Uber Freight Questions
Topic 28400 | Page 1
NO, it is not going to work easily and you're not going to just up and start driving a truck and making all kinds of money in a few weeks.
We recommend you attending a company sponsored CDL training curriculum which will teach you the bare necessities to obtain a CDL. After successfully completing this, you will go out with a trainer for anywhere from a few weeks to several months to learn how to operate.
Most companies are requiring at least a 160 hour certificate to hire a perspective new driver. A lot of this is due to their insurance providers.
Most of our freight is "no touch", so someone else is loading and unloading the trailer of product.
We never reccomend becoming an owner/operator nor a lease purchase driver. That goes double for someone that knows next to nothing about driving a commercial vehicle.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Can you please provide us the numbers you used to believe uber freight will be profitable? I have a feeling you are EXTREMELY underestimating the costs involved in buying a truck and trailer, maintaining said equipment and insurance as a brand new driver with no formal training. Insurance premiums continue to go up while freight rates plummet. It's so bad currently that we've had a few O/O tell us they've parked their truck and work as a company driver. I'm not familiar with uber freights model but I doubt its any different than any other broker. Would they even be willing to take you on as a new driver?
If you're serious about wanting to own a truck PLEASE get your CDL on a companies dime and drive for them a couple years. Learn everything you can, track how much money was spent on fuel and maintenance. Make your rookie mistakes than most make while you're not on the hook for a deductible to come up with. After you learn what you're doing run the numbers and see if it makes financial sense. Nearly all of us drive for a company and enjoy our numerous benefits they provide, health insurance, new trucks every couple years, paid time off while still earning a very solid wage without the hassle of owning our own truck. If our truck breaks down the company takes care of all expenses and will likely even throw you some money to help make up for the delay. As an O/O you're on the hook for the tow, repair and hotel stay while your trucks being worked on. Often times if you take it to a dealership itll be a few days before they get to it. That's a few days with no revenue coming in meanwhile your truck payment and insurance will still be due.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Even if you do buy a truck and trailer, please don't contract yourself to Uber Freight. They are far from the cream of the crop.
I cannot stress enough, do not go this O/O route.
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I have been an uber driver for a year and a half, and am looking into getting my own semi and 53' dry van to do uber freight because it looks like it can be profitable. Do the places load and unload the cargo for you? I have a neck injury and I can't do physical work. Also how many hours of cdl training do you need? A school near me has a 15 hour program, but I was told that most of the trucking companies want you to do 160. Does that matter or do I just need a cdl? Are there other companies you would recommend over uber freight? I looked into truck driving a while ago and wasn't really interested in signing my life away to go to school and be stuck working to pay back debts, but I am willing to just finance my own truck and drive
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.