Two ways to run as an owner-operator
- Leased on: you own the truck and run under a carrier's authority. They provide freight, and often trailers, insurance options and fuel discounts, for a share of the revenue.
- Your own authority: your own DOT and MC numbers, insurance and freight, from brokers, load boards or direct customers. More control, more paperwork and risk.
What to compare in a lease offer
- Percentage of linehaul or a per-mile rate, and whether fuel surcharge passes through to you.
- Chargebacks: insurance, trailer rental, ELD, plates, escrow.
- Who controls dispatch, and whether you can refuse loads.
- Settlement examples from current owner-operators on the program.
Know your cost per mile
Fuel, truck payment, insurance, maintenance, tires, permits. If you don't know your cost per mile, you can't tell a good rate from a bad one.
Lease-purchase is different
Lease-purchase means leasing a truck from the carrier with an option to buy. Some drivers do well; many don't. Read every term and run the numbers before you sign.
Questions drivers ask
What percentage do owner-operators get?
It varies widely by carrier and freight. Compare offers on what you actually keep after fuel, chargebacks and expenses, not the headline percentage.
Should I lease on or get my own authority?
Leasing on is simpler and lower risk to start; your own authority gives more control and responsibility. Many owner-operators lease on first.