owner operator
Drives own rig
An owner operator is someone who both owns and operates a business, vehicle, or piece of equipment—most commonly a truck driver who owns their rig rather than driving for a company fleet.
The term emphasizes independence: She's been an owner operator for fifteen years, hauling freight cross-country in her own semi.
Owner operators handle their own expenses, maintenance, and contracts, trading job security for autonomy and potentially higher earnings.
- truckerCommercial freight driver
- independentFree from external control
- fleetVehicles under unified command
- big rigTractor-trailer combination
- rigEquipment arrangement or vehicle
hauler · diesel · truck stop · weigh station · freight · CDL · DOT regulations · self-employed · contractor · dispatcher · load · highway · cab · logbook · semi · sleeper cab · entrepreneur · gig
- truckingsemi, 18-wheeler, trucks, truckers, big rig
- driverstruck driver, bus driver, taxi driver, cab driver, delivery driver
- truckerstrucker, haulier, long haul driver, tanker driver, flatbed driver