The Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF) released its final report in January 2025, aiming to tackle issues with lease-purchase agreements in trucking. This task force, set up under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, wanted to highlight owner-operators' challenges and find ways to make things fairer for those working hard to keep America’s goods moving.
Key Takeaways for Drivers
What Are Lease-Purchase Agreements Really?
The TLTF report calls out the way lease-purchase agreements are sold to owner-operators. Carriers often promise these programs will help owner-operators own their truck/business, give them more freedom, and increase their earnings. But most deals don’t deliver on those promises. Instead, they’re stacked against owner-operators, making ownership nearly impossible while piling on risks.
Who Holds the Power?
The report clarifies that motor carriers hold all the cards in these agreements. They decide how much the truck costs, how owner-operators will get paid, how much insurance they’ll need, and when they’ll service the truck. Owner-operators are stuck with a "take it or leave it" contract — no room to negotiate. This imbalance leaves owner-operators vulnerable and stuck in challenging situations.
The Money Squeeze
Here’s where it gets even worse: carriers control driver paychecks. They directly deduct truck payments, insurance, maintenance, and other costs from earnings. In some cases, drivers end up with little or nothing left after deductions—and some even end up in debt to the carrier. It’s a vicious cycle that’s hard to break out of, and it's a well-known problem, earning a commonly known nickname, “going in the hole”.
Contracts Without Clarity
Many owner-operators don’t fully understand what they’re signing up for because lease-purchase agreements often lack transparency. Hidden fees, unclear obligations, and vague terms make it easy for carriers to incorporate terms favorable to the carrier that penalize the owner-operator, hidden behind the lure of no credit checks or down payments. The numbers speak for themselves, with the programs failing over 90% of the time.
What Needs to Change?
The TLTF didn’t just point out problems; they devised actionable recommendations to fix things. They’re suggesting:
Ban Exploitative Programs
Programs in which carriers control owner operators' work, pay, and debt need to go. These setups make it nearly impossible for owner operators to operate as independent contractors truly. Banning them would give owner operators a fairer shot.
If These Deals Stick Around, They Need Rules
If lease-purchase programs are going to stay, they need to play by stricter rules:
- Clear Contracts: Owner operators need to know exactly what they’re signing up for—from truck payments to early termination penalties.
- Independent Advice: Owner operators should have access to third-party counselors to help them understand these agreements.
- Better Oversight: Regulators must step in and set standards to prevent abuse. Regulating bodies might include the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Department of Labor (DOL), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
- Fair Dispute Resolution: Owner operators need an easy, fair way to resolve disagreements with carriers.
The Truck Leasing Task Force isn’t the only organization to hold these opinions. For many years, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and TrueNorth have cited these programs as predatory and problematic for small carriers and owner-operators. Continued and new support for addressing the lease-purchase programs per the recommendations here is overdue yet exciting.
Driver Education
The TLTF stressed the need for owner operators to understand their rights and the risks of lease-purchase deals. Awareness campaigns and training programs could help owner operators make smarter choices and stand up for themselves.
Why This Matters For Drivers
Truck drivers are the backbone of America’s supply chain. In 2023, the industry transported over 67% of domestic U.S. freight by weight (per the TLTF Report, page 2). All other transportation industries could be doubled and not equate to the freight that trucking moves. Without drivers, goods don’t move, and shelves don’t get stocked. But the current system isn’t giving owner operators and drivers the respect or fairness they deserve. Addressing these problems isn’t just about doing what’s right; it’s also about keeping the industry running smoothly.
A Fairer Future
The TLTF’s recommendations aim to create an industry where owner-operators and truck drivers can thrive. Fair contracts, clear rules, and better oversight could help attract and keep skilled talent while making the industry more sustainable in the long run.
Holding Carriers Accountable
The report calls for stronger oversight to ensure carriers play by the rules. Government agencies, industry groups, and owner operator advocates all need to work together to make this happen.
The Bottom Line
The TLTF’s final report is a wake-up call for the trucking industry. Lease-purchase agreements, as they stand now, aren’t working for owner operators. By tackling the issues head-on and making these programs fairer, we can build an industry that respects the hard work owner operators put in every day. As a owner operator, be sure to stay informed, know your rights, and think twice before signing any lease-purchase deals that still exist.
TrueNorth celebrates this win, as well as the owner-operators and small carriers who are taking matters into their own hands to buy their equipment and avoid the pitfalls of leasing with larger carriers. That’s why we offer a free load board — everyone should have access to the tools they need to launch and run a trucking business. Check it out here.