How Do We Achieve Our Goal?

My wife and I are thinking about buying a truck and becoming owner operators. We're hoping to enjoy our time travelling around the country and take time off wherever and whenever we like. Kind of like being a paid tourist. Any thoughts?

Troy, your ideas make perfect logical sense from afar but the harsh realities of the trucking industry will steer you straight into the poor house and your wife will certainly divorce you.

As "Mr Wonderful" would say on Shark Tank - I forbid you to proceed with this horrible idea!

In all seriousness, here's what I would do if I were you.....

I would get started in trucking as a company driver. Now there are plenty of job opportunities that will keep you closer to home even from the beginning if you like. You can almost certainly find something that gets you home most weekends straight out of school. Once you get a few months experience on the road you could probably find something to get you home every night if you wanted to. So I just wanted you to know you don't have to spend three or four weeks at a time away from home for several years before your wife can join you. You have options.

Ok so you get a few years driving experience and hopefully save up a few bucks at the same time. The kids move away and it's time to bring your wife with you on the road. But as a business owner you should have no problem understanding this - being a business owner, especially in the trucking industry, will never even resemble being on vacation. The idea that you can own a trucking business but dictate terms like a travel agent isn't going to happen.

First of all the industry has a 3% average profit margin. Think about that. And remember how many trucks on the road are running teams where they're getting the maximum possible productivity out of those trucks turning 5,000 - 6,000 miles per week. In spite of that, they still aren't making squat. The idea that you're going to be able to pay up big time for a big fancy truck with a custom sleeper, make enough to pay the bills, pick and choose your freight like a travel agent, and get a decent amount of time off at the same time is pie in the sky my friend. Ain't gonna happen. No way.

What you should do, in all seriousness, is save up some money while you're on the road and buy an RV. That's obviously what you're thinking. You'd like to live the RV lifestyle but you figure why not do it in a big rig and make money running our own business at the same time? Get paid to travel instead of paying to travel! We've all thought that. But your way of doing it won't work.

Here's what will......

If you get a few great years in with a company they'll work with you. Many times over the years I've come across people who work most of the year driving a big rig and maybe run their farm from spring through fall or take the summers off. Nobody is going to hand that opportunity to a rookie or a brand new driver. But if you get some time in with a company and show em you're as good as anyone out there then they'll be open to working with you if it means keeping a great driver.

Remain a company driver and take your wife with you whenever she wants to go. Let her stay home if she gets tired of it from time to time which she probably will. Work out some sort of deal with a company that will let you and your wife take the RV on some really sweet trips whenever you like.

Finally, there are some companies like Roehl Transport who have incredible home time opportunities. Have a look at this:

7-On/7-Off Fleet

Exclusively from Roehl, our 7-On/7-Off Fleet drivers drive seven days and then they are home for seven days at a time. If you choose a 7-On/7-Off Fleet, you’ll have 26 weeks a year off. You must be fully rested prior to dispatch. Space in the 7-On/7-Off Fleets may be limited in some areas of the country.

7/4-7/3 Fleet

Getting more miles is a key feature of our 7/4-7/3 Fleets. When you join a 7/4-7/3 Fleet, you’ll drive seven days, then be home four days, then you’ll drive seven days followed by three days of home time. That’s an average of 120 days off and mileage goals between 95,000 and 105,000 per year. You must be fully rested prior to dispatch, and space in the 7/4–7/3 Fleets may be limited in some areas of the country.

14/7 Fleet

Roehl’s 14/7 Fleets are unique options that combine the mileage goals of a 7/4-7/3 Fleet (between 95,000 and 105,000 per year) with the extended home time of a 7/7 Fleet. You’ll drive fourteen days and then be home seven days. Space in our 14/7 Fleets is available in limited areas, and you must be fully rested prior to dispatch.

Now with options like that you could remain a company driver and cruise around in someone else's beautiful big rig, buy a beautiful RV, and have tons of time to travel with your wife and enjoy yourself when you're on vacation. That allows you to make good money, have plenty of quality vacation time, and completely avoid the financial risk and headache of running a business at the same time. Best of all worlds.

That's how I would do it.

That 14/7 opportunity sounds like an awesome deal for a husband and wife team.

Bust out a couple of good paychecks then take a week off...

Thanks Brett for the reality slap. I didn't mean to sound like a tourist. Wow 3% is tough. What's the margin for o/o's? By lifestyle I meant that we were going to sell everything and buy the truck and run the business and truck full time and save all we can til retirement. I plan on taking my wife with asap over the next few years also to help adjust to the feel of it all. But good home time is important. My wife and I are very close and get along like peas in a pod. We wanted the customer sleeper because it would be our home for years. So it sounds really tough out there for truckers. Who are those guys out there driving those super sleepers and what are they hauling? Thanks for the great advise.