Part One laid the groundwork for why knowing your numbers matters in trucking. Not in a motivational way. Not in a “be a better business owner” cliché way. But in a very real, very practical sense: if you don’t know what it actually costs you to run your truck, you’re not negotiating freight — you’re guessing.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth most carriers never hear:

Knowing your numbers doesn’t automatically make you profitable. Knowing how to use them does.

This is where many small carriers stall out. They may have a rough idea of cost per mile. They might know what their truck payment is. Some even track fuel closely. But very few have taken the time to put all of it together into a single, usable framework that helps them make decisions before they accept a load.

That gap — between awareness and application — is where money leaks out quietly every single week.

Why “Knowing” Isn’t the Same as “Running”

Ask ten owner-operators what their cost per mile is and you’ll get ten different answers. Not because they’re all wrong — but because many are estimating.

They’ll tell you what fuel costs. They’ll tell you what insurance costs. They might even tell you what maintenance “usually runs.”

But when you ask deeper questions — like how many miles they actually need to run to cover fixed expenses, or what happens to their profitability if they deadhead an extra 150 miles this week — the answers get fuzzy.

That’s not a character flaw. It’s a structural problem.

Many small carriers were never taught how to build a profit plan that connects:

• Fixed costs
• Variable costs
• Personal income needs
• Miles run
• Revenue targets

Without that connection, you can’t evaluate freight properly. You can only react to it.

Where ATBS Comes In — And Why This Partnership Exists

This is exactly why ATBS and FreightWaves Playbook partnered on this initiative.

For decades, ATBS has worked behind the scenes helping owner-operators and small fleets understand what actually drives profitability in their business — not in theory, but on paper, with real numbers. What they’ve learned over thousands of carriers is consistent:

Most carriers don’t fail because rates are low. They fail because they never defined what “good freight” actually looks like for their operation.

The Playbook side of this partnership exists to make that education accessible, practical, and usable — not just informational.

Together, the goal is simple: help carriers stop guessing and start operating with clarity.

What a Real Profit Plan Actually Does

A profit plan isn’t a spreadsheet you fill out once and forget. It’s a decision-making tool.

When done correctly, it shows you:

• Your true breakeven point (not a guess)
• Your cost per mile and cost per day
• How much revenue your truck needs to generate weekly and monthly
• What happens when miles drop, fuel spikes, or deadhead increases
• How much room you actually have to negotiate — or when you need to walk away

That last part is critical.

Because the most dangerous loads in this market aren’t always the cheapest ones. They’re the loads that look profitable but quietly miss your real numbers by just enough to drain you over time.

Why This Matters Right Now

This freight environment has punished indecision.

Carriers who operate emotionally — chasing high linehaul, running extra miles “just to stay busy,” accepting freight without running the math — feel constantly behind. The stress never lets up because there’s no clarity.

Carriers who operate with defined numbers don’t win every load either. But they know why they’re saying yes or no. They know what a bad week looks like before it happens. And they can adjust early instead of scrambling late.

That’s the real competitive advantage.

Not secret brokers. Not perfect lanes. Not waiting for the market to flip. Clarity beats optimism every time.

What the Free Profit Session Is (And Isn’t)

As part of this partnership, Playbook readers can book a free profit planning session with ATBS.

This is not a sales pitch disguised as help. It’s not a generic webinar. And it’s not about telling you what you “should” be making.

The goal of the session is to walk through your operation and help you identify:

• Where your money is actually going
• What your truck needs to earn to support both the business and your life
• Which levers you actually control — and which ones you don’t

For some carriers, that session confirms they’re closer than they thought. For others, it exposes gaps they didn’t realize were there.

Both outcomes are valuable.

Turning Information Into Execution

Education alone doesn’t change a business. Application does.

That’s why this second step matters. Knowing your numbers in theory is helpful. Having a profit plan you can reference before you accept freight is transformational.

It changes how you:

• Negotiate rates
• Choose lanes
• Decide when to run and when to park
• Evaluate opportunities without emotion

And most importantly, it changes how much stress you carry home with you.

The Invitation

IfPart One helped you see why numbers matter, Part Two is the opportunity to actually build yours.

The consultation is free. The insight is personal. And the value comes from finally seeing your business clearly instead of guessing.

You don’t need perfect freight to survive this market. You need clear math and disciplined decisions.

That’s what this partnership is built to deliver.

You can book your free profit planning session through the Playbook–ATBS partnership page and take the next step toward running your truck like a business — not a gamble.