If you are a company driver thinking about moving into a lease purchase program, you are far from alone. The appeal of owning your own rig still looms large in 2025: more control over schedules, the possibility of greater pay, and the pride that comes with ownership. But the game has changed, and the risks are higher. With fuel costs still volatile, regulations tightening, and overall costs up, deciding whether to lease‐purchase deserves a clear, honest look.

What Is a Lease Purchase Program?

A lease purchase program (also called lease‐to‐own or lease with an option to buy) lets a driver lease a truck from a carrier or leasing company, with an agreement that the driver can own the truck after a specified period or after making all required payments, often including a buyout or balloon payment.

Some important features:

• Low or no huge down payment: some contracts allow you to get started with minimal upfront money.
• Weekly or monthly payments deducted from your settlements.
• While leasing, you typically handle many of the costs owners bear: diesel, insurance, maintenance and repairs, sometimes permits and taxes.
• At the end of the lease, there’s usually a residual payment to fully own the truck (balloon payment) or to exercise the purchase option.
  
  

On paper, it sounds attractive. If you manage well, you go from being a company driver to owning your own asset. But paper is everything and contracts vary widely, with some structured in ways that heavily favor the carrier.

Comparison: Lease Purchase vs. Company Driver

Here is a side‑by‑side comparison to help you gauge where you might stand.

The New Realities in 2025

Several shifts this year have made lease purchase both more potentially rewarding, and more risky. Understanding these is key to making an informed decision.

Fuel, Diesel & Pump Pain

Fuel is still one of the biggest expense lines for lease purchase drivers. 

The U.S. national average for on‑highway diesel has been about $3.78/gallon in mid‐2025, with regional variation: some places lower, some significantly higher. 

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that diesel prices may ease later in 2025 and into 2026 as crude oil prices drop and supply improves. But inventories are tight and the amount of diesel stored is near historic lows in some reports. That means volatility remains.

A few cents more per gallon can eat into profits fast, especially if your contract or rate per mile doesn’t adjust for fuel surcharges well.

Interest Rates, Financing Costs & Truck Prices

• Truck prices remain high. New class 8 rigs still often run above $150,000–$160,000, depending on brand, specs, emissions tech, etc. Used trucks cost less, but as demand remains strong (combined with supply chain constraints), used prices have also stayed elevated.
  
  
• Interest rates are higher than the easy periods of past years. Loans for commercial trucks often carry rates of 6–10%+, depending on credit, term, and how much down payment you're able to make.
  
  

This raises both lease/loan payments and buyout/balloon payment amounts. A lease purchase with steep end payments can place you in a spot where you owe a lot at the end, or you may be trapped in payments long after resale value drops.

Maintenance, Emissions, and Regulation

• New emission regulations (federal and state) continue to raise the cost of maintenance and compliance. More expensive components (aftertreatment, DEF, particulate filters, etc.) require both preventive care and more costly repairs.
  
  
• Insurance costs have also ticked up in many areas. Liability, collision, and damage coverage for heavy trucks are expensive. Additionally, tires, brakes, tires, electronics, and other components are more advanced, and often more expensive.
  
  

A recent case study detailed a 2025 truck with purchase price ~$132,870. Lease payments in a full‑service lease could be ~$1,800–2,200/month vs financing similar truck ~ $2,400‑2,800/month. 

Over 5 years, the total cost of financing (with payments + maintenance etc) compared to a full lease (with lower payments but possibly no residual) can narrow the gap. Sometimes owning wins, sometimes leasing does, depending heavily on residual value, usage, and maintenance. 

This data shows that while lease payments may seem “manageable,” the add‑ons (fuel, maintenance, insurance, downtime) tend to widen the gap between what you bring in and what you keep. All of this can make cash flow less certain, and weeks without loads or heavy maintenance bills can hit hard.

Scenario: Two Drivers, Two Paths

To illustrate, let’s compare two hypothetical drivers in 2025.

What this shows: the upside is there, but the margin between success and breaking even depends heavily on how well you manage expenses, avoid losses, and get a fair contract.

What Drivers & Public Bodies Are Saying in 2025

Voices from the field and from regulatory or oversight groups confirm both potential and peril.

• The Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF), in early 2025, reviewed many lease purchase programs and concluded that many cause "widespread harm" without providing real pathways to ownership. The consensus was that programs where the carrier has extensive control over work, compensation, and debt often favor the carrier. Some TLTF members recommend restricting or reforming such lease programs. FMCSA
• In driver forums and blogs, stories are mixed. One driver said:
  “I made it work, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Maintenance killed my margins the first year. Now I’ve got systems in place and finally seeing some gain.”
  Another:
  “It’s a gamble. I walked away with nothing after 18 months, but my buddy is on track to own his rig this fall. It all comes down to the carrier and the contract.”
  
  
• Analysts note that while gross revenue potential for lease purchase drivers may reach $100,000–$150,000+ annually, many of the extra costs (fuel, maintenance, insurance, loan interest, downtime) reduce the take‐home significantly. Sometimes they put earned pay not far from good company driver numbers when everything is accounted for.
  
  

A Practical Decision Guide

If you’re thinking seriously about a lease purchase in 2025, you can begin to weigh your situation using this decision guide.

If you check most of the “Yes” boxes, a lease purchase might be something to seriously pursue. If not, it may be smarter to wait, build up savings/knowledge, or look for alternative ownership routes.

The Bottom Line: Is It Worth It?

For many drivers, lease purchase comes with higher gross potential, but after accounting for all the costs, the net (take‑home) often ends up not being very far ahead of what a company driver with good pay makes, especially when factoring in risk, downtime, and maintenance surprises.

If you are disciplined, have capital, and understand costs. If you manage every expense, avoid heavy downtime, and choose the right carrier and contract, you can build something significant, own your rig, control your operations, earn more.

If you go in under‑prepared, without a cushion, without clarity, or choose a contract that hides costs. Many drivers do fine for some months, then hit repair bills, lack of loads, or contract traps that eat into any gains.

As a company driver with Pride, you get competitive pay, consistent miles, dependable equipment, and benefits that protect you. At Pride Transport, Drivers’ Success Matters. Apply today.