The 2026 trucking industry outlook shows a reasonably stable economy, rapidly tightening truck capacity, rising freight rates, and new opportunities for professional drivers who manage their businesses wisely.

Do you dream of having your business name on the side of your truck? Maybe on the side of a whole fleet of trucks?

Key Takeaways for Drivers:

A lot’s been happening at ATS — and there's plenty of good news and exciting updates to share. In the past few months, we’ve brought back in-person training, boosted lease pay, and added new tech to make your job easier (and greener). Here’s what’s new from Q2 and the first half of Q3.

Heavy haul drivers don’t change carriers lightly, and for good reason. It’s a specialized field that demands experience, professionalism, and a lot of planning.

Financial preparedness for truck drivers Options for paying truck maintenance costs Practical advice for managing truck maintenance costs Let’s face it: Truck maintenance isn’t cheap, and it rarely happens at a convenient time. Whether you're an owner-operator or a lease driver, the moment something starts knocking around under the hood, one thing runs through your mind: “How am I going to pay for this?”

The best semi-truck for you depends on what you haul, where you drive, your budget, and the specifications you need to do the job. Freightliner, Peterbilt, and Volvo are all popular options, but each offers different advantages in areas like cost of ownership, comfort, customization, safety, fuel economy, and service availability.

Independent contractors hauling freight with Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) can lease a truck through Competitive Equipment Sales (CES), a business partner of ATS. CES offers 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year leases with options that can lead to truck ownership. Established ATS lease operators may also qualify for the Top Anderson Performers (TAP) program through Truck Power Leasing.

Owning your own truck definitely gives you freedom and greater earning potential, but deciding what kind of owner-operator you want to be can be overwhelming. Do you lease with a carrier company? Run under your own authority? Some combination of the two?