If the company owns the truck, they then have to get insurance for it, and to get reasonably priced insurance, they will likely need to run background checks on

If the company owns the truck, they then have to get insurance for it, and to get reasonably priced insurance, they will likely need to run background checks on everyone allowed to drive it. It is much less hassle and money to throw a few bucks an hour at the guy who is willing to use his own to run the errands if thr company doesn't need the truck for anything else.