3 Mistakes To Avoid As A New Owner Operator

If you've recently decided to get into the trucking business and are looking at local owner operator jobs, you've just set out on what could be a very exciting career that may allow you to travel the country and broaden your horizons while making some pretty good pay to boot. But being an owner operator comes with some serious responsibilities that you'll need to keep in mind if you want to keep your truck in working, safe condition year round. Here are three mistakes you'll want to avoid as a first-time owner operator.

Assuming You Won't Need to Budget for Maintenance in the First Year

Yes, it's true that your new truck likely comes with a decent warranty for at least the first year that should cover you in some cases if something goes wrong. But this warranty will not cover everything and if you fail to take care of basic maintenance tasks, you might be setting up your truck for a breakdown at some point in the future once the warranty has expired. You still need to set a maintenance budget for the first year to take care of things like oil changes, tire rotations, and other basic tasks.

Basing Your Potential Income Off of Other Drivers' Trip Sheets

Upon signing up with a new carrier, you might be given some numbers that will indicate about how much money you can expect to make. But keep in mind that the carrier might be providing you with numbers from some of their top performers with years of experience. Do not assume that just because another driver makes a certain amount of money that it will be easy for you to do the same, especially if you are new to this kind of work. When setting a budget for yourself, be conservative with the amount of income you estimate as you never know what kind of problems you might encounter out on the road, especially as a rookie with little previous experience.

Pushing Your Luck on the Gas Mileage

You were also likely quoted some numbers by a sales rep when you purchased your truck in regards to the amount of gas mileage you can expect to get under certain loads. But in reality, gas mileage may vary widely for any number of reasons, like taking on a heavier load than normal or getting stuck for hours in traffic congestion. When mapping out your trips, make sure you stop for gas often and don't push your luck trying to stretch out the available fuel.

Being an owner operator can be very rewarding but if you are about to take on this job for the first time, it's important to remain conservative when considering things like potential income, gas mileage, and maintenance costs. For more information, talk to your carrier about recommended best practices today.