I’ve been driving class 1 for 4 years now on general and every owner driver I see I ask them is it something worth getting into,I’ve had mixed answers most say it’s not worth it but they are rolling around in big smart v8’s I don’t get it they all say it don’t pay but then there getting in on of these I just can’t work it out,
Maybe they don,t want competition. 
Yeah mayb but then you see another post on here saying how can people make it pay at £1.00 odd a mile do people charge by the mile or do the company’s say it’s x amount?
it will only work if you make it work like any other business, to many start up without doing the homework or without some bread and butter work, or think they can get by working the jobs as subbies out of the back of magazines. to many have dreams of blinged up big engine motors before they have earned their first pound these are the ones that fall by the wayside. Constant hard work, watching the pennies and only doing PROFITABLE work is the way to start with a workhorse truck and build up a little at a time, plus of course a big slice of good luck and you wout go far wrong
Honestly mate, if you have a good employed job then stick with that. I’ve done ok at running my own truck but I am seriously thinking of selling up and going back to work as an employed driver.
weewulliewinkie:
it will only work if you make it work like any other business, to many start up without doing the homework or without some bread and butter work, or think they can get by working the jobs as subbies out of the back of magazines. to many have dreams of blinged up big engine motors before they have earned their first pound these are the ones that fall by the wayside. Constant hard work, watching the pennies and only doing PROFITABLE work is the way to start with a workhorse truck and build up a little at a time, plus of course a big slice of good luck and you wout go far wrong
^^^ this is right .
Harry Monk:
Honestly mate, if you have a good employed job then stick with that. I’ve done ok at running my own truck but I am seriously thinking of selling up and going back to work as an employed driver.
What’s happening with the the barge Harry you get one after …just bought myself autotrail Apache motorhome …taint half better than trucks …
cliffstephens:
…just bought myself autotrail Apache motorhome …taint half better than trucks …
Is it a 700se? That’s the one im aiming for one day! Big enough without being TO big and its fully loaded. Apologies for sidetracking the thread! 
bullitt:
cliffstephens:
…just bought myself autotrail Apache motorhome …taint half better than trucks …Is it a 700se? That’s the one im aiming for one day! Big enough without being TO big and its fully loaded. Apologies for sidetracking the thread!
On my 3rd now 630 cheynne se / 316 auto merc best one I’ve had yet for lay out & space ,lol here we are saying there’s no money in the job !
It’s a 634u ticks all the boxes I wanted love it’ Dan …and for the other person depends what you want I started with 2trucks and finished with10 trucks but only ran Erfs plain and easy to get people home.money “yes”…
There’s loads to consider when becoming an o/d. Your current job, capital, lifestyle etc. It doesn’t matter who’s paying you, it’s about your life at the end of the day. In the real world, you need about £15k minimum to start up, to cover the bases, get the truck and actually work it up to the first invoice. Maybe it’s attractive up north where a lot of small firms want max hours for sub £400 in the bank every week. For me, I take almost £600, for roughly 58 hrs and 1-2 nights out a week, average working time of 37 hrs a week and average driving time of 28 hrs a week, all in a 64 plate fh500. Why would I want to go to all the trouble of being an o/d, to ride around praying my 57 reg premium doesn’t ■■■■ itself, working all the hours under the sun to pay myself a similar wage to what I get now?
Thing is what is similar wage prior to 2000 I was paying myself £50,000 a year plus perks …but it did come with a lot of stress…
Thanks for all the advice an tips people,at the minuite I am in a 57 plate and do work every hour under the sun I just think why not ave a go an do it my self,as for the ads in mags I wouldn’t go there I would try an stick to general or traction only,how much do you really need I know there has to be x amount to apply for a licence,or can I put my current employer on?an pay him?do people rent first to see how they get on?
Renting an o licence isn’t legal and the traffic commisioner take a dim veiw of anyone caught doing it.
As for general work and traction you certainly won’t get rich doing it although some work is better than others.
As for how much you need think two months insurance road tax and any finance payments you may need add on the cost of the fuel and a bit more for maintence and emergency that’s before you think of any wage.
There is some work payable weekly but the rates tend to be crap as they know you need to stick with them to keep the cash flowing.
Go and do your operators cpc so you get some idea of what you need to do to get going
cliffstephens:
Harry Monk:
Honestly mate, if you have a good employed job then stick with that. I’ve done ok at running my own truck but I am seriously thinking of selling up and going back to work as an employed driver.What’s happening with the the barge Harry you get one after …just bought myself autotrail Apache motorhome …taint half better than trucks …
Yes, that’s part of the problem, my heart just really isn’t in driving a truck any more. Really, my Magnum needs replacing sooner rather than later and I just don’t want to commit to another 3 years of finance. I also want to spend more time on the boat than work allows. I haven’t made my mind up yet, but I might just do agency work as and when I need the money.
Bulldog1986:
I’ve been driving class 1 for 4 years now on general and every owner driver I see I ask them is it something worth getting into,I’ve had mixed answers most say it’s not worth it but they are rolling around in big smart v8’s I don’t get it they all say it don’t pay but then there getting in on of these I just can’t work it out,
Because they are losers,
Harry Monk:
cliffstephens:
Harry Monk:
Honestly mate, if you have a good employed job then stick with that. I’ve done ok at running my own truck but I am seriously thinking of selling up and going back to work as an employed driver.What’s happening with the the barge Harry you get one after …just bought myself autotrail Apache motorhome …taint half better than trucks …
Yes, that’s part of the problem, my heart just really isn’t in driving a truck any more. Really, my Magnum needs replacing sooner rather than later and I just don’t want to commit to another 3 years of finance. I also want to spend more time on the boat than work allows. I haven’t made my mind up yet, but I might just do agency work as and when I need the money.
You’ll get a limp and bad eyesight…you’ve been warned 
If you can do it without causing, for instance, your family to suffer if it all went ■■■■ up and you’re going into it with your eyes wide open and fully appreciate the ins and outs of it with the sort of personality type that can pick themselves up again then I would say don’t not do it.
They might not say it out loud but there’s a lot of old men who ran out of time who wish the did and now never can.
Money can buy you anything you want - except time!
OVLOV JAY:
There’s loads to consider when becoming an o/d. Your current job, capital, lifestyle etc. It doesn’t matter who’s paying you, it’s about your life at the end of the day. In the real world, you need about £15k minimum to start up, to cover the bases, get the truck and actually work it up to the first invoice. Maybe it’s attractive up north where a lot of small firms want max hours for sub £400 in the bank every week. For me, I take almost £600, for roughly 58 hrs and 1-2 nights out a week, average working time of 37 hrs a week and average driving time of 28 hrs a week, all in a 64 plate fh500. Why would I want to go to all the trouble of being an o/d, to ride around praying my 57 reg premium doesn’t [zb] itself, working all the hours under the sun to pay myself a similar wage to what I get now?
15 k to setup as owner driver lmao
Are you saying it’s more or less than 15k?