I am considering buying an 18-wheeler and becoming an independent owner. I will have an experienced trucker drive it. What year, make and model should I be looking at and how much should I expect to pay for one. What all do I need to do to get started?

I agree with them both. It sounds like someone told you how being a silent third party is easy like network marking schemes do.( Nothing against network marking, Just network marking schemes) Best business practice is always...Know YOUR business better then anyone, so it won't be a fly by night expensive experience. Nothing is ever impossible. Go to SBA.GOV for for business direction. They will also hook you up with a mentor in the area you want to go into. Good luck and God bless.

Don't listen to the Haters man. I do agree that you need to have some experience in trucking but you don't have to get a CDL to do it, but... I would suggest learning about trucking to some extent, Such as hanging around a yard and maybe doing some dispatch and talking with drivers. do a few ride alongs and get familiar with the terminology and learn about a pre trip inspection etc... Buying a Truck is not a new and NOVEL idea. I bought a 1991 Freightliner Cabover in 1999 with 500,000 miles on it for 3500 dollars and ran that truck OTR for years with NO PROBLEMS. The key was I OWNED my truck cash and I worked with a leasing company and paid them 20 percent to load my truck and use their insurance. Dont go talking to truckers about buying a truck, They will almost always tell you to stay away while they walk back to their truck to go snatch a load. iF IT WAS SO BAD THEY WOULD NOT BE DRIVING. Now to answer your question. To ask what kind of truck to buy is to broad of a question, It would be impossible to tell you that without knowing what type of freight you intend to haul. and this is the reason the other guy roasted you, but lets assume you are talking about dry freight and hauling in the 48 states. I would choose a USED Conventional PETE OR KW with a 425 CAT OR BETTER or a 12.7 detroit SUPER 10 WITH 390 REARS 72" stand up sleeper AND LESS THAN A MILLION MILES and I would lease my truck and rent a DRY BOX.

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Well let me answer your question ...I have Class A cdls and have been driving for years and have alot of experience..I can tell by the way you asked the question you don't or even have Cdls which is stupid to think about ...I mean you don't by a truck when you can't even float . let alone blind side .. Dude go to school drive for a couple of years then by a truck. You by one and hire some to drive it that knows more than you ... you got alot to learn about the trucking business....If you do this your gonna fail because you don't know what your doing ... Do you even know what a interaxle differential is or a power divider, splitter or even what a jake brake is used for I mean come on people like you scare me ..Get some experience first....Let me let you in on something there not gonna sell you a truck with no cdls thats dangerous its like a loaded weapon in a childs hand ....!!! Im sorry for being so forward, but you do need to get experience before you think of getting into the business of it ... Talk to some other truckers they'll tell you the same thing , but if you get CDLS and get experience then by al means go for it I hope this helps ..... !!!!

Get money fuck what they are talking about!