Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/123324
news and notes Schneider National Offers Owner-Operators Free Business Consulting Services Free access to ATBS business consulting services offered for first six months of lease Making the transition from professional truck driver to successful business owner is often very difficult. From longtime drivers who have dreamed of becoming their own boss to established owner-operators looking to improve their business performance, back office business support is an often-overlooked key to success. Schneider National began with one truck over 77 years ago and understands the support owner-operators need to be successful. To help owner-operators in today's fast-paced world of transportation, the company is providing each new owneroperator who leases on with its Van Truckload division in 2013 with six free months of business consulting services from ATBS. ATBS is the largest owner-operator business services provider in the United States. Business services for owner-operators provided by ATBS include: a personalized profit plan, monthly bookkeeping, monthly profit and loss statements, benchmarking, tax preparation and unlimited business and tax consulting. "My brothers and I founded ATBS in 1998 after running our own trucking companies and realizing that great drivers have a hard time becoming great owner-operators, usually because they just lack the time to focus on the back-office areas of their business," says Jeff Amen, vice president, ATBS. "Because they need to maximize their time behind the wheel, there's precious little time for business planning, bookkeeping and financial management. That's where ATBS can and does help, evidenced by the fact that folks who use our services achieve 40 percent more profit than the average owner-operator. When an owner-operator leases on with Schneider, they will be quickly connected with one of ATBS's personal business consultants, who serves as a mentor and coach. The consultant will first help the owner-operator design a profit plan based on his/her personal situation and business goals. Settlement statements are automatically sent weekly from Schneider to ATBS; other business information can be transmitted to ATBS in the manner most convenient for the owner-operator (e.g., email, cell phone photos, postal mail). This data is then used to create a monthly profit and loss statement that benchmarks the owner-operator against their database of 40,000 clients. This process highlights precisely where the owneroperator is performing well and where changes can be made to maximize profitability. In addition, ATBS serves as the owneroperator's bookkeeper and processes all of his/ her paperwork. ATBS also produces quarterly tax estimates and performs year-end tax services—a benefit that owner-operators like John DeBoard appreciates immensely. DeBoard joined Schneider as a company driver in 2008; in December 2011, he purchased a truck through Schneider Finance and became an owner-operator with the company. "I knew enough about the tax system to know that I couldn't adequately keep on top of all the paperwork associated with it and drive a truck well," recalls DeBoard. "I needed someone to take care of all the detail work, and ATBS makes it so simple that I signed on with them right away. All I have to do to attain the goals I've set is drive and make good decisions." Amen said he wasn't surprised when Schneider approached him with the idea of offering ATBS services to new owner-operators. "We're currently working with 40,000 owner-operators across the country, so we know what types of career opportunities are out there for drivers," he says. "What we love about Schneider is that they present every opportunity for any owner-operator to be success- / Owner operator/ May 2013 / / 52 OO 0513 edit.indd 52 4/5/13 2:19 PM