Auto Transport Review

McCollister's Auto Transport Owner-Operator Review: The Good, The Bad, and The Reality

This reflects my experience in McCollister's automotive division as an owner-operator. Other divisions may operate differently.

If you're researching McCollister's Auto Transport, you've probably already read the recruiting material.

This isn't that.

This is the information I wish someone had given me before I signed on.

McCollister's is a legitimate company with major automotive customers, OEM contracts, port freight, and a long history in the industry. There are owner-operators making good money there.

But there are also realities that recruiters don't always emphasize.

Let's talk about them.

The Good

The first thing I noticed after arriving at McCollister's was that the company felt more professional and less chaotic than some competitors.

Communication was generally better.

The overall stress level was lower.

There were fewer last-minute surprises and fewer situations where dispatch seemed to be making things up as they went along.

The company has real automotive customers, real freight, and real opportunities.

When the ports are busy, there is money to be made.

The Pay Structure

Owner-operators pulling a McCollister's trailer typically receive:

If the company approves you to bring your own trailer, the split can increase to approximately 80%.

However, owner-operator-owned trailers appear to be approved on a case-by-case basis rather than through a clearly defined program.

Before making a decision based on the 80% number, I'd recommend speaking directly with current contractors who are actually running their own trailers.

The Fuel Card Problem

Let's address the elephant in the room.

McCollister's fuel card does not provide fuel discounts to owner-operators.

That is company policy.

The company fuel card charges retail pump price.

Anyone who has spent time as an owner-operator understands why this is a problem.

Truck stop pump prices are often dramatically higher than negotiated fleet pricing.

Virtually every experienced owner-operator knows this.

Most carriers either:

McCollister's does not.

As a result, many owner-operators choose not to use the company fuel card at all.

Instead they fuel through discount programs such as:

In my opinion, this is one of the biggest negatives of the entire owner-operator program.

McCollister's is certainly receiving fleet fuel discounts as a company. The issue is that those savings are not being passed through to the owner-operators who are paying for the fuel.

For an owner-operator running 100,000 to 200,000 miles per year, the difference between retail pump pricing and discounted fuel pricing can add up to tens of thousands of dollars over time.

This isn't a minor complaint.

This is a major business expense.

The downside is that many owner-operators end up managing fuel purchases themselves through third-party discount programs instead of simply using the company card and having fuel deducted from settlement.

That means better fuel prices, but it also requires stronger cash-flow management and financial discipline.

Heavy Loads Are Normal

Prospective drivers should understand that McCollister's automotive division frequently runs very heavy loads.

Five SUVs and a sports car was not unusual.

Production vehicles are the company's bread and butter, and trailers are often loaded to maximize revenue.

The result is that overweight situations are not uncommon.

Heavy axle weights are not uncommon.

Trailers loaded to capacity are not uncommon.

Every experienced car hauler understands what comes with that:

The more vehicles you place on a trailer, the smaller your margin for error becomes.

Damage Exposure

This ties directly into the weight issue.

A trailer carrying six, and sometimes seven, tightly packed vehicles creates far more opportunities for damage than a trailer carrying three or four.

Clearances get tighter.

Loading becomes more complicated.

The chances of something getting bumped, scraped, or contacted increase.

Most experienced drivers can handle it.

But new drivers should understand that the operating environment can be unforgiving.

McCollister's Runs on Port Freight

Port freight is the engine that drives the automotive division.

When port volume is strong, life is good.

Freight is plentiful.

Revenue opportunities are plentiful.

Everyone is busy.

When port volume slows down, everything changes.

The company becomes much more feast-or-famine than many new contractors expect.

The experienced drivers understand this and save money during the busy periods because they know slower periods are eventually coming.

Team Drivers Are Not Maximized

This was one of my biggest disappointments.

McCollister's is not set up to maximize team operations.

A husband-and-wife team or traditional driving team is often dispatched very similarly to a solo truck.

The company generally does not utilize teams in a way that fully takes advantage of their available driving hours.

If you're coming from expedited freight or another segment where teams are treated differently than solos, this can be frustrating.

The earning potential of a team truck is often left on the table.

Training Is Minimal

If you're already an experienced enclosed car hauler, this may not matter.

If you're trying to learn enclosed transport, this absolutely matters.

McCollister's is not a training company.

The expectation is that you already know how to:

There is very little structured training.

For drivers looking to learn the business, Reliable Carriers deserves consideration because they maintain a genuine training program.

Whether Reliable is the right long-term company is a separate discussion.

But if your goal is learning the craft, they invest more heavily in developing new drivers.

The Mecum Auction Reality

McCollister's is the contracted carrier for Mecum Auctions.

The company operates a dedicated fleet of Mecum-branded trucks that are primarily company-driver trucks.

However, when auction activity ramps up, owner-operators are often expected to help support auction freight.

Many drivers imagine auction freight as loading several collector cars and making a simple run.

That's often not reality.

Auction loads frequently involve:

A driver may spend days moving from location to location loading and unloading individual vehicles.

Residential pickups are common.

Residential deliveries are common.

Customer interaction is constant.

Paperwork increases.

Loading and unloading frequency increases dramatically.

For drivers who enjoy working directly with customers, this may not be a problem.

For drivers who prefer long-distance transportation with minimal stops, auction freight can become exhausting.

When Mecum gets busy, helping support those operations is generally part of being in the automotive division.

Who Will Probably Like McCollister's?

Drivers who:

can do very well.

Who Should Probably Look Elsewhere?

Drivers who:

may find themselves frustrated.

Final Verdict

McCollister's is a legitimate company with legitimate opportunities.

But prospective owner-operators should walk in with their eyes open.

The biggest positives are:

The biggest negatives are:

Can you make good money there?

Absolutely.

Will everyone be happy there?

Absolutely not.

The drivers who succeed tend to be the ones who understand exactly what they're signing up for before they arrive.

Want more information from McCollister's?

If McCollister's still sounds like a possible fit, review their auto transport and logistics information directly before making a decision.

Visit McCollister's Auto Transport

Alternatives to Consider

Reliable Carriers Landstar Accelerated Services Mercer Transportation Bennett Motor Express