Buy trucks or hire a trucking company?

Your shipping volume is growing across Ohio's I-70, I-75, and I-71 corridors. Buying trucks and hiring drivers sounds expensive, but so does paying freight companies every month. You're trying to figure out which option costs less in the long run.

Most companies think buying trucks saves money, but the math is tricky. You're looking at truck payments, commercial insurance, maintenance, driver wages, benefits, DOT compliance costs, and fuel. Hidden costs include downtime for repairs, backup drivers for sick days, and storage space.

A single truck with driver typically costs $8,000 to $12,000 per month when you add everything up. That breaks even with outsourcing around 40-50 loads monthly. Most Ohio businesses ship less than that consistently. Seasonal fluctuations make the math even harder since you still pay for trucks during slow months.

Calculate your actual monthly loads over the past year, including peaks and valleys. If you ship fewer than 40 loads monthly on average, outsourcing usually costs less. Gateway Distribution handles hub-and-spoke distribution from our Cincinnati hub, covering Ohio routes efficiently. Get quotes for both options before deciding.

Once you pick the right approach, you'll have predictable shipping costs and can focus on growing your business instead of managing trucks and drivers.

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