While reading another post about fleet owners vs drivers it got me thinking. Who has it tougher?
My personal observation since we have been on both sides of the coin several times, is that they are essentially the same.
There are a hundred scenarios one could throw out there that would tip the scale either way. Most of it would depend on how engaged one is on either side.
There are some fleet owners that do nothing more than throw the keys to a team and forget about them, and the hired team that is nothing more than steering wheel holders.
Both have similar but different impacts when the economy slows. The driver could lose his truck just as easy as the fleet owner, but the single truck owner only has his truck to direct. For a fleet owner, it can get more complicated. It isn't just the equipment at that point, but the teams they have that are driving.
We are witnessing this now as many fleet owners are going out of business.
Family issues, illness, breakdowns, and a host of other issues can be a deal breaker for a single truck operation. The fleet owner can spread those costs easier UNTIL it effects several trucks. Then it becomes a much different ball game.
Slow freight coupled with rate reductions and the like can be equally hard on both sides as we have witnessed through several posts.
I think over time for both, the ones that are continually engaged will either still be here a year from now, recognize they must exit and do it profitably, or quite possibly be in line behind their drivers in the unemployment line.
My personal observation since we have been on both sides of the coin several times, is that they are essentially the same.
There are a hundred scenarios one could throw out there that would tip the scale either way. Most of it would depend on how engaged one is on either side.
There are some fleet owners that do nothing more than throw the keys to a team and forget about them, and the hired team that is nothing more than steering wheel holders.
Both have similar but different impacts when the economy slows. The driver could lose his truck just as easy as the fleet owner, but the single truck owner only has his truck to direct. For a fleet owner, it can get more complicated. It isn't just the equipment at that point, but the teams they have that are driving.
We are witnessing this now as many fleet owners are going out of business.
Family issues, illness, breakdowns, and a host of other issues can be a deal breaker for a single truck operation. The fleet owner can spread those costs easier UNTIL it effects several trucks. Then it becomes a much different ball game.
Slow freight coupled with rate reductions and the like can be equally hard on both sides as we have witnessed through several posts.
I think over time for both, the ones that are continually engaged will either still be here a year from now, recognize they must exit and do it profitably, or quite possibly be in line behind their drivers in the unemployment line.
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