Could a shipper lease on owner operators?

Many do. However, a lot of shippers have only a small number of loads, inconsistant loads, or too many loads that make it hard to justify an owner op. For instance one place i deliver to is both inconsistant and can only take so much material at a time.

Having a contracted owner op makes no sense for them. Sometimes they need a load every single day due to high volume required to keep up with demand. Other times they only need a load a month. And many owner ops or very small fleets simply cant be that flexable to drop everything and grab a load. And many owner ops cant afford that volitility.

Ergo brokers and carriers. And loads that need a custom solution that would be hard to deliver from an owner op or small fleet mke up a suprisring percentage of loads. Hence why there are so many brokers and carriers. They are also useful for when you need an extra unplanned load and your usual carrier(s) cant accomidate you.

 

There is no real money savings. It isn't simple and there is a huge liability involved being a carrier shipping your own product.

 

Because many companies do not want the hassle. it isn't all that simple and the management of the fleet is more than the amount of money saved and even if it is a large company, the insurance cost would put it in the red as a project.

 

Dude even wal mart gets others to help move their freight.

 

The only way is for the shipper to build in a tractor reposition fee back to them. Other wise it's not worth while messaging with it.

 

Companies make whatever product that they make.

That's their business.

The trucking of their own product is a burden to them unless maybe they were a trucking company.

Even if they only hired on owner operators:

They still have to have management, dispatchers, compliance, payroll.

Someone has to coordinate all of those loads and if the owner operators have problems someone has to cover all of that and they have to be able to cover whatever loads they don't have enough trucks to cover besides that.

And someone needs to answer the phone 24/7 that is able to solve problems.

Plus liability.

If they hire a broker, they send him list of loads and when they have to go, and the rest is his problem.

One or two phone calls is all they need to make with a broker.

The trucking is a giant headache most businesses don't need or want.

 

Yeah the core business ain't trucking. And trucks, especially of the owner operator variety, are a steady drain on resources.