I just became a motor carrier mid December 2021. I got a $25k loan, bought a $11,000 truck (1984 KW K100) and spent about $4000 to get my authority plus all the other little governmental taxes. I'm now hustling that money. My buddy who was the inspiration to pull the trigger, only had $2000 to his name, put it as a down payment on a 2000 pete 379 and has been making it work for the past year now. All I have to say is that faith in the Lord Jesus and the willingness to make it work is all you need!

I once asked a O/O how to make a million dollars owning a truck. He said "That's easy. Start out with 2 million."

I financed my first truck. It was used. 5k down. After that I had no money until my first check with the truck 😆. So like you I gambled. And yes after 5 years I’m still an owner operator. Great video sir

I own my own truck and my own authority you have to register in Kentucky New Mexico and pay a bond in Oregon and then California you gotta register your truck in that state I love being owner operator but right now I’m sitting at the house with a $30,000 engine rebuild with my truck still being down till next week you guys that want to be owner operator make sure you got money saved because I’m gonna be down the whole month of February and it hurts with no money coming inLike your channel keep up the good work

You don't give yourself enough credit! You ARE a very good teacher.. Great information.

Kurt now I realize that this video was made couple years ago. And I haven't been in the trucking industry for more than a quarter century now. But the truth is I wish I had had someone like you that I could have talked to back when I was driving turning those gears and wanting to do something different but never really having the guts to jump off the edge of the bridge and make that commitment. Like I say it's been a lot of years since I drove a truck but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it and truthfully that's probably why I watch videos like yours. But thank you Kurt for some real talk. I learned a lot from you. God bless.

I'm a new O/O with new CDL since November 2021. Thank God life is good. Love being my own BOSS!

Love the purity and truth in your beginning story

When I was owned my own truck, I was leased to a company that had their name below mine. They furnished all of the permits, I pulled their trailers and their loads. They did all the paper work. At the end of the week I got a check. I owned the truck.

I salute you my man 💪 you are a true truck driving man ❤

My father use to flip his battery box covers around so he could haul under his company then flip it back to the company he was leasing to lol the old days 🤣

Thanks for the great information and sharing your trucking experiences. Love how you roll and keep'em com'in.

This was the best video for someone jumping into being a owner operator. You were talking about the size of engines. I started with a livestock owner operator at 21 and he put me in a Ford cab over with a screaming 238 Detroit with a tag axle. Very little heat in the winter and no air conditioning but a fan on the dash. Man I had the world by the tail. I was getting paid 7 cent a mile and my meals paid for. When I retired from hauling freight with a national LTL carrier I was making 65 cent a mile or about $29.00 a hour. I loved driving and I love watch your videos.

Thanks Kurt for all your hard work. Keep on truckin and stay safe!

Excellent video, very informative. You are a good teacher, straightforward no BS. Thanks!

Good tutorial about trucking. I didn't know about all those taxes but I am not surprised. I appreciate you being candid and telling it like it is.

Hey Kurt as always loved the video!! I do appreciate your insight on being an owner operator! I've been driving for 4 years and have tossed the idea around about being an owner operator. Also loving the longer videos as well!! Be safe!!

It's nice to hear other people's paths and lessons learned in their journey to owner operator

Kurt, I just went through a nasty 3-week bout with Covid and post-Covid stuff. In the hospital for two weeks. Not fun. SO darn glad to be up and on the mend, home, and being able to listen to you as well as those sweet pipes on your rig. Thanks for continuing to produce your great vids. Safe travels, Pal!

Woah! You put a camera in a TREE? Now that is commitment! Nice!!!

Another great informative video Kurt , keep up the great work and stay safe out there 👍

Great informative video...You answered a lot of the questions I always wanted to ask an OO...I spent the last 6 yrs as an OTR Company refer driver, and was fortunate enough to retire, a year early, at 61.....Thanks again, enjoy following you on your channel...take care and travel safe out there...

Thank you Schmidt, very educative

This was an awesome vlog. Straight and non judgmental. Have a good week and please stay safe.

Hey Kurt, thanks for doing that for me… lots of good information and a lot of questions answered for me. You and Opie stay safe buddy

Very informative video, thank you. Safe travels!

Hey Kurt,your info about o/o was right on I was driving for a small family business I was there for 25 yrs,loved it,saw how the business ran,etc.i ran the road long distance I drove that truck like it was my own it was a freightliner,big bunk,blah blah,I took very good care of it when it went in our shop for service they could tell how I ran the equipment,and they would comment on how nice I ran my truck compared to the other 2 yes 2 other drivers,made me feel good,anyways thanks for sharing what you go through,well like always c u next time keep truckin up,whoop-whoop!!

