Why owner operator

You get to choose what shippers and receivers you deliver for. Driving a truck that you can call your own is something to be quite proud of!

Confidence is one of the most important traits of being a successful business owner. If you believe in yourself as a truck driver, then it may lead to you being a good owner-operator. As an owner-operator, you are your own boss.

Moving from a company driver to an owner-operator is the next step in the driver life cycle. A company will no longer be deciding what loads you have to handle. You have the option to pick the loads that work best for your business. Nobody is going to tell you when you have to drive. You have total control over what days of the week you want to be on the road.

Owner-operators have the ability to make more than company drivers if they are running their business efficiently. The sky is the limit when you are an independent contractor! This is the most common reason people have for becoming an owner-operator. Trucking is a competitive business with thin margins of profit.

When hiring owner operators, you can negotiate rates on a case by case basis. As you get familiar with each owner operator you hire, you may be able to dispatch them on loads that ultimately increase your margins. From the value of experience to the reduced human resource costs, and no equipment or insurance expenses, there are significant advantages to using owner-operators.

There are downsides to hiring owner-operators. Owner-operators can choose to take or not take jobs as they see fit.

This adds a level of uncertainty to your operations. This is especially true for customer-centric shipments where you want your brand to be on full display. If you pay your drivers well, provide training and advancement opportunity, and offer an attractive benefits package, drivers are often motivated to stay with you for years; even decades. This loyalty is a significant advantage to any trucking company. Each trucking company has different needs. While owner-operators are right for one fleet, they may be wrong for another, while a third may benefit from using a combination of both company drivers and owner-operators.

One variable you need to consider is the consistency of work. If you have shipping needs that fluctuate from month to month, then using owner-operators would be beneficial, as you can hire them when needed and not concern yourself with layoffs and other issues when business slows. If your business is consistent as clockwork, contracting with owner-operators can be done on an as-needed basis, covering for drivers with illness or vacation time.

Generates business revenue by selecting freight to haul and executing on the freight payment terms often set by a written contract. Probably became a truck driver for the stability, freedom and fulfillment that come with the job.

Probably became an owner-operator for the opportunity to own an independent business, generate revenue and have maximum flexibility. Before taking the first step to become an owner-operator, ensure you have the experience, finances and education to become a successful one. Home owner-operator tips what is an owner-operator vs. What is an owner-operator vs.