Whether you are currently a company driver, or are looking to break into the trucking industry, being an owner operator may seem very appealing. If you are a new driver trying to decide between becoming an owner operator or a company driver, it is good to know that these are two very different career paths.
Taking the leap to owning a truck is a huge commitment, new trucks start around $80,000 and can go up to $150,000 or more, that’s like buying a house. Another thing to keep in mind, is that comparing company drivers and owner operator jobs can vary based on a few different factors:
- What company you plan on working for
- Your financial situation
- How much you plan on working
So what are the perks of being a company driver?
- Don’t take the job home with you. When you are off you are off, you don’t have to spend your free time repairing a truck or getting the oil changed or doing any maintenance, your home time is your down time. The responsibility to keep your truck up and running is not solely reliant on you.
- If trucking isn’t for you, you are not in the hole paying off a rig, like we mentioned, buying a new truck can be like buying a house. If trucking isn’t right for you, you can choose a different career path a lot easier.
- It’s not much of a secret that there is a shortage of truck drivers, but that means plenty of job openings for you.
- There are no startup costs. Being an owner operator is essentially like starting a business. If you decide to become a company driver, it is more like working for a business, not starting one.
What are the perks of being an owner operator?
- Typically, owner operators will earn more money than a company driver. That sounds awesome but an owner operator has overhead and other expenses to pay for.
- As an owner operator, you get to choose all of your own equipment. You get to choose the truck you drive and don’t have to worry about anyone else messing with your settings.
- As an owner operator, you are your own boss. While it will probably depend on the company you work through, you get to choose how many loads you take and have more flexible time off and home time.
In the end, the decision on whether or not to be an owner operator or a company driver is totally up to you, and lucky for you, FCC hires both! If you are interested in driving for FCC, contact one of our recruiters today!