Understanding The Hidden Costs Of Running Your Own Rig

Figured I’d share something I’ve learned the hard way over the last few years as an owner-operator. Everyone talks about the freedom of running your own truck, setting your own schedule, choosing your loads, but not enough people talk about the hidden costs that creep up on you if you’re not paying attention.

The first and biggest is maintenance. You might think you're good with routine oil changes and tire rotations, but when you own the rig, everything is your responsibility. Air dryer failures, DPF cleanings, suspension work, it adds up fast. I set aside 10–15 cents per mile for maintenance and still get caught off guard sometimes. Don’t wait until something breaks. Build a reserve now.

Then there’s downtime. No one pays you when your truck’s in the shop. You might lose a load or miss a deadline, and brokers aren’t always patient. One of the smartest things I did this year was start tracking how many unpaid days I had due to breakdowns, weather, or waiting for parts. It changed how I budget and choose lanes. You need to plan as if every month has at least a few unpaid days.

Insurance is another silent killer. Sure, you shop around and get what seems like a good deal, but watch out for the small print. Non-trucking liability, cargo coverage, downtime coverage, it all matters, and brokers will sometimes ask for higher limits. The cheapest policy isn’t always the smartest, especially if you're moving higher-value freight.

Also, if you’re running under your own authority, there are compliance costs. IFTA, IRP, UCR, drug consortiums, ELD systems, it’s a maze. And it’s easy to miss deadlines if you’re not organized. I recommend using a spreadsheet or even paying a small service to track those for you. DOT audits are no joke, and fines can tank your profits for months.

Fuel cards and factoring are tools, but not all are created equal. Some factoring companies sneak in fees that aren’t obvious upfront, and some fuel cards have hidden transaction charges or limit you to smaller discounts. Ask other truckers and read the reviews before signing anything. What works for one guy might not fit your operation.

Lastly, your time is valuable. A load that pays $3 a mile but requires four hours of loading and unloading isn’t as good as it looks. Start tracking your time, not just your miles. You’ll begin to realize what your hourly rate really is, and it’ll change how you look at dispatch offers.

Bottom line: there’s a big difference between making money and keeping money in this business. Run it like a business, not a hustle. Keep good records, be honest with your numbers, and always plan for what can go wrong.

Hope that helps someone out there thinking about making the leap or struggling to stay afloat. We’ve all been there.

Figured I’d share something I’ve learned the hard way over the last few years as an owner-operator. Everyone talks about the freedom of running your own truck, setting your own schedule, choosing your loads, but not enough people talk about the hidden costs that creep up on you if you’re not paying attention.

The first and biggest is maintenance. You might think you're good with routine oil changes and tire rotations, but when you own the rig, everything is your responsibility. Air dryer failures, DPF cleanings, suspension work, it adds up fast. I set aside 10–15 cents per mile for maintenance and still get caught off guard sometimes. Don’t wait until something breaks. Build a reserve now.

Then there’s downtime. No one pays you when your truck’s in the shop. You might lose a load or miss a deadline, and brokers aren’t always patient. One of the smartest things I did this year was start tracking how many unpaid days I had due to breakdowns, weather, or waiting for parts. It changed how I budget and choose lanes. You need to plan as if every month has at least a few unpaid days.

Insurance is another silent killer. Sure, you shop around and get what seems like a good deal, but watch out for the small print. Non-trucking liability, cargo coverage, downtime coverage, it all matters, and brokers will sometimes ask for higher limits. The cheapest policy isn’t always the smartest, especially if you're moving higher-value freight.

Also, if you’re running under your own authority, there are compliance costs. IFTA, IRP, UCR, drug consortiums, ELD systems, it’s a maze. And it’s easy to miss deadlines if you’re not organized. I recommend using a spreadsheet or even paying a small service to track those for you. DOT audits are no joke, and fines can tank your profits for months.

Fuel cards and factoring are tools, but not all are created equal. Some factoring companies sneak in fees that aren’t obvious upfront, and some fuel cards have hidden transaction charges or limit you to smaller discounts. Ask other truckers and read the reviews before signing anything. What works for one guy might not fit your operation.

Lastly, your time is valuable. A load that pays $3 a mile but requires four hours of loading and unloading isn’t as good as it looks. Start tracking your time, not just your miles. You’ll begin to realize what your hourly rate really is, and it’ll change how you look at dispatch offers.

Bottom line: there’s a big difference between making money and keeping money in this business. Run it like a business, not a hustle. Keep good records, be honest with your numbers, and always plan for what can go wrong.

Hope that helps someone out there thinking about making the leap or struggling to stay afloat. We’ve all been there.

Great write-up, Denis — this is one of the most honest takes I’ve seen, and it reflects what we’ve experienced firsthand.

We run both a U.S.-based dispatching company and our own fleet, so we see both sides of the struggle. Downtime, compliance costs, maintenance surprises, and poor planning can break even experienced owner-operators. A lot of people jump in without truly understanding net profit vs. gross, or how things like factoring fees, cheap brokers, or untracked idle time quietly drain revenue.

We recently put together a full breakdown called the “Ultimate Owner-Operator Success Guide” — it’s free, updated for 2025, and walks through everything you mentioned, including actionable steps to stay profitable.

👉 Owner Operator Success Guide

Hopefully it helps others avoid the hard (and expensive) lessons we had to learn through experience. Appreciate you putting this out there — more people need to see it.