Which would you choose?
The age-old debate between working as an owner-operator and a company employee will never lose its place in the industry. We’ve heard points for both sides argued for years but the truth is we genuinely believe that once you find the right trucking company to work for the advantage of being a company employee becomes obvious. Here’s why…
Let’s take a look at the 2 main considerations. Of course, #1 is profit. We all work, no matter what your career choice is, to earn money. Some of us are lucky enough to have the added bonus of loving our careers and some of us are not but the commonality is always to earning an income to pay for the things we need in life. These percentages vary slightly according to different resources but on average, an owner-operator makes a whopping 3% more than a company driver. With that comes a lot of personal burden for drivers. Mechanical repairs, fuel, accidents, insurance, lead generation; enormous personal responsibility falls on the individual this way. These are all things that are taken care of by the company when you are an employee of theirs and with these things there goes your 3% profit margin and some.
The 2nd main argument that we have heard has to do with a loss of control. Drivers want to be able to pick and choose which shipments they make, and when they do it but often times drivers get stuck in a position of needing to take anything they can in order to make their ends meet. A driver really is not in control when money is tight and shipments numbers are low. The stress and burden can quickly start to feel enormous.
For us, with all of this to consider the choice is obvious. Of course, we all want control over our own time and choices but when you work for the right company you can have all of this without the additional stress and burden that comes with being an owner-operator. Find a company that feels more like an extended family. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a set schedule with a steady income and more control over your time? All of this in a fun, family-like work environment. Sounds awesome to us!
Bret Aquila from truckingtruth.com makes some more valid points on this topic here.
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