Landmark Academy

Owner-Operator Course

15 steps, taught live on Zoom

Each step is a live class with time for your questions. The steps are grouped into four parts, in the order you'll face them on the road.
Part 1

Getting started

Steps 1–3
  1. 1

    Step 1: Welcome: the owner-operator road

    Company driver, leased on, or your own authority: who pays for what, and whether owning a truck is right for you.

  2. 2

    Step 2: Speak the language

    Shipper, consignee, broker, bill of lading, rate confirmation, deadhead, detention and the other words you'll use every day.

  3. 3

    Step 3: Pick your business model

    Leased on or your own MC, which equipment, which lanes, and how a carrier's responsibilities differ from a broker's.

Part 2

Setting up

Steps 4–7
  1. 4

    Step 4: Set up the business

    Business entity, EIN and bank account, plus the federal registrations: USDOT, MC, BOC-3, UCR, IRP, IFTA and drug and alcohol testing.

  2. 5

    Step 5: Get the truck

    Buy, lease or rent; pre-purchase inspections; and how to read a lease-on or rental contract before you sign.

  3. 6

    Step 6: Insurance and staying compliant

    Liability, cargo and physical damage coverage, hours of service, ELDs, driver files and safety scores.

  4. 7

    Step 7: Know your numbers

    Cost per mile, break-even, fuel, per diem and your maintenance fund: the numbers that decide whether you keep the truck.

Part 3

On the road

Steps 8–12
  1. 8

    Step 8: How freight rates work

    Supply and demand, strong and weak markets, seasons and deadhead, and reading load board rates against your costs.

  2. 9

    Step 9: Finding loads

    Load boards, brokers, direct shippers and dispatchers, and building a lane plan that keeps you loaded.

  3. 10

    Step 10: Working with brokers

    Checking out a broker, reading the rate confirmation line by line, negotiating, and spotting fraud.

  4. 11

    Step 11: A load from booking to delivery

    Pickup, paperwork, check calls and delivery, and documenting detention, lumper fees and cancellations so you get paid.

  5. 12

    Step 12: Damage, shortages and claims

    What to note on the bill of lading, taking photos, and working through a cargo claim.

Part 4

The business side

Steps 13–15
  1. 13

    Step 13: Getting paid and keeping books

    Invoicing, factoring and quick pay, collecting what you're owed, load logs, and setting money aside for taxes.

  2. 14

    Step 14: Protecting and growing the business

    Contracts and disputes, winning direct customers, protecting your reputation, and when to think about a second truck.

  3. 15

    Step 15: Final review

    Put it all together, revisit your readiness check, and leave with your next steps.

Class dates are coming soon

Join the waitlist and you'll hear first when the first Zoom class opens.

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General education only. Not legal, tax or financial advice.