As I see it the only way you’ll get work is by doing it for less than what the current guy is doing it for,this has gone on for years hence why people say it’s not worth doing anymore.
Mattwoodtransport:
Are you saying it’s more or less than 15k?
More
Stress, repairs, loans, finding work, competition, little profit, I wish I had nt bothered.
I’d rather work for someone else, let them deal with the hassle and I’ll do the driving, if I want my own motor, I’ll buy one when I retire.
Was talking to a bloke at work a few weeks back (probably early to mid 50s)
He said the first thing he’d buy would be a truck if he won the lottery, and he’d still set his alarm for silly o’clock.
When the alarm went off, he’d come downstairs, throw a brick at it and sod off back to bed. Proper made me laugh.
I have one of those clean jobs with a big name employer but a desire for a blinged up motor.
So going to look into to getting a Volvo FH then reg. It as a private HGV take it to local shows and country fairs. Bingo! Nice shiny truck with no risk and my wages in the bank and the shirt still on my back. 
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.
Think carefully Harry, I know a guy who was an O/D for years, and through issues out side of his control(not finance or truck related) he decided to pack in, and work as an employee. Tried large logistics operations, and smaller haulage operations, just could not get his head around working as an employee. He now works with an Owner driver he knew before, the guy brought him a truck and he basically runs as his own 
I wondered what the reality of it all was aswell, my friend has 3 old wagons been doing it 20+ years and says there’s no money init… Just can’t believe that! I’ve been going over it for about 6 months, hard one to decide on though :-/
PaulNowak:
I’d rather work for someone else, let them deal with the hassle and I’ll do the driving, if I want my own motor, I’ll buy one when I retire.
Fair point and I probably agree with you, 
but for some people running their own business is a goal in life and it’s a good job they’re out there as we’d never have the risk takers starting new businesses.
As others have said, the most important thing to do first and foremost, research…
Find out if you are suitable for the venture (money, drive, determination etc); then find out if the role is suitable for you (money, drive, determination etc). If all still looks good hack out a business plan. Then get someone who knows about these things to pick it to pieces. You need to find out if there is a gap in your market, and a market for that gap - in other words, your business plan might have good potential but you might not have an outlet locally - too many subbies already in the market, not enough potential customers, no operating centre - if so you may need to move.
And don’t shy away from paying a little for some professional help/advice if you need to - loosing a few quid now, could save you thousands down the line.
I’m not an owner driver btw - but have been in and out of self employment for a few years.
eddie snax:
Think carefully Harry, I know a guy who was an O/D for years, and through issues out side of his control(not finance or truck related) he decided to pack in, and work as an employee. Tried large logistics operations, and smaller haulage operations, just could not get his head around working as an employee. He now works with an Owner driver he knew before, the guy brought him a truck and he basically runs as his own
I know what you mean, despite all the stress and agro, there is something curiously satisfying about running your own truck. The only reason I’m looking at packing up is that I only want to work two or three days a week and I think that the standing costs wouldn’t make it viable when I can take home £300+ for working Saturday and Sunday for Aldi etc.
Having said that, whatever happens in the future, I will never regret putting my truck on the road and if anyone asks about doing the same I will always point out the risks and downsides but at the same time if they insist then I would always say “If you have an itch then scratch it”. I certainly haven’t made a fortune from running a truck but it has kept the wolf from the door for the last four years and it has certainly been 100x better in quality of life terms than working for some of the scumbags I’ve worked for as an employee in the past.
At the end of the day, you’re driving a truck and the view through the windscreen will be the same no matter who owns it. The difference will be if it’s yours and you don’t have regular well paid work you will live your life wondering where the money is coming from to pay the the bills, wishing you could have your 28 days paid leave and wishing you could finish at 5pm and forget about work till the next morning when you climb back into the cab. To be fair you’ll have a far better chance of driving a nice top end truck as an employed driver than as an OD and even if you do manage to procure that big V8 it only looks nice when you’re stood outside, after a week of caning the roads to earn awage you won’t much care what it looks like as you’ll just want to get as far away from the bloody thing as you can for a couple of days! I’ve just been quoted for a new tractor from all the manufactorers and they range between £86000 and £111600 so a mortgage basically but one that needs to be paid in 5-7 years and an asset that will only depreciate and likely go wrong when your at your busiest.
Sure, I’m better off financially as far as my take home wage is concered but if I were to divide my salary by the hours I do i’d probably scare myself and be looking for a job with ASDA tomorrow so I don’t bother doing that. 
