The pros and cons could vary from person to person really. With your own authority you have to be ON TOP of all paperwork. To include insurance filings, driver info, drug testing, physicals. Everything has to be paid before your authority is active. Meaning insurance, tags, ifta (if you require it), tires, fuel......the list can go on.....all that has to be paid BEFORE you ever get a load. The pro also is choosing when, where and how you run. The downfall is looking for those loads, booking those loads, faxing the paperwork for those loads...........then you have to worry about having the fuel to run them. Then once its off your truck.......can you wait 30 + days to get paid? Can you afford to loose 5% to factor the bill (If its even factorable(is that a word? lol)).
When you lease on to a larger company, you usually get discounts on tags, insurance and most actually file and pay your ifta for you. Some may also give discounts on their fuel networks and part suppliers.
Now this is just my opinion speaking, but I come from the T/T side of trucking. It's MUCH easier to lease on and run that way, but its not always the most profitable. If your going to run the truck yourself you have alot more freedom to make it work.
I would say this. Depending on the overhead for equip and upfront costs be smart and research. If I was to buy a t/t I would sign it on with a larger company and run my but off. If your going to do expedite.....buy a truck with cash and have no less then $15,000 in the bank the day you tag that truck. It's a big step and it could lead you no where, or it could take you everywhere you've ever wanted to go. Bottom line is in trucking, you either sink or swim.....if you just float, you'll only float until the raft looses air (you being the raft and money being the air). Sorry......that was dumb, but.... hopefully you get the idea.
Chop