Tag: costs: Page 3

Making the truck acquisition decision: To lease or purchase?

Rising equipment, maintenance costs drive closer looks at options old and new for acquiring a truck by purchase, lease-purchase or full-service lease deal.

August 16, 2016

FMCSA medical board to make sleep apnea rule recommendations this month

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration later this month will take the next step toward a rulemaking governing the screening and treatment of truck drivers suspected of having moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.

August 8, 2016

Trucker of the Year

Owner-operator Gary Buchs’ ‘plan for success’

“People complain about the rates,” says owner-operator Gary Buchs, but “not everybody’s losing money.” Buchs suggests too much emphasis is placed on an aspect of the business that owner-operators have only partial degrees of control over. “It’s better,” he says, “to have your costs in line — I have total control over that.”

July 26, 2016

buchs success-2017-03-10-13-34

Mailbag: ELD choice — ‘wait and see’ mode a hope for common sense?

Among other voices responding to recent ELD market, privacy reports: “Most experienced, knowledgeable professionals still hold out hope that some common sense will prevail in the government to recognize any positive impact on safety will not be due to the implementation of ELDs.”…

June 13, 2016

ELD-mandate-response-poll-2016

Sleep apnea research: Truck operators must spend average of $1,200 for testing when apnea suspected

In wake of three federal listening sessions, ATRI’s driver survey on apnea drops data on high costs. New data from readers also show the incidence of screening, testing and treatment has continued to rise in recent years.

May 26, 2016

ELD mandate: Is drivers’ time saved by e-logs worth near $2 billion annually?

Just as it’s pretty hard to estimate time saved in a reliable way, it’s pretty hard for paper and pencil to malfunction in the same way a computer can — delving into FMCSA’s ELD mandate cost-benefit analysis.

February 18, 2016

Electronic Logging Devices

Early adopters: Getting ahead of the ELD mandate

Most owner-operators still oppose an ELD mandate as the final rule gets closer. Yet some independents see benefits in trying out new technology to adjust to what they believe to be an eventual reality.

August 18, 2015

J.J. Keller & Associates’ Encompass system (also pictured at top) can be paired with the company’s specially designed tablet or with operators’ personal Android or iOS devices. Tom Reader, J.J. Keller marketing director, believes the company is well-positioned. “We’re in virtually every truck stop in the country,” he says. “We have a really good track record in the owner-operator market with paper logs. Right now, the electronic log at truck stops? We’re not there yet.” But it’s coming soon. The engine connection retails at about $200.

Buyers’ market: The truck-purchasing landscape for owner-operators

With the credit market loosened and late-model used truck prices looking better, it’s a good time to trade, but watch out for problems with emissions systems — results from Overdrive’s 2015 Truck Purchase and Lease Survey.

July 8, 2015

Note the steeper decline in the straight trend lines for model years 2011, 2012 and 2013, indicating sharper declines in used truck prices. The report shows 2013 models averaged $86,105 through March 2015, a 3.1 percent fall from comparable 2012 average prices the prior year. Source: May edition of NADA/ATD’s Commercial Truck Guidelines market report

A couple’s experience with health-insurance premiums

“Once tax season hits, people are going to freak out.” –insurance agent Holly McCombs on Obamacare reaction. She and her husband, car hauler David McCombs, remain insured off the ACA exchanges.

March 6, 2015

Owner-operator David McCombs and his car-hauling Peterbilt

Overdrive Extra

Why diesel’s sluggish price drop should accelerate

Now that gasoline has plunged below $2 a gallon in some markets and diesel remains above $3, you might wonder why diesel prices haven’t fallen as fast.

January 6, 2015

While winter demand for heating oil typically creates a bigger spread between retail diesel and gasoline prices, as was evident a year ago, the spread is much more pronounced this year. Diesel cost 92 cents a gallon more than gasoline this week, according to averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Division on liability insurance hike in the spotlight at regulatory meeting

An FMCSA advisory committee discussion offered insight into how the agency will proceed with its rulemaking to increase liability insurance minimums and the potential consequences facing small business truckers if and when an increase occurs.

October 28, 2014

Could you survive a hike in liability insurance to $2 million? $4 million? Do you already carry well above the minimum required for property carriers. If you’re using a mobile device, tap the image to call and weigh in. If you’re on a desktop, call 530-408-6423. Make sure to tell us your name and state of residence, and we’ll put a podcast together rounding up the responses.

+25 percent: What double the liability insurance coverage will likely cost

One insurance rep cites a likely 25 percent increase in premiums for independent owner-operators boosting $1 million liability coverage to $2M. More on FMCSA’s expected insurance-hike proposal here.

September 30, 2014

Current insurance coverage amounts

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