Research is most important. Read back through the forums, talk to recruiters, talk to fleet owners and talk to drivers. You will gain a tremendous amount of information.
My husband and I driver for an owner. We have a 40/60 split with our owner. He gets 60% and the fsc (fuel surcharge) and pays for all the fuel as well as all the truck repairs and maintenance, insurance, QC fees etc. He also reimburses us for tolls and provides a fuel card that he keeps loaded with fuel money.
Besides having enough household expense money in the bank before starting, you will also want to consider what you are going to need per week to live out on the road. Even if you prepare all of your own meals in the truck, you are still going to have to replenish your groceries periodically, as well as purchase incidentals such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste etc. You will need some office supplies such as pens, binders and/or folders, calculator, etc to help keep track of and manage your paperwork.
You will need cash on hand for tolls unless your owner provides EZ-Pass (though in OH it isn't accepted). Paper towels, glass cleaner, general spray cleaner (I like the orange stuff
) tissues and even toilet paper are nice to have on board. If you are planning on preparing your own meals, you won't want to forget things like plastic wrap and ziplock bags (which are great for a lot of different uses), paper plates and some of those use/reuse/throw away Rubbermaid plastic bowls with lids.
I could list a whole lot more but I think you get the idea.
