REPOWR, ATBS team up to expand trailer access for owner-operators 

“Owner-operators are the backbone of this industry, and ATBS has spent decades helping them run stronger businesses,” REPOWR CEO Chris Hines said in a statement. “Trailer access shouldn’t be the thing standing between a driver and their next load.”

REPOWR operates an on-demand trailer marketplace offering dry van, refrigerated and flatbed equipment at more than 2,000 locations nationwide. 

ATBS members will be able to sign up for REPOWR at no cost and receive discounted member rates, according to a news release. REPOWR said reservations can be completed in less than two minutes.

The partnership aims to provide another equipment option for small carriers and independent contractors that need additional trailer capacity temporarily but want to avoid the fixed costs associated with owning equipment.

ATBS has worked with more than 150,000 truck drivers since 1998, offering services designed to help independent contractors manage costs and operate their businesses.

“Our clients are always looking for ways to cut costs and stay flexible without sacrificing the equipment they need to keep hauling,” Mike Hosted, vice president of sales and marketing at ATBS, said in a statement.

Hosted said REPOWR’s on-demand model allows operators to obtain trailers when they need them without carrying increased overhead.

“REPOWR’s model lines up perfectly with how our owner-operators run their businesses — access
when they need it, without the overhead when they don’t,” Hosted said.

Why it matters: REPOWR’s partnership with the American Truck Business Services aims to give owner-operators another way to add trailer capacity without taking on the fixed costs of buying or leasing equipment long term, potentially allowing small carriers to respond more quickly to changing freight demand.