Thanks Kurt and opie for letting us tag along. Your videos are the best. 🤠

Check out a community college for truck driving school some are sponsored by smaller trucking companies running there used equipment. I learned driving truck by my father as he was a heavy diesel mechanic and drove truck some, but decided to go to community college to make easier for smaller companies easier to hire me with insurance cost. I ended up pulling dry van with a little regional and OTR company as my starter company.

Farming is a lot like you described trucking. When I started my first tractor was Brand X with no cab. Summers were hot, dusty and winters either cold or bitter cold. But we survived and some those guys who bought fancy John Deere had farm sales in the 80s because they over extended themselves. Thanks for the very practical lesson. You are a great teacher. I hope the young guys watching you take your advice seriously.

Born,raised and live on the North East Coast. Your sentiments on coastal towns is 100% spot on correct! Good Indians a great delivery here my man!

One of the best videos you have done. Great job.

Very informative Schmidt, hello opie, and welcome back.

very good info bout trucking now days when i had mine was over 21 yrs ago and they were dumps or pulp trucks, whole different world one was a gas job with tag axle carried 8 cords with it never had many problems sounds like you have your head on right kurt more power to ya, love the channel,good luck to ya

Great content! I agree with you on getting an older truck. Not only because of the cost, but also the DEF issues, sensor or chip shortage. I am on my 7th truck and never hauled a load yet. Just buy them and then sell them after fixing necessary things. My authority went active start of the year and will put the last truck to work. Stay safe and God Bless!

I'm glad your trucking on your own terms, you must be in your comfort zone, not everyone is that smart, you can make it hard or easy its your call, work smarter not harder. 🤗

Hi mate for the first time I see your vedeo this is was a first and I like how you talking the true about transport companies there in USA I import my pet 379 98model in 2008 and I sold the truck with a 2.920.000kms(1.900.000mls!) and just replaced a thermostat, rebuild a coolant radiator, of course I replaced a couple times a shoes brakes and 6brand new drums, winter tires I buying every year because we have 9months of hard winter conditions here in Norway and a normal maintenance grease, fuel and oil filters every 10.000kms and every year a air filters the truck have a CAT 3408 a beast V8 engine👏👏👌 not used that adblue shitt!! this truck makes money👏👌 we loading normal 50ton! it's a maximum loading for semitrucks here in Norway this engine used approximately 43liters per 100kms(9gal. per 62mls!) it's around 2liters more than the other new trucks but in ALL year the guys have a new trucks they dispend around 10.000usa dollars on the workshop 😃😃 so fucking the new equipment we can making much more money with a older trucks without fucking electronics stuffs!! 😏 of course I will do everything my trucks never ever touch a workshop floor 😃 but unfortunately I sold all my equipment trucks and trailers because this Europe not aceptes a american trucks anymore about the truck sizes 😐😕🙄😒 that's a reason I'm a quite! Now I driving for a friend of mine and if I have a possibility for driving in USA I really enjoyed because I'm tired of this fucking Europe 😡😝😝 I wish you luck mate and take care on your KW900 this is a great truck for makes money and it's a great equipment 👏👏👌👍 cheers from North of Norway 👋🤗🤗

This video has to be the best, most honest, and informative out all the other drivers that have explained this. Glad your that type of individual while keeping it clean. With that being said....when do we get a video on how you detail the interior. As I have struggled to find any good tricks and or instruction to really keep the interior show room clean. I do the basics but the ol green 379 needs a deep clean. Any help would be much appreciated.

Great video Kurt. Sure learned a lot about being an owner operator. I think back in the 7o's when I had a flair for trucking (still do, I'm just a bit older now) and talking with a few drivers at our local truck stop. Sure sounded easy back then, Today I can see how much it has changed. It is not easy being an owner operator today, but that seems to be where the money is at. I see a lot of company trucks on the road, and personally I would feel safer in my own truck. Granted there are some good companies out there that maintain their trucks however. some of their drivers and trucks they drive need some serious cleaning. As far as the rules of the road and all the taxes you have to pay, you can thank the politicians for that. I'm old school when it comes to buying a truck. Sure the new ones are nice, but I would think you would have to haul goods from Ft Knox to afford the payments, Thanks again, be safe,

44 years with my first truck. W900A. And I am still working it every day.

