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What should be an owner operator net income per year?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by TallJoe, May 26, 2018.

What's an owner op should take home after all paid for operational costs:

  1. more than $150K

    25 vote(s)
    24.8%

  2. more than 125K

    15 vote(s)
    14.9%

  3. more than 100K

    34 vote(s)
    33.7%

  4. between 75K and 100K

    21 vote(s)
    20.8%

  5. none of your business to ask questions like that

    4 vote(s)
    4.0%

  6. Income does not matter. It is about the pride & glory of truck ownership.

    2 vote(s)
    2.0%
Page 1 of 10
  1. May 26, 2018 #1
    TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    To be clear, all the cash you can take home - all the money that a truck can generate after all already paid for operational costs (all cash that could become available after the cost of operations of the equipment)
    For instance, an average non-mega driver can take home 65-75k in wages...I should think that an owner operator, with the same level of workload (let's say 100k miles a year), should aim at least 15-20k higher, to justify their effort and risks.
     
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    #1
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  3. May 26, 2018 #2
    SteveScott

    SteveScott Road Train Member

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    It's all relative. Depends on where you live, the type and volume of freight and how hard you want to work as an O/O. I live in northern California, and if I'm not making $150+ then I'm not making it. If I lived someplace where the cost of living was half of where I live, $100k a year would be just fine. Some people can live high on the hog as a company driver making $60k a year.
     
    SteveScott, May 26, 2018
    SteveScott, May 26, 2018
    #2
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  4. May 26, 2018 #3
    Gumper

    Gumper Road Train Member

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    I’d rather make some less than a mega OTR driver, be home most nights during the week, and not work for corporate America. You can work every waking minute of every day away from home in a lot of industries, and make a ton of money. What kind of life is that? Also living in different areas of the country are going to make a big difference in income.
     
    Gumper, May 26, 2018
    Gumper, May 26, 2018
    #3
  5. May 26, 2018 #4
    danny23tx

    danny23tx Road Train Member

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    I'm ok making what a mega driver makes. They run twice as hard and I'm home twice as much .
     
    danny23tx, May 26, 2018
    danny23tx, May 26, 2018
    #4
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  7. May 26, 2018 #5
    RustyBolt

    RustyBolt Road Train Member

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    Kind of like asking what color of blue will the sky be next Tuesday. There are far too many variables involved to answer either question.
     
    RustyBolt, May 26, 2018
    RustyBolt, May 26, 2018
    #5
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  8. May 26, 2018 #6
    TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    OK. I did not account for geographical cost of living diversification. I did not know that it was of any major significance where you live. But it could be true. For me, moving up north 60 miles to Milwaukee, WI area could mean saving at least 5k in property taxes. Gas is a little cheaper up there too, perhaps. However,when we talk about rates, we are able to judge them in a uniform manner, regardless of geographical location. For instance, rates 1 - 1.5 dol a mile, regardless of distance are cheap not matter where you live.
     
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    #6
  9. May 26, 2018 #7
    tucker

    tucker Road Train Member

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    I like how the truckers are divided into separate classes. The Mega drivers hate the owner ops and the owner ops hate the Mega drivers.
    Our ancestors hated different groups of people based on their race and religion and we hate groups of people that do the same job as us regardless of their race or religion.
     
    tucker, May 26, 2018
    tucker, May 26, 2018
    #7
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  10. May 26, 2018 #8
    Ruthless

    Ruthless Road Train Member

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    I have noticed that thru recorded history, seems like every body hates somebody/some group. Wonder why people have to have hate in their hearts...

    Life can be hard enough without hating an entire segment of the populous.

    Just thinking out loud.






    @TallJoe idk that I have a specific # in mind; I'd think "noteably more than someone performing the same duties for an employer" being that you're an OO and a business owner.
    If someone says for the freedom & is ok with less money...... I can't fathom owning a business to make less money. Any fool can be poor.
     
    Ruthless, May 26, 2018
    Ruthless, May 26, 2018
    #8
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  11. May 26, 2018 #9
    TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    I would not call it a hatred to people driving for megas but rather resentment towards the institution that the megas represent and their trying to impose their agenda onto common small owners which represent 95% of all trucks. I started off with Werner myself and always thought of moving towards being on my own. The very people driving for megas have nothing to hate about, except for the fact that their lack of skills and experience is annoying sometimes.
     
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    TallJoe, May 26, 2018
    #9
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  12. May 26, 2018 #10
    tucker

    tucker Road Train Member

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    When I worked at Crete their owner ops would say they made the same money as company drivers but they liked the freedom of owning the truck.
    I always figured they should make enough to have a brand new truck every 3 years and net 20 grand more than me each year.
    I still see a few in faded red Centurys. IDK
     
    tucker, May 26, 2018
    tucker, May 26, 2018
    #10
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