2010
04.26

Why do some semi truck owners succeed when owning a trucking business while others fail? I have seen a number of owner operators come to Lone Mountain Truck Leasing to get their truck and start their own commercial truck business. Many of our customers take the truck off the lot, start hauling loads, make their payments, and get the title to the truck at the end of the commercial lease. During my tenure I have seen many success stories, even throughout the last two years which have been some of the most troublesome for our industry and semi-truck financing becomes more challenging.

There are also many people who have had their commercial trucking business fall apart during this time. Some of these people were first time owner operators and others were seasoned road warriors. The circumstances of these people vary, but there are some common factors that seem to have set this group up to fail. Here I will discuss some of these common factors and the best ways to sidestep financial disaster through proper semi truck financing methods.

The best place to begin when it comes to being a successful commercial truck operation is motivation. There are many types of motivation but the best kind is internal. When I was going to school, I wasn’t a big fan of doing homework while others may have actually enjoyed it. But I did it anyway in order to be successful. Years later I developed a passion and real motivation for something that truly motivated me, the commercial truck business. You need to ask yourself if you have the same motivation to run your own business. Some people think that running their own business and being their own boss is appealing. At the same time, others don’t think things through and consider everything owners have to deal with. If you believe that being your own commercial truck operator means working less and making more, then being an owner may not be the right thing for you.

Commercial truck owners who are successful at running their own company, either as a single truck or a small fleet, it isn’t sufficient to simply be a driver. In addition to driving your truck you have additional roles as President, Financial Analyst, and Mechanic. If you don’t take on these critical business roles you can’t be successful. The reality is that you need to wear many hats if you wish to succeed. You’ll certainly be doing more than if you were simply a driver. To keep a semi truck running at its best and run a thriving business, you must manage every one of these jobs well.

As I mentioned earlier in my school example, it’s difficult to be successful just by excelling at the jobs you like. Unfortunately in the trucking business, you can’t let certain jobs slide simply because they don’t interest you. If you’re going to be picky about which loads you haul and which you don’t, do so based on profitability not location or load type. Keep an eye on profitability and you’ll go far. Couple this with your willingness to take on multiple roles as a semi-truck business owner and you’re sure to be successful. Being a successful business owner means that you’ll stay focused while wearing many hats.

Are you seeking to run your own trucking business? Commercial truck leasing is a great option for owning your own rig. Our semi truck financing program is perfect for anyone who wants to sit behind their very own commercial truck.

categories: commercial truck,truck financing,truck leasing,trucking,semi truck,commercial truck,leasing,financing,hauler,truck driver

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