Kurt that was a eye opener for starting your own trucking business iam now retired from trucking and loved everything about it but now with fuel Costs going up and electric being introduced 😉 it's becoming a different situation for young truck drivers 😉 stay safe my friend 🙏

Excellent content. I’m kind of on the same track everything he said is spot on how I began. Its rough the the couple of months and year… 100% truth

Back in the day, I axed an old timer the same question, "How do I get started in the trucking business?". He told me = 1st win the lotto. Take the money and buy a large-car with a lot of lights and travel the country. Keep going 'till you run out of money........ At $200,000 for a new rig, seems the advice works today.

Great video Kurt! Great info for new guys. I almost made that mistake in January. I got new truck fever and custom ordered a new 389 with 300” wheelbase full custom everything. 256k you name it I added it. Luckily I had 3 months to think about it and came to my senses. My insurance and truck payment was gonna be about $6,300 a month. Needless to say I backed out. Instead I dropped a new factory reman 12.7 and 13 spd tranny in my paid for truck along with all new brakes,drums,drive tires, shocks,brake chambers,airbags and slack adjusters for about 57k. And it’s still paid for!

Thank you so much for your insight into the business side of truck ownership in the US, really interesting. I hope Opie’s limp is nothing serious, good luck to you and your family. 👍🇬🇧

My first truck was a glider kit KW which at that time could be tagged as a new truck. I bought a salvage complete chassis from insurance company, built it and went trucking till I sold that truck and did it all over again. It was a good way to go in the middle 60s for me. I wont go into the whole story. Times are different now though. You cant tag a kit as new anymore so that changed the game completely. You were a very smart guy doing it your way. Havagudun Kurt And stay safe.

So it took me a few days to make myself watch a 48 min video!! As a old schooler just wanted to be just like my dad! He TALKED me right out of being a O/O! The cost of tires/brakes! Not to mention the cost of a overhaul of a motor way back in the 80s! Kurt you are the Man. One of the best jobs i ever had paid by the hour from the time we left the shop until we got home or the motel/ Oh yeah we had sleepers just to wait in if there was a delay! And they paid for the motel and a meal for our days out.

Thank you for the video I’m just starting out I’m trying to do it on my own it’s for sure a lot of paperwork I guess I was lucky my dad give me the truck I bought the trailer truck needed some work tho. I’ve watched several of your videos over the past year you teach me a lot thank you

If you expanded to running more trucks, I would LOVE to work for someone like you! I love the open road. Keep going strong!!

Amazing as always. Great information thanks. God bless you

Kurt, I did the same, my first truck was 12k, a freightliner century. Good old truck, just kept moving up until I got my Coronado! I took a chance with very little in the bank.

Thank you for another great video. Different States than ours. Like Oklahoma, never been. There is a lot of good information for anyone looking for it !!!!😅😅😅😅😅. Don't blame you on no gas from IL. That's smart.😅😅😅😅

Thank you for going through all that stuff Kurt take care of yourselves won't you Kurt and Opie

I had a good laugh when you going to release the fifth wheel and dropped your puller, sorry. A lot of what you say applies to a lot of people going into business for themselves. When I started my woodworking business, my first job was a large commercial job. Well my table saw broke down, I couldn't find an air compressor to rent, so I had to borrow one. I rented a nail gun but couldn't find the correct size nails. So I bought a new one , which I hadn't planned on either. Then borrowed a trailer to deliver the project in multiple loads. I also had my Father in Law and my wife's cousin helping to finish building the job. But when I got paid, I paid my bills and bought some new equipment and made repairs. You have to be diligent if you want to succeed.

Great video, Kurt. One thing you didn't mention, or at least not yet, is work. I tried tramping, getting loads from whoever was offering. Not good, very stressful. Then I worked for one guy who gave me all the work I could handle. That was great, and very profitable; and that's what it is all about at the end of the day; making money. Keep up the good work. Stay safe.

As a former business partner we ran apportioned plates, if I recall here in Ohio they cost 1200ish per year. Still had the heavy haul tax and ifta too. I think out of 30 plus years we only got audited one time. Having a good tax/accountant makes a huge difference. Thanks for sharing your personal thoughts and for giving good advice. Keep safe out there.

Amen brother, I have a 1995 international 9400 and iam happy, you are completely correct my friend, I paid cash on this one ,thanks for the good information God bless you and the family LC ,El paso tx

Thank you sharing your insight.

I have thought about it for sure! Big step big responsibility.

