Owner Operators, who’s in and who’s out? (poll)

If you were an owner op or had your authority the last 5 yrs what’s your current status?

I’m personally still hanging in there as a fleet but do recognize this has been the longest down turn I’ve seen. I think the absolute high of Covid has given us an absolute low of rates and also at the same time we’ve had an unprecedented influx of foreign drivers legal and illegal which has made this downturn even more pronounced.

Where do you currently stand and what do you think going forward?

 

Still hanging on. dunno what the near future bring as I gotta stay a lot closer since dad died last month, he had two dogs that don’t wanna ride, and no one but me to take care of them.
Hard enough as it was, not now being stuck on loads you gotta be back each night.

 

Can't get political on here however, it's a fluctuating freight market. A few weeks ago I thought things were getting really good but last week hit a wall and seem to be go alright this week. Major waves on freight. Some how it's working and still able to stay afloat. I believe by Mid September we will all know how things pan out. Optimistically, I can only see it getting better and believe it will.

 

Had my authority and no longer do. I ended it in May last year and I'm glad I did it. No plans to ever activate it again, after the damage that has been done to the industry in the past 3 years.

 

Back in March I talked to a guy about hauling fuel. He had 4 trucks coming and let me pick out how I wanted the one I’d be driving. Text my Peterbilt salesman, told him who I was going to work for (he also buys his trucks from the same guy) and said I needed to sell mine. He made a couple phone calls and my truck was gone toward the end of April. I started hauling fuel as a company driver in May and wish I would’ve learned how to do it sooner. So far I’ve slept in the truck twice.

 

Nice work. I’m with you.

 

Hang in there. I do think it's going to improve.

Sucks man. Never say never you know?

Good deal!

 

Still a one man band with my own authority and hanging in there….

 

Still here, but I probably have the opposite problem of most, as finding the work hasn’t been as big of a problem as doing the work, 2 accidents and a motor in 14 months really hurt, think it was somewhere like 16 weeks down, slowly climbing back out of it just not as quick as I’d like too,

 

I didn't do normal freight, but sold out little over a year ago after receiving a job offer I couldn't turn down.. Trucking was always good to me but I also never saved any money. New job has great pay and benefits. But it's weird not having my own truck, I get to drive on occasion but it's not the same.