March 12, 2024
Don’t ride beside an 18-wheeler, they can’t see you, and something could fly off their truck. Don’t cut off an 18-wheeler, wait until you see both headlights in your rearview mirror before moving over because they can’t stop on a dime. These are just a couple of the lessons I’ve learned over the years from my mother, the passenger-seat driver.
Annoying as it may have been, I’m glad I was taught how to move safely around large trucks – knowledge that, if widespread, could save many lives. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth saying again: drivers of passenger cars need to be educated about how to operate vehicles alongside large trucks.
March 6, 2024
Representative Kevin Kiley (R-California) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) introduced Wednesday a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that seeks to overturn the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final worker classification rule that threatens to upend trucking’s use of independent owner operators when it takes effect Monday.
March 4, 2024
Businesses are inherently risky. It’s the core nature of market-based systems. It’s how investors make or lose money. Essentially, it’s gambling.
New businesses come and go every day. Even well-established companies with huge brand recognition suddenly find themselves in bankruptcy because the market changed.
March 1, 2024
When one of your trucks is involved in a crash event, it’s a stressful situation. There’s a lot to manage between helping your driver and working with the other parties involved.
February 22, 2024
Given the complexity of today’s trucking environment, moving to dedicated contract carriage makes sense for many fleets. However, before making the decision, it is important to carefully vet potential dedicated contract carriers to ensure they will be a good fit for you.
February 22, 2024
I read blogs from self-proclaimed futurists. When I was a kid, science fiction writers owned that space big names like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and many others. They did a pretty good job of innovating future solutions, many of which we have now become dependent on.
February 20, 2024
One of the most iconic scenes in Stanley Kubrick’s movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, is where David Bowman is “negotiating” with the HAL 9000 computer to open the door of the spaceship. Hal says, “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Anyone who has argued with voice-activated “help” probably can relate to Dave.
February 15, 2024
Driver advisory boards. While many trucking companies have them, it remains absent in others. Yet, it’s one of the most effective ways to gain important insight into your workforce, which has become increasingly vital to retain as filling driver positions gets harder.
February 12, 2024
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck is scheduled for May 14-16 this year with a focus on two areas — tractor protection systems and alcohol and controlled substance possession.
International Roadcheck is a high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection and regulatory compliance enforcement initiative that takes place over three days in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
February 9, 2024
The 1970s OPEC oil embargo led to panic fuel buying and long lines at gas stations. What was less obvious was that it cemented the growth of higher efficiency imports from Japan, Germany and other countries. Within a decade, the mighty Detroit Big Three were struggling, facing bankruptcy and rapidly ceding market share to the upstart imports.
