As a flatbed owner operator, you have more control over the jobs you take on, your career, and how much you can possibly earn. While it will require some sort of investment upfront to get started, you soon will likely be on your way to earning a better salary than if you were to work for an employer as a flatbed truck driver. Here we’ll answer the question how much do flatbed owner operators make and some tips for how you can succeed in your role and potentially earn even more.
A truck owner operator or OTC trucker is someone who owns their own truck or leases it. In this position, you’ll be in charge of all aspects of your business and keeping your trucks running properly. Some of the items that may be on your load include:
Produce or frozen foods
Home goods
Steel or lumber
Construction equipment
Vehicles
If you want to become a flatbed owner operator then you’ll need to have a CDL Class A Commercial Driver’s license and a clean driving record. You’ll need to pass a special driver’s test and will need to meet the minimum age requirement of 21, and in some cases, 25 years old. It’s also important that if you want to secure clients you have some experience as a flatbed truck driver.
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Some of the responsibilities you’ll take on as a flatbed owner operator are:
Arranging your financing
Finding and securing your own loads
Owning and maintaining your trucks or truck
Safe transport of products
Making on-time deliveries
Keep in mind that you may end up working longer hours and days than if you were a company driver because you are going to have more workloads to cover. However, you can also set your own hours and be picky about what types of jobs you accept.
Your main duty as a flatbed owner-operator is to ensure safe transport and timely delivery of a variety of items or products. You are working on the road as a truck driver but are, in most instances, the owner of the truck you are driving. You will be able to make a good living and bring in a steady income if you are successful at working in this position. You’ll earn about $132 an hour in this role. Top earners in the US can make over $389,000.
How much you can make as a flatbed owner operator depends on if you are working seasonally, full-time, or part-time, and the types of businesses you work for and the loads you secure. For example, you can likely earn more by driving hazardous materials or potentially harmful chemicals.
As for the average flatbed owner operator salary, you’re going to be able to bring in roughly $245,000 working as a flatbed owner operator in the US. Some who fall into the 25th percentile of earnings will make about $149,000 annually. Generally speaking, you can make more working as an owner operator than if you work as a company driver.
While you’ll have a lot more responsibilities as a flatbed owner operator, you will also be able to bring in a higher salary than if you are working as a truck driver for a company or an employer. The good news is that most owner operators are happy with their jobs and salaries. So, what are some reasons why you might want to become a flatbed truck owner operator in the first place?
You can get up and running fairly quickly
Good pay and benefits
You’ll be your own boss
Can see many new and exciting places while on the road
Job stability as these types of jobs are in demand
Some of the benefits that come with this job are that you don’t have to sit at a desk all day. As the owner-operator, you’re going to have greater flexibility and freedom in your schedule and with the types of loads you take on. Best of all, your earning potential depends on how much you want to work.
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There are some factors that can and will influence how much you can earn as a flatbed owner operator. For example, the types of certifications you hold and what kinds of freights you can carry will make a difference in your pay overall. Earn more by:
Responding first to loads that you want
Learning how to negotiate the best rates
Working with the right brokers
Finding ways to cut fuel costs
Planning your routes well in advance
Minimizing risk by securing insurance policies
Some of the other factors regarding your salary will also depend on the region or location you’re working in and your skills and experience in the industry. Get the right types of certifications and loads and you’ll be well on your way to earning a higher salary.
Now that you know how much flatbed owner operators make, you can appropriately begin to budget for costs such as insurance. Secure the right insurance policies online and ensure that you can effectively reduce your financial risk. It’s going to help you sleep better at night, run a more reputable and successful business, and ensure you don’t have to cover large unexpected expenses on a whim.
Gather more details, review resources, and start shopping for affordable insurance quotes today. With the right insurance policies in place, you can let clients know that you're licensed and insured and hopefully get more of the top-earning and highest-paying jobs. While there’s a lot of overhead involved, there is also a lot of potential to earn a steady and good-paying salary over the years.
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
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