Are Owner Operators and Truck Drivers business people??
 

Are truck drivers really part of this economy and the business they driver for or are they just a piece of the equipment, ie tractor, trailer, driver???

Now there is a loaded question.

Unless you're a deadhead

I can deduct 40% a year in CCA (capital cost allowance) on the truck and 30% a year in CCA on the trailer here in Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, there's no CCA for company drivers. So, if they're a part of the equipment they're the less important part. Drivers just help the trucking assets to depreciate quicker unless they are the owners of their truck and trailer. Then they are business people because now they can hire company drivers to help them with depreciation. :)

Well, for the most part, i'd say yes.

You coulda went the rest of the day with out saying that curse word!!!

Are Owner Operators and Truck Drivers business people??
 

Owner/operators (lease-purchase operators) are business owners. Company drivers are employees. Both are part of the economy. BOL

Owner Operators who are also their own DRIVERS - YES. Company drivers - most likely NOT - as they are less concerned with the bottom line of the BUSINESS, unless it directly affects THEIR BOTTOM LINE.

An O/D would idle his motor little to none and use his APU only when necessary to conserve fuel and maintenance costs. A C/D pretty much just cares about his own comfort.

The degree with which the O/O/D tries to be a SMART BUSINESSMAN, will directly affect the degree to which he succeeds PROFITABLY (or AT ALL) in the BUSINESS OF TRUCKING.

You're becoming quite the "testicle thwack-er" round here - you have a point, an ongoing beef - or just WTF is your story?

Rick

My point is the company driver's actions do directly affect THEIR BOTTOM LINE, so they affect the bottom line of the BUSINESS. If every company driver screwed up and cost the company profit each day, the company would go broke quickly and the company driver is out of a job, not a comfortable place to be.

The degree with which the COMPANY DRIVER tries to be a SMART BUSINESSMAN, will directly affect the degree to which his COMPANY succeeds PROFITABLY (or AT ALL) in the BUSINESS OF TRUCKING, THEREFORE THE C/D is a BUSINESSMAN.

"Slack Adjuster", "Ball-Buster" maybe, "testicle thwack-er" NOT!! My point is everyone holding a CDL whether O/O or C/D is a BUSINESSMAN, my BEEF is actually with those that do not realize this point. I understand the disenfranchised hireling (C/D) not getting it, even though they should and I hope they will. My utmost pisstivity is with the O/O that has no clue, signs on to your authority, wreaks havoc and discontent and has no business principles except "I WANT MY MONEY."

WTF is your story? Are you the guy who is head strong and WANTS to BE an O/O? Because if you are then I just wasted this post!!!!

On the surface, I agree 100%, but we know we have to DIG for true understanding. For the record, let's put lease-purchase operators into the employee column until they own the lease. Most never will own the lease because the company doesnt want them to own the equipment, so consider fleece-purchase operators employees. Good employees should do their jobs practicing good business principles, therefore thinking like businessmen.