Is the owner-operator a dying breed?

I believe you will see a substantial uptick of lease/operator deals being offered across the spectrum. Given the added costs of new regs now coming online (O'bamacare mainly) company employee slots will be reduced anywhere possible. This may actually improve the operating enviroment for many O/Ops at least temporarily. The main problem still is rising costs vs. stagnant rates.......the fleet becomes more aged every year with fewer and fewer units being replaced due to costs, lack of affordable financing and still yet unreliable and unproven motor technology although I really do not hold the motor manufacturers responsible for this, I believe they were given an impossible task to meet everchanging EPA regs virtually overnight. Can you blame any of us for not wanting to play the game any longer.......something has to give soon or in the end we go broke and nobody really cares. Who's gonna be there to deliver your steaks you like to shove down your gullet or the TP to take care of it on the other end........my guess is even cheaper labor from South of The Border, of course since it will be a minority owned concern they will be exempt from the same regs that put us out of business. The game is rigged people, and I for one can't wait to get out. If I can only hang on 3 more years then I Am Outta Here!!!!

 

In the 70's it was said, "The owners operators are on their way out," yet they're still out there rolling.

 

Im 32 years owning my own truck and I no idea where those thoughts could have come from. You must be in a total different enviroment than me. I am a independent with my own authority for 20 years. The only problems I have are the ones I cant do anything about........guess I dont have any.

 

I wasn't born and bred to be a trucker, it happened out of neccesity.......If I had to do it all over again I would pursue things very differently but we can only move forward.......I know I sound jaded, no doubt I am, but that's how I see things.......I'm glad you found your niche in life early, that has always been one of my downfalls, I discover something new, rush in and want to learn all I can as fast as I can then get bored with things quickly and move onto something else, just this time I'm not ready to move onto to anything new, I just want to retire quietly and figure out what's next, yet really looking to just be left alone from society and all the crap that comes with it these days. Best to you Sir!!

 

I own my own truck and tralier and started 2years ago,its been a eye opener. To this day I have made it and making money. Owner/operator will all ways be there,no matter what! Sourdiesel

 

I like your attitude! this business cant be replaced with lazy wannabes! Owner Operators will always be there! thry tried NAAFTA, regulatory laws and emissions, expensive trucks, but we are still here. In my opinion, we need more fellow truckers to be mayors, governors, congressmen and that will change things! not running on party or ideology, but on the American free enterprise spirit!

 

I don't know it'll be for freight hauling, but when it comes to anything specialized, you're never going to oust the independents from there.

 

I won't get rid of my rig ever, it's a hobby and my wife won't let me get a job I won't be unhappy with. I'm pretty sure she would fund to keep me going if she had to.

 

Just for the sake of argument, deregulation and the internet may have been the small operator's saviour.

No, I say the breed that is dying is the person with the ambition to do whatever it takes to get the job done and it ain't limited to O/O's.

 

Reregulation (deregulation) was not the wonderful saviour to O/Os is was advertised to be. It allowed way too many to get into this business that had no idea of what they were doing and how to price their services.