Last Updated May 27, 2025
When looking into starting your own trucking business, it’s important to consider fleet owner vs. owner-operator differences. Both options offer more independence and flexibility than being a fleet driver, but they’re distinctly different. On the other hand, deciding between fleet driving vs. owner-operator is deciding between being a driver and a business owner.
When your choice is between being a fleet owner vs. owner-operator, you’ll be running a business either way—but how those businesses operate will look different. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Fleet Owner?
A fleet owner owns and operates several trucks. Instead of driving the trucks themselves, fleet owners usually employ other drivers to handle the driving. Fleet owners tend to take on a more managerial role rather than being directly involved in day-to-day driving.
Fleet Owner Responsibilities
Fleet owners are primarily responsible for acquiring and maintaining their fleet vehicles and managing the drivers who will operate their fleet. This includes deciding how many vehicles are needed for the fleet (as well as whether to buy or lease), following maintenance guidelines, keeping trucks compliant with relevant regulations, and ensuring that drivers follow all applicable regulations.
Additionally, fleet owners are tasked with managing activities that directly impact their drivers, such as hiring and training drivers, finding loads, and even planning routes. Fleet owners will decide which drivers drive which vehicles based on their skills, location, availability, and other scheduling needs.
Fleet owners are also responsible for overseeing fleet expenses, such as fuel and insurance, and developing business relationships to win new clients. They also find appropriate partners, such as repair shops.
Depending on the size of the business, the fleet owner could take on all of these responsibilities themselves, or they might choose to hire additional office staff to help with these and other tasks related to running the business.
Benefits of Becoming a Fleet Owner
Becoming a fleet owner is advantageous if you’re more interested in the business side of things and want to leave the driving to others. Depending on how a fleet is managed, fleet owners can also reduce excess wear and tear on individual vehicles.
By hiring a team of drivers, fleet managers can also adapt their business as desired. Proactive scheduling can keep trucks moving consistently, while fleets can also specialize in specific markets or types of freight to gain more lucrative contract opportunities.
The biggest advantage of being a fleet owner comes from its potential economy of scale. Having more trucks and drivers results in more business resources, which creates major opportunities for expansion and revenue growth.
Disadvantages of Becoming a Fleet Owner
Becoming a fleet owner can be challenging due to the high costs involved. Purchasing or leasing a single semi-truck is already expensive. Doing the same with multiple vehicles usually requires significant funding and/or a strong credit score. Fleet owners must ensure they have enough trucks available to meet the demands of their clients.
The higher level of accountability can also be stressful for some fleet owners. For example, fleet owners and their businesses will usually be held liable if their drivers are involved in an accident, which can result in higher insurance rates and a higher risk of litigation.
Finally, without strong administrative support or outsourcing some tasks to others, the level of responsibility in overseeing a fleet can become overwhelming.
How Much Do Fleet Owners Make?
Fleet owners make an average of $219,739 per year. However, actual earnings for fleet owners are usually tied to the profitability of their business. The higher expenses that come from having multiple trucks and drivers could lower your earning potential. However, optimized routes and steady clients that result in strong earnings for the business mean that a fleet owner can take home a good salary.
What Is an Owner-Operator?
An owner-operator operates as an independent contractor. Rather than working as a driver for a fleet, they own or lease their own truck, which they use to transport loads. Owner-operators find their own loads and set their own schedules, giving them flexibility and independence.
Owner-Operator Responsibilities
Owner-operators who obtain their own trucking authority take on many of the responsibilities of running a trucking business. Similar to a fleet owner, they need to manage paperwork (including taxes, insurance, and other accounting needs), maintain their equipment, find loads, negotiate rates, plan and schedule routes, and so on.
Unlike fleet owners, owner-operators don’t manage a team of drivers. Instead, they drive their own truck. They are exclusively focused on working with their own vehicle. An owner-operator is a one-person operation.
It’s also worth noting that some owner-operators choose to lease-on with a carrier. While this reduces their earning potential, the carrier takes over certain responsibilities, like managing paperwork and finding loads.
Benefits of Becoming an Owner-Operator
For many owner-operators, the independence and flexibility of business ownership are among the biggest pros of starting their own trucking business. Owner-operators set their own schedule by deciding which routes and loads they will take. This allows them to maximize their earning potential by taking more loads or taking steps to ensure they have a better work-life balance. They can adapt their schedule as needed.
Becoming an owner-operator also gives truck drivers the opportunity to choose their own equipment. Being able to use your preferred equipment (and customize it if you purchase rather than lease) can make for a more enjoyable daily work experience.
Disadvantages of Becoming an Owner-Operator
While becoming an owner-operator has many advantages, the added responsibilities of carrying out a trucking business plan can make the work more stressful in comparison to working as a fleet driver. It can be especially hard to get the necessary funding to buy or lease your own semi-truck.
Other major expenses, such as insurance and fuel, can greatly reduce your take-home pay. Without careful cash flow management, it’s surprisingly easy for owner-operators to struggle financially.
How Much Do Owner-Operators Make?
Owner-operators make an average of $340,793 per year. However, this total doesn’t account for the expenses they are responsible for in running their own trucking company. Because of this, even though owner-operators have a very high income, their actual take-home pay is much lower than that.
In-Summary: Differences Between a Fleet Owner and an Owner-Operator
Deciding between working as a fleet owner vs. owner-operator is an important decision in guiding your trucking career. Those who just want to work for themselves and continue driving can start a trucking business with one truck as an owner-operator.
On the other hand, fleet owners use their trucking knowledge to move into a more administrative role. Both jobs require learning how to run and manage a business, though the scope of responsibility becomes greater for fleet owners. Understanding your own work preferences is essential for choosing the right business path.
| Fleet Owners | Owner-Operators |
| Own several trucks, which are usually driven by others | Own and operate a single truck, which they drive themselves |
| Primarily managerial | Focused on driving and running a business |
| Responsible for acquiring and maintaining trucks, hiring drivers and ensuring their compliance, and other business activities | Responsible for all business activities when operating under their own authority |
| May oversee large trucking or logistics companies, or delivery service providers | Can choose to lease-on with a carrier to reduce paperwork and load-finding responsibilities |
| High income potential based on fleet performance | High income potential, but high expenses reduce take-home pay |
Michael McCareins is the Content Marketing Associate at altLINE, where he is dedicated to creating and managing optimal content for readers. Following a brief career in media relations, Michael has discovered a passion for content marketing through developing unique, informative content to help audiences better understand ideas and topics such as invoice factoring and A/R financing.
