Power only new Authority

Working local is the easiest way to make this work, and even then it can be hard af. Most of your work will be seasonal. It is in my experiance a hard road to hoe. I suggest waiting untill you can buy a trailer and have it on the road before getting your own dot/mc #’s.

 

I started this way, thinking that I don't want to deal with trailers and was open to haul any type (van, reefer, flatbed etc.) When I figured out that I'm wasting my time because of lack of loads, I rented trailer until I was able to buy my own. So power only is no no to me, unless uou have some kind of contract ahead (like ups, FedEx etc).

 

I started out power only. First I leased on (for 3 months) with, and then, after I got my authority, contracted to the company whose trucks I drove for 4 years. Got the kinks worked out of my truck during that time, put some cash away, then scored a sweet $3+/mile power only load to Florida with no back haul. Dropped that trailer, then worked my way up the East coast bobtail looking for either a PO load worth hooking to, or a decent trailer to purchase at a decent price. Found and purchased a road ready dry van in Lynchburg, VA, and brought it back empty to my base in PA. Started getting spot market loads off the board, 50-200 loaded miles, paying $800-1200, coming back home empty every day.

Now I've parked the trailer and am doing power only again. $1000/day on 400 miles or less ($2/mile for miles over 400), home daily.

What I'm doing right now is mostly seasonal, with the fall / winter loads being covered by the company driver base. But I'm thinking that I'll be kept on through the winter due to the fact that I've never missed a weekday and work every weekend that they need me. And I take the loads that nobody else wants when they need me to, even the ones that the company drivers refuse.

My plan is to stay power only for as long as it's profitable. Even if this seasonal work ends, I can still transition to Amazon or UPS power only, since their busy season will be ramping up.

If not, then I'll just hook up to my trailer and carry on.

 

I do a lot of power only but don't know of anyone that does it that way but if it works out for you good

 

Rent a trailer for $600 month and go make money

 

trailers are cheap to rent/ lease

 

JB Hunt and Schneider send invitations all the time. I don't know what it is worth these days (last year they were saying 1.5 dol a mile average --- ridiculous) but I see some guys do it. I never tried it. I hope I am better off with my own trailer.

 

I did p/o for 3 months with my fresh MC only because I could not find a reasonably priced trailer.

Most I could make as $2500/run working 2 days/week (working my prefered schedule) but annoying dispatchers, who would then starve me the following weekend.

I got trailer for $400/mo.... BOOM, I work 3 days/week gross $4+K/wk from loadboards.

I cannot see a trailer owner renting you one if you cannot put it to work (unless leased-on) -- and this requires you to give up a % of the gross (whatever they make you believe it is).

Anyone telling you to wait until you can buy a trailer and have it on the road before getting your own dot/mc #’s does not know diddly squat

Conclussion? Trailer is the way to go. BUT ... Get your MC first though.

 

I started with power only working with a brokerage of a mega company. The loads didn't pay enough, insurance was too expensive(250k cargo required was too much, plus being a new MC), and there was too much deadheading. 6 months later, I rented a 48' flatbed and made almost twice as much. I've gone back to power only, but I'm using the load boards and brokers who I've developed a good working relationship with. Load outs might be decent, but I haven't messed with them. Usually for us, the destination is a dead zone or the outbound freight that matches is a cheap lane.

I've also come across some crazy requirements for trailer interchange/non-owned trailer, like $125k for pulling an empty reefer trailer. You're never going to have an issue like that while pulling your own trailer. I'll probably end up going back to flatbed, or even stepdeck. The loads we get now pay well and keep us close to home, but they're not consistent enough.