I've really enjoyed this one Kurt

Very imformaing video yes brand-new trucks are expensive you have that monthly payment plus you have Maintenance on the truck stay safe out there

Kurt, I can’t agree with you more!!! These new drivers are crazy going out and buying the New Kenworth Truck. Man your right on I hope drivers who are thinking about going OWNER OPERATOR.

My first truck was a big cam 4 also. Only 315 horsepower. In a 1988 Ford LTL9000. Paid $12000 cash for it in 2020. If the tranny didn't go out on it before I had banked enough for repairs, I'd still be running it. It's still sitting in the yard like your FL. I can't get rid of it. My current truck purchased last year is a 2014 Mack that I paid $26000 for. It's only a day cab like the Ford. Prices went stupid over COVID and you really are lucky to find anything road worthy or not a ticking time bomb on mileage for less than 60.

Thank you for sharing this awesome information about being a owner and operator of a truck. Hi opie.

Interesting information Kurt Thanks. Be safe and try to get Opie in his boots!

When I was pulling a reefer, I would sweat with any load above 44,500. Only because if you get a preload and the shipper didn't know how to distribute the load; I'd be over on my drives or tandems every time. Keep up the great content, makes me miss the road, some days.

Great information!! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the great info. I'm working on getting my ducks lined up so I can drive. I've already retired from 2 other careers and now I'm planning on doing something I've wanted to do since before I graduated high school.

You and Opie have a good one brother

Kurt you have one of best dog out there

I love watching you goofing around with the family. You probably shouldn't pick on Troy too much about his hair if you catch my drift. You wouldn't be happy working for someone else at this point in your life. That's just not how you roll. You gave some great info. Safe travels and God bless.

Fantastic content Kurt

thanks for that bit of info Kurt my son in law is a trucker and want to become an O/O so this should help him out a lot

Completely agree with you one hundred per cent.

Such an interesting video. Thank you.

Definition of think smart. Or play safe. Plus brutally honest. I am not a mechanic neither I want to be but u found yourself turning a ratchet or play with some bolt(paraphrasing). God bless You man, You and your love ones. Marry Christmas and all best for You(and for all of us). Play safe.

Kirt I’ve never been an owner operator grew up in a trucking family I’m working on my 27th year truck driving. Your rite about owner operators I’ll take your word for it ! Next video don’t forget to mention medical and retirement.👍👍👍

Sounds like good info so thank you man

Appreciate the video. Thanks man.

Porter greetings.🇺🇸 8 tracks…I sure remember those. I helped make them when I was a kid. Still have some of them that we made back in the day.😳 I even had an 8 track in my 65 Ford C800 tractor. It’s good that you remember or even know about some of those stories of your grandparents. I would suggest taking some pics of those areas and writing the info on them so that your kids will have that info. Good stuff! 🤩 My brother had his own authority but never used it. He always seemed to go under a lease deal & used theirs. I guess it worked for him. We were taught that you always pay your truck 1st. You have that for when you have those breakdowns. We had good trucks and then some bad ones, too. 😳 I bet your Freightliner is about a 400 HP Cummins. Really, I always thought that any truck will work for you. You just need to find something that doesn’t run your truck to death or make you run really hard to make money. It’s nice having that 600 HP Cat! You should get way more than 1 million miles from that engine before a rebuild! Cats are usually that way. My brother and I looked at a new Lonestar. Aside from having to wait 1 year after ordering it, it was $150K. They’re now even more than that for most trucks, which is way too much!!! We looked at several used trucks and found that they were wanting more than what they were worth, so we couldn’t find any really good deals. I was even looking to get a single axle Century with a Cat! You’re right…you need to have more than $1K in the bank…maybe $10K would be better. We always had 1 truck that was the main driver and had a backup truck for when we had issues or had to haul it home. Yeah, we had a 5th wheel boom! Those are HANDY! I recommend that people try to ride with another driver for around 6 weeks to get a feel for driving a truck. Not everyone is cut out to be a trucker and there is a lot to learn about it. Every type of haul is different in some ways…steel is different then box trailers and refrigerated. You covered quite a bit, even about this new law about needing the school training. What a waste, in my opinion! Good stuff, my friend! 🥰😎✌️

People say the same thing about pickups. "You'll either have to make a pickup payment or maintenance payment, so you might as well drive a new pickup." My Silverado is 22 years old. Bought it new. Haven't had a pickup payment in 17 years and I probably spend less than $300 a year on repairs and maintenance. 420k miles and still has original engine and tranny. I'm in Drive Away. I deliver a lot of new trucks to dealers. Top-of-the-line units. They are really nice and ride like Cadillacs. But I could never imagine paying $225k for one! You'd have to be humping it hard every week! I'll eventually move back into freight hauling, and when I do, it'll probably be some old FLD or something thereabouts. Keep the videos coming, this was one of the most informative and insightful videos on becoming an O/O that I've seen!

