Owner operator requirements at Eagle
Eagle's list is short, and it is the same at every terminal. If you can check every line below, you can send the Quick App today.
The experience rule has two routes: 2 years of verifiable tractor-trailer experience, or 1 year of experience plus a certificate from a certified trucking school.
- Valid Class A CDL. Current CDL-A in good standing.
- Tractor-trailer experience. 2 years verifiable, or 1 year plus a certified trucking school certificate.
- Your own truck. You own a commercial motor vehicle.
- 2000 or newer, or ELD compliant. Truck model year 2000+ or ELD compliant.
- 21 or older. Asked on the Quick App.
- Safety standards. Meet Eagle's safety and qualification standards.
Truck requirements for leasing on
Your truck must be model year 2000 or newer, or ELD compliant. You need to own it, since leasing on means you bring your own commercial motor vehicle.
If your truck needs an ELD, Eagle offers an easy-to-install one, along with front-facing dash cameras and a mobile dispatching app. Ask your recruiter whether your truck qualifies before you apply.
Leasing on means the truck runs under Eagle's operating authority while you keep ownership of it. Your recruiter confirms the truck details during the application.
How to become an owner operator
Most owner operators start as company drivers. The path is the same in most of the industry, whichever carrier you end up with.
- Get your CDL-A. You need a Class A license to drive a tractor-trailer.
- Build experience as a company driver. Carriers look for verifiable tractor-trailer time and a clean safety record.
- Get your own truck. Many drivers buy one outright or finance it. Some use a lease purchase to pay toward one over time.
- Decide how you will run. Lease on to a carrier and haul under its authority, or get your own authority and find freight yourself.
- Set up the business side. Track your costs, keep savings for repairs, and know what your truck needs to earn each week.
This is a general outline of how drivers move into owning a truck, not Eagle terms. Rules and costs vary, so check the details for your own situation.
What to have ready before you apply
Have your CDL-A, your work history and your truck details close by. The Quick App asks for the basics, and a recruiter follows up on the rest.
Ask your recruiter which documents you need for your terminal. It saves a second call.
- Your CDL-A and its status.
- Where you drove and for how long.
- Your truck's year and whether it is ELD compliant.
- The area you want to run from.
What qualified owner operators get at Eagle
Owner operators who lease on gross $3,000–$5,000 a week on local intermodal freight, paid every week by direct deposit. You are home daily and there is no forced dispatch. Read how owner operator pay and weekly settlements work for the full picture.
Leased-on operators also get a fuel card with nationwide discounts, low-cost insurance, plate and IFTA programs, and clean inspection bonuses. If the freight is new to you, start with what intermodal drayage is.
Openings change week to week. Terminals with live postings are listed further down this page, or find yours on the local intermodal owner operator jobs map.
Gross revenue before fuel, insurance and truck expenses. Not a guarantee; actual earnings vary by loads, lane and costs.