Truck To Success puts current and future owner-operators on the right path

For drivers considering taking the leap toward becoming an owner-operator – or current owner-operators looking to get a leg up when it comes to maximizing your business – OOIDA wants to put you on the path to success.

According to data from the OOIDA Foundation, 20% of new carriers fail within their first year of business. Hitting the ground running and knowing what hurdles lie ahead can be the difference between success or failure.

To help prepare future owner-operators and to assist current carriers in growing their business, the Association offers its Truck To Success course. The three-day event features industry experts covering a wide range of topics geared toward helping drivers avoid becoming part of the 20%.

“The market right now is extremely rough and will be for the foreseeable future,” said Andrew King, a research analyst with the OOIDA Foundation. “We hate to see anyone fail. That’s why we designed this seminar to start with. Owner-operators need this information more than ever. Even though the market is down, it’s still possible to succeed.”

This year’s course will be held Oct. 22 through Oct. 24 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Blue Springs, Mo. Some of the topics the course will cover include:

• Developing a business plan that works for you
• Equipment financing
• Insurance
• Pros and cons of running under your own authority or leasing on to a carrier
• New entrant safety audits and compliance reviews
• Drug and alcohol testing requirements
• Permits and licensing
• Taxes and business structures
• Brokers and factoring

“Truck To Success is a one-stop shop, not only to learn how to get your own authority but also to learn how to be successful at it,” King told Land Line. “There’s so much required of an owner-operator. This course will help you navigate all the regulations without being overwhelmed. Drivers can expect to hear from industry experts who deal with this sort of thing on a daily basis.”

OOIDA offers both in-person and virtual attendance to the event. The cost of the course for those attending in person will be $495. Each attendee can bring one guest for an additional $150. Those who attend the event will have access to recordings of the course for one year.

Attending the course online will run $250, which provides access to course materials for three months. Attendees may bring a guest for an additional $125 if that guest will attend from a different location and requires a separate login (This is due to limited capacity).

Drivers who register to attend in-person prior to Sept. 1 will receive $50 off the price of the course and a free one-year membership to the Association.

In addition, attending the event in person comes with perks like the ability to network with industry professionals, a tour of OOIDA and a live appearance from radio personality Jimmy Mack.

The deadline to register for in-person attendance is Oct. 1, and the deadline to register for virtual attendance is Oct. 21.

Those who don’t want to wait until October to get the information can purchase access to past Truck To Success recordings here. LL