Really good explanation of what it takes to get into trucking. People need to know their options. You didn’t talk about lease purchase programs. Anyone considering lease purchase needs to be cautious. I’ve seen guys be really successful in these deals but also seen them fail miserably. They definitely need to understand what they are getting into. Blue truck at the gate in Greenfield.

Hi Kurt & Opie. Nice 2 b back on the road with both. Great vlog. I like hearing how you got started. It does change everyday. Trucking isn't what it used 2 b at all. The rules & regulations alone can make your head spin. Some of course 4 the better. Some are out there. I am preaching 2 the choir. What are your thoughts with what's going on in Canda?🇨🇦

I just became a subscriber in the last few weeks.. you should buy Opie a cheeseburger he got me to start. You do some great videos. Now watching this video I see how far you have come and why you built up such a following. You have really come a long ways in your skills as a content provider.

Kurt that good you beat virus and that good back work and I had to Kurt God bless me and you and taking care of your family and a pro on truck and make look easy

Thank you for the information. I’m looking at becoming an O/O in a few years.

What i found when I owned and operated an international that I bought at a postal auction and used as a trucker(local deliveries). Most "repairs" are really just adjustments that I could do myself with my motors truck repair manual. As a truck ages it needs "tune ups" more often and this preventive maintenance will avoid major break downs.

Hi Kurt. My first truck I 1987 cost me around 5k. Looking at a scania v8 750 bhp, 4 years old 145, 000.00 with 300 thousand on the clock. New one 185,000. Its got to do some work to get your money back. I've been an owner operater for around 40 years. Love my trucks and my motorbike. Enjoying your channel. Keep safe. 👍Peter from the 🇬🇧

I started w/27k 88 freightliner in 95 and a bank check of 7k that came in the mail, sign here. Just plain lucky . Thank you Jesus . Retired now it was fun.

Excellent!

My greenhorn lesson as an OO back in the 70's about put me under before I made it a year. I bought a tired old 73 KW tandem dump and a rusty tri-axle pup trailer. Got hooked up with a couple sand pits and rock quarries that summer when there was a ton of state highway work and private construction happening. I made more money than I could count the first couple months and proceeded to "invest" in fancy paint and anything chrome. As the season wound down it became obvious I should have paced myself a bit on the 'dress up' spending and banked a lot more to get me through the off season. Ate a lot of bologna and beans and ended up hauling some unpleasant semi-frozen cow pucky out of the Omaha stockyards that winter to get by. Got to be smart, careful and realistic with income and expenses and not let the $$ in your eyes blur your vision.

Great video that was very informative

Well presented bud🤙

Great advice 👍🇺🇸

Too bad Cincinnati lost by 3. I slept threw it and had to wake up at 2am to start my shift knowing my hometown team lost but they gave it a good shot

If you find the right school there's no worries. Our rate at Midwest truck driving school never changed and we don't plan to. The gov changed the rules because the accident rate has sky rocketed for new drivers, but what they over look is many of these fly by night schools and mega carriers are not properly training people. The use their schools as a cash cow and just push them through weather their ready or not. They don't care because these people sign contracts and the gov gives tax help to them for training during the supposed driver shortage. I also agree that till you learn the ropes you should wait to buy your first truck, or at the very least find yourself a mentor to help you navigate the system.

Hat's off to anybody that can make it work today...

Wow that was a real eye-opener. As a 47-year-old man who really loves driving who drove small trucks for years and who really really really wants to get into the heavy hauling business driving big rigs I haven’t looked into what it would take yet to do this sort of thing and I can tell you now after listening I definitely don’t even have the money to go to the school much less become an owner operator like I always wished I could’ve been. But I guess dreams come true eventually so who knows. Maybe one day I will find somebody that I can sit me down give me the direction to a company that can help me with the goals that I have even if it’s working for that company for just a little while. Again I do enjoy the videos I’m really happy I have found your channel and I look forward to the next one. Thanks, Bobby

The trucking school law is just crazy. They talk about driver shortage now , it's gonna get alot worse

Your not the only one who uploaded a Becoming a O/O today alot of trucking youtubers did lol