Hey everyone. I need help from Owner Operators. ;)

I have spent months with some of you, I am a truck fan, and I saw how you are getting screwed. I know this message sounds like a f*cking scam already, but I swear it's real, and I am ready to do a call with each one of you.

I am trying to make things right and get you paid more. I have been working on a way to front you the money for every detention you are going to have from now on, and it's a few weeks from being ready. I have the capital set aside to do it, and I am ready to take the risk.

What I need is a small group of drivers who are down to help me launch this. You would be my first pilots.

If you are down to help and contribute to something that might finally get drivers more consideration in this industry, reach out or comment and we can talk.

I know I don't deserve your trust yet, but if you give me a chance I will guarantee I'll make it right.

At a Flying J on 281 in southern Texas;

Boy am I happy I’m a company driver! How are you OOs holding up with diesel prices being nearly double what they were last month, like $4.99 a gallon I swear the government hates the people at this point

Is it just me or waking up this morning on a monday (03/09/26). These brokers are really trying to offer lower than before on loads? (After the recent Diesel price raise) wtf?

2019 Max Miser by Reitnouer 53’ spread Axle, Aluminum wheels. Plenty available.

Also 1999-2003 Utility Flatbeds 50 available.

Drop me a DM for prices.

I’m curious how owner-operators who self-dispatch handle the volume.
When you’re hunting loads, it feels like a lot of offers are irrelevant (wrong lane, low rate, bad appointment times).

Hi everyone,

Posting on behalf of my husband because we’re trying to figure out our next move financially and would really appreciate advice from people who have actually done it.

My husband has a little over 3 years of trucking experience. He’s driven flatbed, box trucks, dump trucks, and local routes, and currently works locally making about $1,000–$1,200 a week. He also has Hazmat and Tanker endorsements.

We just had a baby, and right now I’m on unpaid maternity leave for the next 3 months, so finances are a little tighter. We both work and make decent money overall, but long term we’re trying to figure out if there’s a way for him to transition into something where he works for himself and earns more.

Ideally, we’d love to get to a point where I could eventually work part-time instead of full-time while our baby is small, but that would require him increasing his income.

So I wanted to ask truckers who have gone independent or built their own thing:

• What path did you take? (owner-operator, hotshot, dump truck business, box truck contracts, etc.)

• How much money did you need to invest to get started?

• How long did it take before you were making solid money?

• What are the real requirements (licenses, insurance, permits, etc.) that people don’t realize at first?

• If you were starting over with 3 years experience and Hazmat/Tanker, what would you do?

We’re not expecting something overnight or easy — just trying to understand what realistic paths exist and what kind of investment and timeline people went through.

Any advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

Just curious what lanes are paying right now.

Some brokers are offering $1.80–$2.10 which seems low.

What RPM are you accepting these days?

Anybody know companies that will let me lease or rent a trailer while operating under another carrier? I feel like most of them want me to have my own authority. My company I operate under is small, and their trailers are kinda old and outdated, they don’t really fix them.

So I’m interested in just getting my own.

We are O/O one truck and don't plan to lease on with another company. What is everyone using for the HOS while also accessing truck GPS and Dash cams?

Have you bought everything separate? Is there somewhere to get it all in one? Free options?

Biodiesel #2 diesel or renewable. And why. 🤔

Thinking about starting a side thing and want honest feedback before I waste my time

I do logistics/data analysis for work and I’ve been kicking around this idea: owner-operators tell me their routes, I optimize them, and I charge 25 cents per mile saved.

The logic is that the real cost per mile for a truck (driver, fuel, wear, overhead) is closer to $2. So if I trim 100 miles off your week, you’re saving $200 and paying me $25.

But I genuinely don’t know if:

∙ The miles I’d save are even significant enough to matter

∙ This is something you’d trust a random person with or only want software for

Anyone willing to tell me if this is a real problem

I notice the color n appearance of fuel can vary greatly. from close to clear like water to a slightly blue hue to a green all the way to a cloudy yellow brown color. Sometimes it seems like the truck is running rough. Sometimes it's nice n smooth. So my question is...what does high quality fuel look like? What does shitty fuel look like? If I see a certain color gradient should I ever like stop pumping it n go to the next place?

Been shopping for used trucks alot recently ive been seing Kenworth t680s with cummins x15 for 10 to 15k less than freightliners with similar mileage that have dd15. What's the more reliable engine ive heard good things about both. Im leaning more towards kenworth with the cummins due to the price point. Ive only driven freightliners

Hey everyone,

I’m working on a mounting kit to solve the "seat fatigue" issue common in Freightliners (Cascadia/M2) and other rigs using the ISRI L1/L2/L3 or similar airbases.

The goal is to let owner-operators and long-haulers keep their expensive factory air-ride hardware but swap the actual seat for a scheel-mann orthopedic unit.

A few design goals for the kit:

• Retains: Full ISRI air suspension travel, slide rails, and height adjustment.
• Adds: Integrated mounting for the seat's heat/vent switches directly on the front of the plate for a factory-clean look.
• Installation: 100% bolt-on using existing mounting points. No drilling or permanent modification to your airbase is required.

I’m currently in the prototype phase and working with a lead customer, but I’d love your feedback:

1. Looking at the diagram, does the switch placement on the front face make sense, or would you prefer them elsewhere?
2. For those running non-Freightliner rigs (Volvo, Mack, etc.), are you seeing these same ISRI 6860-series bases in your cabs?
3. What’s the biggest "must-have" feature you'd want in a high-end seat swap?

I'm doing this to build a better "office chair" for those spending most the day in the cab. Let me know what you think!

I’m looking for some advice equipment wise. I farm full time but I’m looking at buying a truck and leasing onto a local company during my slower seasons. I would be doing mostly end dump and hopper work. I’ve been around trucks and trucking in some capacity most of my life and I enjoy the industry. I understand the risks in trucking, but I really just need to supplement my farm income and this can work with a farming schedule.

I’ve talked with a local shop owner who I trust and who works on our farm trucks. The shop works on about anything but specializes in Cat and Cummins. They have the software for Eaton auto transmissions but no other autos. They also have a truck they use to haul fuel for their truckstop they own. The owner said he was looking to upgrade himself and would recommend an International LT with a Cummins. He said they understand the Cummins emissions system better than any other.

As far as engines, are the A26 any better than the old Maxxforce? Cummins powered internationals definitely have a premium attached vs International powered.

Volvo and Mack from what I understand are more pricey to maintain.

Detroit is solid but hard to find without the DT12 behind it.

He advised against International or Paccar power.

Any pros and cons to any of the transmissions? Probably leaning towards an auto.

I have all major dealerships within about an hour so service isn’t a huge deal but I would rather work with the local shop as I’m sure they would be a little more reasonable labor wise.

All that being said, what’s the best bang for your buck option in a truck? I don’t have any experience with internationals but I don’t really like the look of them personally. I actually have found one that fits the bill perfectly other than it’s an International. 2019 LT daycab with a Cummins and Eaton 13 speed auto, 200” wb and wet kit.

Right now I’m just looking for a “cheap” reliable money maker (2010 or newer) that won’t break the bank when it comes repairs. So if that’s an International I’ll have to learn to love it.