Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/671350
6 // OWNER OPERATOR // MAY 2016 News & Notes The new face of independence: Autonomy, partnerships and technology By Todd Dills Change is coming to independent truck- ing, says Dennis Brannon, a former owner- operator based in Columbia, S.C. He believes that as the Millennial generation (those born during the 15 or 20 years following the early 1980s) takes the reins of trucking, a more fl uid, broadly connected business model will defi ne the most successful owner-operators. Brannon, who heads Artisan Logistics, an independent agency in Landstar System's net- work, already sees a surge of interest among younger drivers in operating independently, whether owning a truck or leasing equipment. "The Millennials want to be more indepen- dent," he says. "They want that fl exibility. They're tired of working for the man, and they want results now." Brannon's not alone in his thinking. The ability to tie the fi nancial side of the business seamlessly into the systems of carrier and brokerage partners will make it easier for independent contractors of any generation to run with their own carrier authority, leading to growth in that segment of the owner-operator world. Helping to launch this trend is the profu- sion of networked mobile computing tools and access to information for operational, fi - nancial and relationship-building purposes. It will help the owner-operator to evolve further into "a more business-minded person," says ATBS President Todd Amen, whose fi nancial services fi rm works with thousands of owner- operators, most of them leased. Amen also looks forward to a generation reared on smartphone apps and videos, eager to tinker with the business status quo of truck- ing. Brannon believes that the on-demand transactional models that mobile communica- tions technology and the Internet itself have begun to facilitate will become entrenched in the trucking business as that generation takes over. "Those under the age of 35 I've talked to – they don't want to put in a year or two to get their head beat in," run ragged by a large long-haul carrier for years before achieving independence, Brannon says. Motor carrier authority, as well as leased rather than owned equipment, will be more attractive, he adds. Operators will use real-time information more readily to guide effi ciency in load ne- gotiation and the ultimate transaction. Base- line telematics systems in virtually all trucks, TOMORROW: Owner-operators' systems will be highly integrated into those of carrier and brokerage partners, thanks partly to networked mobile computing tools. The traditional exclusive-lease model will give way to more blended leasing models where carriers share capacity. Legal developments in California and the marketplace itself will create pressure for paying drivers and owner- operators by the hour.