How-To Be Healthier, Happier and More Successful As A Lease Purchase Owner Operator

Everyone wants to be successful and make money. Many trucking lease purchase owner operators complain because they aren’t making any money and blame everyone in the system but themselves.  You have a lot more control over what you take home than what you may realize. There are many ways to be more successful as a trucking lease purchase owner operator but you want to make sure you do so in a manner that will make you a happier and healthier individual. The tips I am offering will help you to be better organized. Being more efficient will make your job and life a little easier while pleasing your company, customers and DOT. Any driver understands that if DOT ain’t happy…. ain’t nobody gonna be happy!

1.     Stay current on all your paperwork. Logbooks and freight bills should be kept handy while expense receipts should be kept together so that you can track your expenses per run. File toll receipts, meal receipts, scale tickets... in a manila envelope to keep them together until you can turn them over to your accountant. Paperwork can be overwhelming, but it's worse if you get behind. Be sure to keep your logbook up to date and plan ahead if you think you will be pressed for on-duty time. You never know when the DOT man at a weigh station is going to pick your truck for a paperwork check. If everything isn’t in order or if it takes you a long time to get it together before going inside, the DOT man might just take a closer look. And that means he's more likely to find something wrong...

2.     Keep your truck clear of clutter by deciding where your things belong and keep them there. You'll find that you waste less time looking for things when you know where they are to begin with. If the DOT man looks up at your dash and it’s cluttered and then see the same inside the truck when you open the door, he might want to check your paperwork a little more closely to see if you’re as unorganized and messy there. Maybe you aren’t up to date or there is something wrong…

3.     If you have a laptop, you might want to download software to help you track your expenses; GPS software to help you locate your addresses; or maybe even the new computerized logbooks that will help you track your hours-of-service.

4.      Each of the items listed above are to help you reduce your stress level and to help you run your truck like a business. By running it like a business, you’ll be able to manage your expenses, control your income, and reduce your stress level. You should also find ways to relax to reduce your stress level such as a hobby, watching a movie, or reading a book. Find events close to your location or within a short taxi ride so that you can get out of the truck when you’re laid over waiting to load or unload. Share a ride with another driver if you can to save money on the taxi and have company while you’re out enjoying yourself.

5.     Be professional in dealing with people. Maybe they’re having a bad day. You could make it a little easier by being nice and respectful instead of showing up grumpy with an attitude. By making their day a little easier they might just be a little bit more accommodating to you and make your day a little brighter as well. A smile is contagious and uses fewer muscles than a frown… so smile!

6.      Find a way to increase your activity level. Exercise speeds up your metabolism and gives you more energy. You feel better, are more alert, improves your memory and it burns more calories to help you shed or keep off the extra pounds. Keep a football or a baseball and glove in your truck or maybe a Frisbee. There are other drivers out there that would enjoy tossing one around a little so you’ll be able to get out of the truck, socialize with other drivers and get in a little exercise instead of just sitting in the truck staring out the windshield watching the world go by.

7.      Eat a healthier diet. Make better choices if you feel you have to eat in a truck stop or restaurant. Order grilled or broiled selections versus fried foods. Have a salad or have a side salad to add vegetables to your diet. Shop at the grocery store and pick up fresh fruit to keep as a snack. Increase your water intake by keeping bottled water at hand. It will reduce the number of empty calories you take in, flush out the toxins in your system, hydrate your body, and make you feel better.

One of the key elements of being successful at anything is to be efficient and reduce your stress. Not only will you be happier and healthier, but you’ll make those you work with and around happier as well. By being organized, keeping your paperwork current and correct you’ll make friends instead of enemies in the accounting department. You’ll stop having to make those monthly stops in safety to correct or explain your logs if you’re running your truck legal. By the way, this will also allow you to get the proper rest you need and you’ll stop running around the country over-tired. You don’t want to become one of the statistics that lays their truck down in the median because they fell asleep. Eating better and adding a little exercise into your routine will help you to stay more mentally focused on the road and surroundings. This will improve the safety level of your day. Doing things when they need to be done will improve your efficiency and thereby improve your success as a trucking lease purchase owner operator.