Truck to Success, a course for prospective owner-operators, starts Oct. 26

October 16, 2020

Chuck Robinson

|

For drivers considering the jump to being owner-operators, it is just a matter of days before the start of a three-day course meant to help you make the right decision and be successful.

OOIDA’s three-day Truck to Success course is designed to inform professional drivers thinking about becoming owner-operators. The course starts Monday, Oct. 26. Below are descriptions of some of the topics that will be covered and links to fuller topic descriptions.

The top goal at OOIDA is to help drivers be more successful and more profitable in their business, and that is the driving force for this course, said OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh. Statistics show that most small businesses fail in the first three years, he said.

“Truck to Success is a chance to arm yourself with the knowledge you will need to apply to your business to become successful and not be a statistic,” Pugh said.

The course is planned for Oct. 26-28, and it will be offered via Zoom web conferencing. That means the cost will be less for each participant. It also means that social distancing because of the coronavirus will not be a problem.

OOIDA presented its first Truck to Success course in 2019. This fall’s course includes the same amount of instruction and information, if not more, as the original in-person course. The curriculum covers a variety of topics following a logical transition from a company driver to an independent contractor.

Course curriculum

The Truck to Success course will provide advice on the following topics and more.

Business plans help a motor carrier lay out goals and keep on track. A business plan addresses marketing, financial and operational aspects of the business, including knowing the costs and finding ways to reduce or control them. Read more here.

Drug and alcohol testing, which becomes more complex when a driver becomes an owner-operator. The course will cover necessary record keeping, required tests, conducting required random testing, and dealing with the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, which is new this year. Read more here.

Leases can tell you a lot about carriers, and drivers need to read the fine print. A bad contract is a sign that it’s not a good carrier. Get started with an overview of leasing regulations, clarification of verbiage, and what to watch for in a contract. Read more here.

“Getting your own authority” sounds pretty straightforward, but with state and federal governments involved it is more complicated than it sounds. There are numbers, permits and a process to figure out, and this course and OOIDA staff are ready to help. Read more here.

There are tax consequences and opportunities for owner-operators. Get the low-down on requirements and strategies from nationally recognized tax expert Barry Fowler, owner of TruckerTaxTools.com. Read more here.

Financing can make or break a business. Get advice on credit applications, bureaus and scores. Also, get a handle on a variety of financing options. More details here.

Buying right is important to the bottom line. Get advice on buying new or used, making sure you spec your truck right, and about financing options from Ethan Nicholson, chief commercial officer for TruckTractorTrailer.com, an online marketplace for commercial vehicles.

Load boards can help you get the jobs to keep your truck on the road and making money. Learn how to make them work for you from DAT Solutions, which operates the largest freight exchange for spot market freight. More details here.

Registering for Truck to Success

Truck to Success is scheduled for Oct. 26-28 via Zoom web conferencing.

Tuition will be $250, which is about half the in-person course cost last year, and there won’t be travel expenses.

There are a limited number of logins available for the course. If more than one person wants to view the course from one computer with one login, they are welcome to do so. If a guest needs their own login, there is an additional guest charge of $150.

For more information, click here.

To go directly to the registration form, click here. LL