Whatever your beliefs are about the driver shortage, the fact remains that every industry, including trucking, needs to replace workers as they cycle out and also add new workers to help the industry grow. Each year as an industry, trucking grows and there is a real need for qualified drivers to fill those vacancies....

Recently, the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) released what were found to be the top four violations for fiscal year 2021. These violations are often mistakes that drivers seem to be unaware of, or are simply negligent to the fact that they can do harm to their companies as well as their own financial livelihood. Take a look at the list provided by FMCSA. If you're a driver, consider what your current standing is in relation to the violations listed. If yo...

In today's volatile employment economy - the same atmosphere many of us are accustomed to traversing on a daily basis - it's not out of the realm of possibility that we all have experienced similar plights and pitfalls to what our country's drivers are frequently facing day-in and day-out. Driver treatment is something that we should all be more aware of. Especially when it comes to the notion that there are increasingly less drivers to pluck from the trucking pool, and it se...

Whether you're the owner/operator of your own truck or cargo van, or perhaps you're simply wanting to drive as an independent contractor, here are some general rules that can be followed and adhered to for both the novice and the seasoned vet. The following are suggestions to help jumpstart your business either as a burgeoning expediter or as a longtime logistics professional. For the Owner OperatorsThe first thing to keep in mind is that you are the master of your own truck,...

As of press time, the national average price of gasoline is $4.01 a gallon, up 45% from $2.76 a year ago, according to the AAA, when pandemic lockdowns were in the process of being lifted and vaccines became readily available, once again opening up the United States to regular fuel consumption. Diesel is $4.53, up 51% from $2.99 this time last year. Gas prices are believed to continue in an upward trend, thanks in-part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to kbb.com. Ca...

Diesel prices across the United States hit an all-time high during the week ending March 7, and prospects of any immediate relief at the pump are grim, as the Biden Administration announced additional sanctions on Russian energy imports after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. "The decision today is not without cost here at home," Biden said. "Putin's war is already hurting American families at the gas pump.... I'm going to do everything I can to minimize Putin's price hik...

Using your downtime effectively is an important key to both managing and maximizing your ability to stay ready when that next load offer comes from your favorite dispatcher. Like most of us, it's probably very easy to slip into an old habit or routine that can be time-killing and counterproductive. So, here are some suggestions of what can be done with your time as you prepare for the next trip. Meal PrepIn today's society, especially in a greater health-conscious setting, mo...

A budding partnership took root on March 1st, when the U.S. Department of Labor combined forces with American Trucking Associations (ATA) to usher in an apprenticeship program that could alter the course of the ongoing driver shortage in America. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh formally established and introduced ATA as an officially registered apprenticeship sponsor on the first day of the month. Such a move signifies the country's int...

Understand, most drivers prefer the solitude of the open road. Who wouldn't? You get to take your work with you and make money wherever you go. No one to answer to (other than perhaps dispatch and the Department of Transportation), and you're touring the countryside over the wide-open road. What's not to like about that? As appealing as driving solo can be, it's often accompanied by the risk of losing out on extra cash by limiting oneself in earning capability. It's especiall...

In transportation, honesty goes both ways. Not only do drivers seeking employment expect a straight-up recruiter to give them the scoop on what to anticipate with a potential company. But to be fair, there is a certain level of honesty and forthright-ness that recruiters require out of potential driver placement candidates. And if we're all being honest here, both sides could learn a thing or two from the other. What Do You Want to Hear?A recruiter telling a driver what they ...