Posted: 27 Nov, 2018 by Pat Pitz 5 Comments Categories: Trucking Regulations Tags: CarrierOwner-Operator Carriers and drivers are being tripped up by their lack of understanding of the FMCSA’s new personal conveyance guidance. So says John Seidl, a former state patrol inspector and FMCSA investigator who now serves as VP of Risk Services for Reliance Partners. Seidl encourages all carriersRead more about Personal conveyance rules confound carriers[…]

Posted: 06 Dec, 2018 by Chad Boblett 2 Comments Categories: Best Practices and Benchmarks Tags: Owner-Operator After 10 years in the Marine Corps and 3 years as a professional driver, I decided to start my own trucking business in 2010. Over the years, I’ve been running my business based on four important lessons that I learned as a Marine.Read more about 4 lessons the Marines taught me about owning a business[…]

Many carriers threatened to quit after ELDs. Did they? Posted: 10 Dec, 2018 by Pat Pitz 6 Comments Categories: Trucking Regulations Tags: CarrierBrokerOwner-OperatorShipper Four months before the ELD mandate took effect on Dec. 18, 2017, DAT surveyed TruckersEdge users to learn how they planned to deal with the new regulation. Most of the respondents were owner-operators and small carriers, and 30%Read more about Many carriers threatened to quit after ELDs. Did they?[…]

Nontraditional careers: Introducing girls to technology in supply chain The government defines a nontraditional career as one where over 75 percent of the workforce is of the opposite gender.  We’ve always known that the trucking industry has been a nontraditional career choice for women, but we often point to diesel engines, time away from homeRead more about Nontraditional careers: Introducing girls to technology in supply chain[…]

Mark Boyer has spent his whole career in the trucking and logistics industry, with a front row seat for all kinds of new technologies, including many products from DAT. As DAT celebrates its 40th year, we reminisced with Boyer, who serves as Vice President of Brokerage for Keller Logistics in Defiance, Ohio. Keller is an asset-based brokerageRead more about Life before load boards[…]

Senate considering National Carrier Hiring Standard Posted: 06 Sep, 2018 by Pat Pitz 14 Comments Categories: Trucking Regulations Tags: BrokerShipper   Legislation intended to protect freight brokers when hiring carriers is making its way through Washington. The so-called “National Carrier Hiring Standard” has been included as an amendment within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization funding bill and approvedRead more about Senate considering National Carrier Hiring Standard[…]

4 ways truckers can get more time at home Posted: 15 Aug, 2018 by Chad Boblett Categories: Trucking Lifestyle Tags: Owner-OperatorCarrier   When I first got started working with freight brokers in 2011, I was averaging more than 200 nights away from home each year. My primary strategy at that time was to go from one hot marketRead more about 4 ways truckers can get more time at home[…]

Posted: 17 Jul, 2018 by Mark Montague 4 Comments Categories: Freight Rates Tags: BrokerCarrierShipper   Shippers are asking, “How much longer will this challenging freight environment last?” The standard answer sounds like something out of Winnie-the-Pooh, as Eeyore says: “Days, weeks, months, years. Who knows?” Moderating factors are already apparent in DAT data. First, carriers are posting their trucksRead more about Forecast: When will contract rates flatten?[…]

When should you replace your truck? Posted: 11 Jul, 2018 by Chad Boblett 14 Comments Categories: Best Practices and Benchmarks Tags: Owner-OperatorCarrier   When is the best time to replace your truck? There is no one correct answer to this question. Independent truckers will have the most flexibility on timing, especially if they’re not under contract and they onlyRead more about When should you replace your truck?[…]

Chad Boblett is the owner and driver of Boblett Brothers Trucking of Lexington, KY. Chad also founded the Rate Per Mile Masters group on Facebook, a communications hub for more than 20,000 members, including owner-operators, truck drivers, and other transportation and logistics pros.    My advice to anyone getting their motor carrier authority would be to create a relationshipRead more about Cutting Motor Carrier Costs, One Line Item at a Time[…]