This fireside chat recap is from FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: What I wish I knew before becoming an owner-operator
DETAILS: Entrepreneurship is a challenge in any industry, and creating your own trucking empire is not an easy task. Often it starts with that first truck. Former lease purchase owner-operator Wayne Cragg, who is on a bike ride for trucker health awareness, chats with Josue Ramos about the learning curve of becoming an owner-operator.
SPEAKER: Ramos is the owner of J and R Transfer LLC and OzX Logistics LLC.
BIO: Two years ago, Ramos inherited the carrier business from his father, who has been an owner-operator for the past 20 years. His background in trucking led him to start his brokerage business in late 2018.
KEY QUOTES FROM RAMOS:
“I wish I would’ve known more about the risks, the current landscape [and] just how hard it is to actually get good drivers. The list goes on — there’s a lot that I wish I knew.”
“I told myself that no matter what happens, I’m going to try to overcome it because where there’s problems, there’s opportunities. And there’s a lot of problems in this industry.”
“It’s a blessing to see that the brokers, the shippers, the manufacturers and the population in general [are] starting to open their eyes to what truckers go through, what business owners go through. And they’re starting to realize the importance of taking care of the individuals who actually move freight who basically keep the wheels turning.”
“The odds are against you out here, but my favorite part about the industry and trucking is it’s tied to everything. Every single business you can think of, it’s tied to it. And the demand will always be there. No matter what economy, no matter what’s going on in the world, trucking will always be here.”
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Alyssa Sporrer.
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