Owner Operator Report · December 2025
2026 Owner-Operator Income & Cost Report
Benchmark gross revenue, net income, cost-per-mile, and deadhead for U.S. owner-operators across van, reefer, flatbed, and hotshot.
Quick answer
Benchmark gross revenue, net income, cost-per-mile, and deadhead for U.S. owner-operators across van, reefer, flatbed, and hotshot. Based on 820 owner-operators across United States.
Takes ~60 seconds0% complete
Key findings
- $221,000Median gross/yearUp 2.8% vs. 2024 driven by flatbed strength.
- $76,400Median net/yearCompressed by fuel, insurance, and maintenance inflation.
- $2.16Cost per mileInsurance posted the largest YoY jump (+18%).
- 12.4%Deadhead %Dispatched OOs averaged 9.1% vs. 14.2% load-board solo.
Methodology
Anonymous online survey of 820 verified owner-operators across 48 states, cross-validated against ATBS, OOIDA, and ATRI operational cost data.
Sample size: 820 owner-operators
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