Is there an ideal size for an owner-operator as he/she adds trucks, drivers and freight? The answer to that question is probably, well, "it depends." It's certain, though, that whether leased or independent with carrier authority, any owner is bound to reach a point where administrative and/or sales/operational demands outstrip his/her ability to handle everything -- and still haul. 

Cadle Trucking owner Ben Cadle is just about at that breaking point, and feels he may have reached his "sweet spot" of sorts at 11 full-time drivers and trucks in operation (12 if you count him and his "Joy Ride 3" cabover, too, though his hauling frequency seems less and less as time goes on). His fleet's size has doubled over the course of the last five years, and "I don't want any more trucks at this point, he said, “It gets to a certain point it’s like, 'Yeah, I’m good.'”

As have so many small fleet operators I’ve talked to through the years, Cadle credits his drivers as the bedrock of his success. Not that he’s getting rich, he emphasizes, but rather “trying to get to a comfortable point, and that’s about it. Trying to secure the future.” As are no doubt our three Small Fleet Champ finalists you’ll hear in today's edition of the Overdrive Radio podcast: James Davis of JDT out of Oregon(platform freight), Evan Guckien of Indiana-based Ed Burns & Sons (mostly platform), and Louisiana tank hauler John McGee Trucking. All three here offer insights on hiring and retaining the best drivers, on the issue of size and manageability, on learning to delegate, on the huge challenges that small fleet owners with motor carrier authority are facing with insurance costs when it comes to primary commercial auto liability. And more.