm willing to take you on as a permanent contractor,even if it’s only one way loads,that’s a start.
Then you will have to check on firms offering backloads to check the rates,don’t work for anything that does not cover your run back,unless of course you are lucky enough to have a client that pays for the round trip.
Only when you’ve found out if there’s money in it do you start applying for an operators licence,bearing in mind that you need some money in the bank to finance your running,insufficient funds will result in a refusal,likewise with work,having a truck and hoping to find some work is not sufficient reason to get an operators licence.
A lot of homework to do before you turn a wheel as an owner driver,best of luck!
You need to find your own direct work first, any backloads on a website is purely that and only a little something extra if you’re coming back empty, don’t think that you’ll make any money doing that full time!
Have a look in the owner driver forum, there’s lots of useful info there.
Yes it can be done and you can make a decent living at it just be careful and heed the advice of those who have done it!
jason74:
Hi all this my first post so take it easy guy’s.
at some point next year I’m thinking of running my own unit, but before I take the jump, I’m doing work for a few agencies.
i’ve also been looking at the back load websites ,just wanted to see if anyone had some figures on what these back loads pay ,i know it may depend on size and distance.
been driving on and off since dec 08 as me and the other half foster but would really like to run a unit maybe 2.
cheers people for your help
( MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL)
Got access to £7,700 in unrestricted funds? If not you won’t even get an operators license. You need to prove you’ve got £7,700 in funds for the first wagon and £4,200 for each subsequent one in order to ensure you’ve enough to establish and administer the business. It must be in your own name unless you’re a Ltd Company and then it must be held within the company. If you’re planning on using a credit card as the funds you have to prove that amount was available for the previous 3 months. And these are funds you have to demonstrate are available at all times as its a continual obligation.
Conor:
Got access to £7,700 in unrestricted funds? If not you won’t even get an operators license. You need to prove you’ve got £7,700 in funds for the first wagon and £4,200 for each subsequent one in order to ensure you’ve enough to establish and administer the business.
The bank balance has just gone up to over £8k and you need that above your running money infact now they look at your overall finances and unless you have £26,000 available to setup then you need to produce a business plan showing how you can setup for less. There’s lots of other work apart from class 1 long hauling, the others are right you need guaranteed work or a niche business idea.
‘O’ licence is a bit dearer than suggested and it takes ages to get, the cpc course is 2 weeks and they only run them now & then plus a week for the driver cpc all told cost me about £1500, though I have 7 classes of ADR and tanks.
If I was looking at class 1 O/D I would look at scrap metal tipper or timber or possibly a low loader then if ever your not busy on that at least you can just go off and do traction only.
jason74:
Hi all this my first post so take it easy guy’s.
at some point next year I’m thinking of running my own unit, but before I take the jump, I’m doing work for a few agencies.
i’ve also been looking at the back load websites ,just wanted to see if anyone had some figures on what these back loads pay ,i know it may depend on size and distance.
been driving on and off since dec 08 as me and the other half foster but would really like to run a unit maybe 2.
cheers people for your help
( MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL)
Your first job, imho, is to gain your operator CPC. You can sub this job out, however if you’re serious about it, do it yourself. This will answer a lot of questions. In the meantime read the Owner driver forum from beginning to end. Lot’s of useful information hidden in there.
m1cks:
Your first thing to consider is your O Licence, operating centre and a CPC holder. You will need to have finances in place for all of this and if you haven’t, it will be very tough for you to start.
The first thing to consider should be have you got any work for a HGV !
You certainly won’t be able to run a business on backload rates !
m1cks:
There’s lots of pitfalls but there are also positives (otherwise people wouldn’t do it)
Sadly, most of the replies here will be negative from people who have either failed at it or not even tried.
Your first thing to consider is your O Licence, operating centre and a CPC holder. You will need to have finances in place for all of this and if you haven’t, it will be very tough for you to start.
Also, you need to consider what type of work you will offer and what firms will use contractors and what they pay.
I won’t waffle on as I don’t know how much research you may have already done into this but good luck and I hope you make a go of 2014.
Or from people that understand how difficult it is to make it work, not just financially but personally as well. Oh, and those who have enough sense to realise that competing in the haulage industry at the moment is very, very difficult, especially for someone that is asking such a question as basic as the OP is.
I wish you all the luck in the world if you go for it, but take all the advice and do all the research you can before committing to it. It’s very easy to lose a fortune extremely quickly if you get it wrong.
There man chris was advertising in facebook posts last week
France ferrys paid £1.35mile
Now make your own mind up about the magazine advertisers
Was quite a comincal read he got ■■■■ down with costings as they a forwarder
Next thing loads of ods making mobey at it
Then he runs his own was pointed out they making a loss at that
Then next breath using the easterns
With the amount of work available on the internet, I’d give it a shot with a decent van using uship and the like.
You will make a lot of contacts in a short space of time. You need to be a bit brazen. Make sure you speak to the boss at every collection/tip. Explain you have ambition, Ask for his advise (if he’s self made, he’ll love to tell you how he made his money). Don’t tell him you’ll undercut his present haulier, Find out what his present haulier lacks.
Spend good money on the signwriting, Image will pay dividends.
Omex in Kings Lynn Norfolk only use owner drivers and you only need the unit as you use their tanks, its basically fertiliser to farms the busisest time is from march to october but they do run a fair bit all year round. Not 100% sure but i believe they are going to be looking for owner drivers in the next month or so.
pg1973:
Omex in Kings Lynn Norfolk only use owner drivers and you only need the unit as you use their tanks, its basically fertiliser to farms the busisest time is from march to october but they do run a fair bit all year round. Not 100% sure but i believe they are going to be looking for owner drivers in the next month or so.
I know absolutely sod all about Omex in Kings Lynn, and call me cynical, but I would be asking them, and the many other companies that offer the same opportunity why, that if the job and work out of there is so lucrative, are they not running their own trucks to make the profit themselves, that they will be no doubt promising potential owner/drivers… just a thought
Merry Christmas!
