How Have Owner-Operators Performed So Far in 2025?
- ATBS Staff
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 57 minutes ago
The first half of 2025 has been tough for many owner-operators, with high costs and weak freight keeping profits tight. But some drivers are finding ways to thrive despite the challenges.
In this article, we’ll dig into the latest numbers and answer questions, including:
How can owner-operators benefit from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?
What are the latest miles, rates, fuel costs, and maintenance trends?
What are large carriers saying about freight rates and volumes going forward?
Why have maintenance costs shot up year over year?
How are the best owner-operators thriving in a prolonged, difficult freight environment?
Interested in learning more? Check out our full 2025 Mid-Year Owner-Operator Trucking Trends Webinar, where we give a more in-depth recap of how owner-operators have performed so far in 2025!
Table of Contents
Freight Rates
From May 2020 through April 2022, we saw one of the biggest increases in spot market
load volumes and rates in the history of trucking. However, in April 2022, while contract rates remained somewhat stable, spot market rates and load volumes began falling dramatically.
Here are some numbers to illustrate this shift in the market:
Peak - November of 2021
Loads: 240 loads per 1 truck looking for a load.
Rates: $2.74 per mile (without fuel surcharge).
September 2024
Loads: 60 loads per 1 truck looking for a load.
Rates: $1.84 per mile (without fuel surcharge)
April 2025
Loads: 91 loads per 1 truck looking for a load.
Rates: $2.13 per mile (without fuel surcharge)
Today - September 2025
Loads: 88 loads per 1 truck looking for a load.
Rates: $1.88 per mile (without fuel surcharge)
As September rolled in, the load-to-truck ratio climbed to around 88. For independent operators who rely on the spot market, that means a few more freight opportunities and less downtime, though rates haven’t followed suit. The average spot rate remains flat at about $1.88 per mile, roughly where it was three and a half years ago.
So while load availability is improving, pricing remains under pressure, suggesting continued bumpy conditions. Operators who stay disciplined with expenses and strategic about their loads will be best positioned when the market fully rebounds.
Miles
Miles continue to trend up year over year. This was needed in order for drivers to stay in business during a prolonged difficult market. However, drivers running more miles have had a direct correlation to more capacity, which has likely extended the down spot market!
Overall, miles have dropped significantly over the past 20 years. In 2003, owner-operators averaged about 140,000 miles per year. At a minimum, in a booming freight market, it dropped to 85,000 miles per year. Today it is up to 94,000 per year. Some carriers think we are at the peak of miles now as truck drivers’ work-life balance.
Revenue
Owner-operator revenue per mile is down 3.7%, or 7 cents per mile on a year-over-year basis. A significant portion of that has come from the reduced cost of fuel resulting in a lower fuel surcharge. True rates have also fallen simultaneously.
ICs are working a lot harder to reach the revenue needed to remain in business. Due to the increase in miles, total revenue is only down 2% and we are starting to see signs of recovery.
Fuel
Fuel cost per mile is down 10% and continues to go down. This type of trend can be expected to continue throughout the year. Many ICs perceive this as a good thing but savvy drivers know they can take advantage of high fuel costs by making money off the fuel surcharge.
As freight rates have continued to decrease, we’ve seen owner-operators focus more on fuel mileage. Our average client is up to 7.12 MPG and we’ve seen increases in MPG across all segments. New technology on trucks and better driving habits can be attributed to why we’ve seen this increase.
Maintenance
Maintenance costs have risen more than any other expense this year—up about 10%, or roughly $100 more per month. Higher wages, pricier parts, and fewer new trucks on the market are all driving the increase, as many independent contractors keep older equipment running longer. Some drivers are also delaying maintenance due to cash flow issues, which can lead to even costlier repairs later.
On average, contractors now spend around $1,234 per month on maintenance, though that varies by truck age, freight type, and miles driven. The key takeaway: maintenance planning isn’t optional anymore. A strong plan that covers repairs, fixed expenses, and downtime helps drivers stay prepared, protect their income, and keep rolling when surprises hit.
Fixed Costs
Fixed costs are up 2% or $1,189 year over year. Over the past few years, fixed cost averages have been a roller coaster. However, we seem to be back to normal levels for the first time since the pandemic as fixed costs increased accordingly with inflation.
Net Income
Overall, owner-operator net income is up 2.5% to $64,524. Reefer has hurt the worst but we’ve actually seen increases in dry, flatbed, and independents.
Most of the damage to net income occurred last year and we are starting to see positive signs. The hungry drivers who have taken extra miles and focused on their fuel economy have started to see gains over the past few months. ATBS clients who are using our services effectively are averaging a net income of $87,614.
+1/-10
Incremental and small changes are the best thing you can continue to do today. The two charts above illustrate the top two things the average IC can do to dramatically increase their income, increase their revenue, and decrease their costs. Increasing your revenue could just mean one more load a month, which is illustrated above.
There are many ways to decrease your costs, but fuel is your biggest cost and the one you can control the most. Just one mpg better means taking home $8,000 or more in profit!
If you do one of the two things above, you’ll increase your net income by $150 a week or $8,000 per year. If you do both, you’ll take home nearly $300 more per week, or $15,000 a year.
It might not be possible to run 500 more miles a month or get one mpg better, but if you do a little bit of each, you’ll see drastic improvements to your net income.
Rest of 2025 Freight Outlook
The best businesses and owner-operators are still doing well. The bottom line is that owner-operators control their own destiny, and they can make changes today to ensure profitability and success!