LET FREEDOM RING! The Fourth of July gives us the opportunity to celebrate the freedoms that we all enjoy. While there are many inside and outside of our country that are trying to take our freedoms away, the truck drivers that I have met believe in the freedoms that our country affords us all. As independent contractors we can appreciate the freedom to have a business and work in that business in a legal and safe manner. Lately, there are some who are trying to take away our...

Of course, most drivers would indeed 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 boss or supervisors 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 earnin...

When beginning a new job, many people simply want to learn their role and focus on only what they were hired for. If they're hired to pick up a phone to answer and make calls, then they'd make sure to just learn that job. That's it. If they're brought into a company to process paperwork, or maybe they're a sales or tech specialist, then that's what they do. Focus on the task at hand and only do what you were brought in for. Some folks out there excel at more than just one thi...

A while back a friend asked me if my husband and I ever have a chance to sightsee while we are on the road. I replied that for the most part we do not. This conversation allowed me to reflect on how many drivers take the opportunity to get out of the truck to see and explore. Do you? Where do you go? What have you seen? We were on the East coast and were invited to see the sights with another team with which we are friends. We had a great time seeing things like the Liberty B...

The best thing about being an independent contractor is that there are an endless number of opportunities in the world that allow you to be your own boss. Some of those opportunities are certainly difficult to attain, while others are more easily accessible but sometimes far less enticing. Whether you're an experienced owner-operator or an independent contractor looking to get into the expedite industry, choosing the right carrier to run for makes all the difference in the wo...

It's almost common knowledge that driver turnover rates in the trucking industry tend to hover around or above the 100% mark. However, believe it or not, there are some fleets out there that have figured out a way to reduce their turnover rate. Which has shown to be more beneficial for both driver and company. Here are some suggestions for how to go about providing a better atmosphere for drivers, while lowering turnover. Show Them the Money "Money talks and BS walks," right?...

Driving a commercial vehicle can certainly be a lonely job, and it can be all too easy for mental health hurdles and challenges to creep up on a driver as the miles roll by. Extended time away from family and friends and long periods without human interaction can be detrimental to anyone's psyche. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and with renewed emphasis being placed on folks and their mental health these days, here are some ways drivers can help maintain their own ment...

A common conversation topic among professional truck drivers is the notion of no longer driving for someone else, but rather following their dream of becoming an independent contractor and thus one's own boss. So, how does one go from career steering wheel jockey to being their own head honcho? Well, let's consider the ways. How It Typically Starts Most folks begin their working lives in a low-level type of job. Maybe it's as a server in a sit-down restaurant, or as an order ...

In the trucking industry, it is quite common for people to hear about suing truck drivers for injuries or damages, but did you know there are lawyers who represent truckers for business interruption?...

Let me introduce myself. I'm Kelly Plumb and I have been driving trucks for the past 12 years with my husband and business partner Dave. More recently, we added our trucking doggo Rocky to the team. We started by transporting campers in a one ton Dodge dually. Within a very short period of time it became obvious that 2 people living in a pickup truck was not going to work. We bought a second pickup truck. We each drove one. After about a year of doing that, we upgraded to a m...