I run three trucks on specialsit work and even after 10 years it’s no easier if not harder even due to WTD regs and competion from the likes of Stobart who seem to be intent of moving into just about every haulage sector and decimating the rates as they go. (Waiting to see my first stobart ice cream van this summer!!)
The other thing to consider is work, you need good 2nd party work(if Stobart hasn’t got to it first) to make it pay and, realistically, you want to be turning £2.00 per mile… I think I’m right in saying containers etc which are the low hanging fruit in the haulage world are offering in the region of £1.20-£1.50 per mile(hence they have permanent ads in the magazines), you’re going to blow half of that out of your exhaust pipe then whats left will need pay for everything else including your wages. You’ll find the cannier operators doing subby work on boxes etc will be the ones using the 10 year old trucks that the’ve bought for a song and will probably run them for a year or two then, if they havent gone bust, will get another old one and so on.
I get reasonable rates in most cases, in excess of £2 per mile, and operate on 10% net margin give or take a couple of percent year by year, I can do two loads per truck per shift and can turn over £700+ some days but then 10% net on that is just £70 profit which covers my wages, damage and punctures… pick up a bolt in a tyre, call tyre company to replace or repair… no profit for that day or the next 4 or 5!!
Another thing to bear in mind is as a small hauiler I’m always in debt of one type or another, repair bills, fuel bills, finance etc and once you’re in you’re in, the debts are there till the day you finish and beyond or your rich auntie dies and leaves your fortune!
Forgive me if a paint a bleak picture of running trucks and I’m sure there will be other operators who will disagree with some if not all of what I’ve just written but just remember to be forewarned is to be forearmed but you’ll never know unless you try but, on balance, having been doing it for 10 years now, I’d probably get out if i wasn’t in too deep and had I known 10 years ago what I know today I’d probably not have done it especially knowing that employeed drivers in my sector can earn £40K plus per year for 48hrs!!
If an O/D 10yrs running getting about £2mile average doesn’t think its worth the dung/pish you have to put up with then not much hope for the rest!!![emoji15]
Harry Monk:
eddie snax:
Think carefully Harry, I know a guy who was an O/D for years, and through issues out side of his control(not finance or truck related) he decided to pack in, and work as an employee. Tried large logistics operations, and smaller haulage operations, just could not get his head around working as an employee. He now works with an Owner driver he knew before, the guy brought him a truck and he basically runs as his ownI know what you mean, despite all the stress and agro, there is something curiously satisfying about running your own truck. The only reason I’m looking at packing up is that I only want to work two or three days a week and I think that the standing costs wouldn’t make it viable when I can take home £300+ for working Saturday and Sunday for Aldi etc.
Having said that, whatever happens in the future, I will never regret putting my truck on the road and if anyone asks about doing the same I will always point out the risks and downsides but at the same time if they insist then I would always say “If you have an itch then scratch it”. I certainly haven’t made a fortune from running a truck but it has kept the wolf from the door for the last four years and it has certainly been 100x better in quality of life terms than working for some of the scumbags I’ve worked for as an employee in the past.
Maybe a partner might be the way for you Harry, there’s always a wanna be driver who can’t quite afford to go all in but might suit you and you get a few quid. Would need some creases ironing out all the t’s and c’s.
I had 28 years as an o/d, built my company up to 20 trucks with 26 employee’s.
Thought I could never work for any one again till I went bust in 2006, then had no
option, got a great job now, top of the range truck fully kitted out, microwave,
fridge freezer ect take home £625 + per week Monday to Friday, never pushed or hassled.
Never regretted being an o/d, but never took this money home ever as o/d, in fact never paid
myself some weeks as money was tight but got no regrets.
on the price per mile is the £2,00 a mile paid both ways or is just one way thankyou
Glenntran:
on the price per mile is the £2,00 a mile paid both ways or is just one way thankyou
You will be lucky to get £2 a mile oneway never mind both!
chaversdad:
Glenntran:
on the price per mile is the £2,00 a mile paid both ways or is just one way thankyouYou will be lucky to get £2 a mile oneway never mind both!
wow didnt realise it was that bad how can that pay
Glenntran:
wow didnt realise it was that bad how can that pay
Think about it. If, and it is an IF, you can get £2 per mile one way, then without your back load then that’s £1 per mile round trip! £1 per mile!!!
Hence the O/P`s original question…“Why do people say it’s not worth doing”. Clearly though, some people are making it work, and I bet they are not on £2 per mile.
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?
400 up north. is birmingham classed as up north to you
My rates are based on £3 a mile as most of the time i return empty to load for the next day, so im on 1.50 a mile round trip but 50% of the time the trucks doing 10-11 mpg as its running empty , suits me and makes for a relaxed way of working