How do I assess a fleet shop’s reliance on one trucking customer?

Start with the customer list ranked by sales, for each season. Look at how dependent the shop is on its largest account, and how that has moved over time. A big customer can be steady and pleasant, but it also holds most of the bargaining power. Ask whether the shop’s rates have kept up with its costs.

Then look at the paper. Is there a written agreement, or only a habit? Check how long it runs, whether the customer can end it quickly, and whether it names the owner personally. If it does, ask whether it can be assigned to a buyer. Your lawyer should read this one.

Finally, ask about the relationship. Who talks to the customer’s dispatcher and manager, and how do they pay? Slow payment is a risk of its own. Ask what the shop would do if that fleet moved its work in-house or across town. How many bays and technicians are used for this account alone? If the answer is most of them, plan for a smaller business. Ask what the shop did the last time a large customer reduced its work, because the answer shows how it copes when the pressure comes.

Key takeaways

• Rank customers by revenue and look at how the biggest has moved over time.
• Have your lawyer read the contract, especially any ending or assignment wording.
• Ask who owns the relationship and how quickly the customer pays.