Flatbed Start-Up Strategy: Gaining Experience And Preparing For Ownership

I’ve just completed CDL school, and my long-term goal is to become an owner-operator running flatbed freight—specifically targeting hotshot-style loads that fall outside what traditional hotshot setups can legally haul. I’m envisioning operating a day cab with a backpack sleeper and a 53' trailer, ideally staying out on the road for no more than two nights at a time. This has been a career path I’ve researched for nearly a decade, and I’m eager to get started. I understand that insurance rates become more manageable after gaining a year of experience, so I’ve been considering companies like TMC, McElroy, and Prime to build that first year in the flatbed segment.

My plan during that time is to operate as though the truck were my own—tracking all expenses, gaining hands-on knowledge of the flatbed industry, reviewing load boards at truck stops, and setting aside funds to purchase my own equipment.

For someone just starting out in this space, what advice would you offer to help lay a strong foundation for eventual success as an owner-operator?

In your decade long research you still want to pursue this? What is so important to you about being the owner?

I'm genuinely curious. As an owner of several businesses, I've never thought the economics of being an O/O in trucking made any sense. If it weren't for the "coolness" factor associated with big rig ownership, I seriously doubt we'd see a lot of independent operators like we do now. Many of them struggle at it while most fall by the wayside.

Welcome, congrats on getting your cdl , that is a big milestone.

You packed alot in your short post. The first thing that jumped out too me is you have a cdl and no job yet, or your brand new and looking toward flatbed companies. You didn’t specify.

There are several of us that do flatbed and have done other modes. You didn’t say, but why are you looking toward flatbed?

If you have researched for a decade or so you should have noticied some big shifts in trucking, and not for the better for small companies. They are going out of business every month.

Are you looking to lease onto a company or get your own authority???

Insurance is a big issue. It goes up every year. I have a great insurance agent and the last three years my insurance has gone up. I have had no claims of any kind, a good csa score and clean cdl. It still goes up.

Leasing a truck onto a big company can save you money on insurance, but then they take a chunk of your trucks revenue. usually about 1/3.

If you don’t have a customer base of your own then I would not consider starting out on your own these days. More and more companies are going with brokers and it is horrible for small companies. Even then customers always come and go.

I would get some experience and revisit your dream in several years if your still interested.