Buy trucks or hire a trucking company?

Your shipping volume is growing across Maine, from Portland to Bangor. Buying trucks and hiring drivers sounds expensive. But so does paying freight companies every month. You're not sure which costs less long-term.

Most businesses underestimate the true cost of owning trucks. Beyond the truck payment, you're looking at commercial insurance, maintenance, DOT compliance, driver wages, and fuel costs. In Maine's harsh winters, maintenance costs spike even higher with salt corrosion and freeze damage.

The break-even point typically hits around 40-50 loads per month consistently. Below that volume, outsourcing usually costs less. Factor in driver turnover, which averages 90% annually in trucking. Each new hire costs $5,000-$8,000 in recruiting and training.

Calculate your total monthly shipping costs over the past year. Include everything: fuel, driver time, vehicle wear, insurance increases. Compare that to quotes from freight companies. Gateway Distribution's hub-and-spoke system consolidates freight through our Cincinnati, New York, and Virginia hubs, reducing your cost per shipment through fewer empty miles.

Once you have the real numbers, the decision becomes clear. You'll either save money outsourcing or justify the truck purchase with solid data. Either way, you'll stop wondering and start moving freight efficiently.

Other things people in Maine ask