Owner Operator

When I was in school a Schneider recruiter came in one morning and gave us the scoop on working for them... He talked a little about being an o/o .... He said the the average first year net income for a Schneider o/o was over 70k and for top earners over 90 k. You all would have me believe the dude was lying or being deceptive, at least.

Trust me man, the average recruiter isn't always truthful. At my last company they had framed pictures of drivers holding checks made for 150,000$ yet the O/O starting pay was 1.05$ cpm (which is dirt low) - anen't happening!

Their job is to recruit you, that's how they put food on the table. It's very easy to trick a student who knows nothing about the industry that they'll get rich by leasing a truck.

When I was in school a Schneider recruiter came in one morning and gave us the scoop on working for them... He talked a little about being an o/o .... He said the the average first year net income for a Schneider o/o was over 70k and for top earners over 90 k. You all would have me believe the dude was lying or being deceptive, at least.

Recruiters and leasing agents make money based on sales and successful recruiting. So, of course they are going to shiny up their talk, stroke your ego, make you drool for the cash. They have something to gain.

You know who doesn't having something to gain? The people giving advice on this forum to newbies entering the trucking business. They aren't earning money off you if you do or do not lease a truck, get a job, or anything else.

If you are a newbie, be smart. Don't give into the shiny sales pitch. Get some time behind the wheel for a few years, learn the industry, then decide if you really want to lease a truck. While you're driving for a company, add up all the repair and fuel costs as well because, those are something an O/O has to pay for on top of everything else.

It's not so easy to know who to trust, everyone's got an agenda it seems ... In the case of the Schneider recruiter, he does not make a commission, if that's what you mean. (At least that's what he said). And I doubt that Brett spends so much time on this just out of the goodness of his heart...

It's not so easy to know who to trust, everyone's got an agenda it seems ... In the case of the Schneider recruiter, he does not make a commission, if that's what you mean. (At least that's what he said). And I doubt that Brett spends so much time on this just out of the goodness of his heart...

You sound like you just have a chip on your shoulder and are playing the victim. God forbid Brett makes a fantastic resource for new truckers, posts his book online, makes the High Road Training Program, and possibly makes a commission on selling the actual book. If you can't appreciate the advice, don't agree with it, and want to make conspiracies for how everyone is clearly lying and out for blood, maybe you should find something else to occupy your time truly. How can you live with the stress of everyone being out to get you and lying to you?

It's not so easy to know who to trust, everyone's got an agenda it seems ... In the case of the Schneider recruiter, he does not make a commission, if that's what you mean. (At least that's what he said). And I doubt that Brett spends so much time on this just out of the goodness of his heart...

You, sir, are a fool. What could Brett possibly gain by advising you against being an owner operator??? He has no stake in the matter! Whether you're successful at it or not, it won't affect him in the least. I think you were just too easily sold on the sales pitch and saw it as a quick path to piles of cash, but now you're upset because you're finding out you were duped. Trust me, the veterans on this forum, especially guys like Brett and Old School, know what they're talking about. You'd be crazy not to take their FREE, UNBIASED, and INCREDIBLY WISE advice!!!

Mercy, mercy...This has gotten quite heated. But that's not always a bad thing. So this is my take on O/O:

Although I have never driven and I'm still in the preliminary stages of getting into this industry, I have spent the last 5 years as an o/o of two small businesses. While yes, there are some serious perks (you can set your own schedule, charge what you want if you're bidding a job, be picky about your clients, etc) without enough starting capital (which often is 3 times what you think it will be) and a solid business plan that you can actually stick to, you'll drown. I have busted my hump for all these years and to be perfectly honest, it wasn't financially worth it FOR ME. I fell for the perks of owning my own business hook, line, and sinker and FOUGHT like a bulldog anyone who tried to tell me different. So, Indy, I understand your frustration. But take it from someone who's been there and been frustrated with the neigh-sayers....I wish I had put my defensive ego aside and listened to what people were telling me. At the very least, if I had just slowed down and realized that so many people in this world are just trying to sell you on something that will put food on their table (which, how can you blame them, aren't we all), I would have made a more solid decision on how to start my businesses. I am now sitting on three college degrees and a business minor, a mortgage on a house that's falling apart, student loans up to my eyeballs, and one business (the other one I had to dissolve because I couldn't break below 95% overhead) that can't get enough traction to even cover my basic needs expenses. This may all sound like a story to gain sympathy, but they were MY choices that got me here so no sympathy needed. So if you take anything away from my story of o/o, DO YOUR RESEARCH, SIT ON THE INFO FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS, DON'T TAKE WHAT ANYONE SAYS AT FACE VALUE, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION THAT IS BEST FOR YOU. This whole thing has been an incredibly humbling experience and while I am thrilled about trucking, I am applying this extremely costly lesson to my current pursuits in the truck driving industry.

Dakota, I wish I could answer your question better but I think what I said above applies. O/O is not an awful idea for everyone, but it takes some serious leg work, dedication, and financial stability (that you aren't counting on getting back for at least the first 5 years of the venture) and that isn't all debt based.

Much appreciation, peace and feel-good things to you all. I love the truthful views and insight everyone gives on this site, even when it's hard to hear. I can only hope to help in the same way some day.

It's not so easy to know who to trust, everyone's got an agenda it seems ... In the case of the Schneider recruiter, he does not make a commission, if that's what you mean. (At least that's what he said). And I doubt that Brett spends so much time on this just out of the goodness of his heart...

Haha! Yeah, and I make good money from TT too! Brett is a millionaire and can afford to pay us. That's why OS types so much, we get paid by the word.

That recruiter may not make a commission, but it's still his job to get you to sign up. And sir, Brett has spent hundreds of hours on this site. If he does manage to squeeze a profit from this site then it's well deserved. The man should be paid for his work and effort. As for me and every other active member, we volunteer our time for free. Though, I have been thinking about charging a fee!

So there are two choices when trying to get information about various aspects of a career in trucking.

A. A recruiter

B. A diverse group of experienced truckers who freely give of their time to prevent new drivers from making mistakes.

I choose B.

Who among you is or ever was an o/o?

By the way, I appreciate this site as much as anyone. It has helped me get off to a great start in trucking... But I try to exercise my critical thinking skills in everything I read... Unlike the brown-nosing knucklehead above that called me a fool...