Like minded drivers
Not trying to act like I’ve got it all figured out because I definitely don’t.
But I’m about 6 months into running box trucks, and I figured I’d share some of the stuff nobody really tells you when you’re getting started.
When I first got into this, I was watching YouTube every night thinking I’d get my authority active, find a few loads, and be making decent money pretty quickly. Reality hit fast.
Insurance was way higher than I expected. Finding consistent freight wasn’t nearly as easy as social media made it seem. Half the loads I called on were already covered by the time I got to them. Some days I spent more time staring at load boards than actually driving.
One thing I learned pretty quickly is there’s a huge difference between driving a box truck and running a profitable business. Nobody really talks about deadhead miles, maintenance reserves, fuel costs, compliance, taxes, cargo claims, breakdowns, and all the little expenses that slowly chip away at your profit if you’re not paying attention.
I also realized that every time I thought I finally had everything figured out, something new would pop up. A broker issue. A liftgate problem. A customer changing delivery times. A mechanical issue. Paperwork. Just seems like that’s part of the business.
The biggest thing that’s helped me has honestly just been talking with other owners who have already been through it. Sometimes a 10 minute conversation can save you from making a $1,000 mistake.
A few of us actually started a new Discord for box truck owners, hotshot drivers, owner operators, and people trying to build something for themselves. It’s still pretty small, but we’re adding free startup guides, checklists, insurance education, authority information, load board tips, and other resources we wish someone had handed us when we were getting started.
No paid course. No “buy my mentorship.” Just trucking talk, business talk, and people helping each other out.
If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, leave a comment and I’ll send you the invite.