Business

Business
Annual use-tax filing period opens | Chicken processor fleet wants to use HOS ag exemption
Here, find tips to help make your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax as painless as possible. Also: Fleet petitions FMCSA to add certain products to "agricultural commodities" definition.
July 4, 2025
Flatbed On Highway Bridge
Business
Trucking costs hit all-time high excluding fuel
ATRI reported average cost for operating a truck in 2024 fell 0.4% from 2023, but when cheaper fuel prices are excluded, remaining costs actually increased 3.6%. Also: CloudTrucks seeks waiver from truck driver employment application regs; new Boss Truck Shop in West Memphis.
July 2, 2025
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Sponsor Content
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June 16, 2025
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Regulations
DataQs reform: FMCSA pivots to new state requirements for funding
Following up on a 2023 proposal to add appeals processes for third-stage DataQs reviews, FMCSA responded to comments received by pivoting to a different approach, state-level changes to the DataQs requirements for MCSAP Grant funding.
July 2, 2025
Dataq Inspection
Small Fleet Champ
Clock is ticking: One month left to enter Overdrive's 2025 Small Fleet Championship
Test your trucking mettle for a chance to take home the 2025 title belt in Overdrive's Small Fleet Championship, with entries open through July. Four finalist fleets will ultimately square off in Nashville in late October at event sponsor NASTC's annual conference. Fleets of 3 to 30 trucks are eligible to compete.
July 2, 2025
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Business
Diesel prices back on the rise: Here's how to determine real fuel cost
Pump price minus taxes = Real fuel cost. The key to finding the cheapest fuel is to know the current fuel tax rates, both federal and state, and any state surcharges. Subtract taxes to find the raw fuel cost in each state, then buy where fuel is cheapest. Sometimes, that's where the pump price is highest.
July 2, 2025
Chapter 5
Regulations
Parking boots on trucks banned by North Carolina legislation
In addition to outlawing booting of trucks for parking enforcement, the state is poised to prohibit bad actors from holding cargo hostage after a tow. Also: I-40 near Tenn./N.C. line back open; separate recalls impact 156 Mack units.
June 30, 2025
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Trucker of the Year
Betting on equipment diversity as failsafe: Trucker of the Month
The Sapphire Cartage owner keeps two 2017 Peterbilt 579s, one as an ever-ready backup, hauling all manner of freight in a hopper bottom trailer for years. That is, until recently, when he hooked to a 1995-model flatbed to test the waters for freight diversity amid declining rates.
June 30, 2025
Owner-operator Scott Smith with one of his 2017 Peterbilt 579s at home in Searcy, Arkansas. His current hopper-bottom/flatbed trucking business builds on early oilfield experience and benefits from a close attention to detail when it comes to revenue and costs.
Regulations
DOT set to eliminate speed limiter proposal, keep pre-2000 ELD exemption in place
A DOT package aimed at improving truckers' working conditions would provide truck parking funding, withdraw FMCSA's speed limiter mandate proposal, establish pilot programs for hours-of-service flexibility and more.
June 27, 2025
Truck In Right Lane Highway Bridge
Regulations
New 'Expedited Inspection' service available through select ELDs
It's not a full Level 8 automated, no-stop inspection, yet the new service from Fleetworthy's Drivewyze automatically transfers fleet and vehicle registration data and driver hours over the air, directly to roadside enforcement to pre-fill inspection forms.
June 26, 2025
Fleetworthy's new Expedited Inspection service is now available for select ELD users in Nevada.
Hours of Service
Congress asks FMCSA for earlier emergency declarations
A letter from members of the U.S. House asked FMCSA to issue emergency declarations in advance of predicted disasters rather than after the fact. Also: Oversize haulers should keep HOS-exemption paperwork in truck; ATRI updates idling regs, sustainability compendiums; more.
June 26, 2025
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Voices
Safety, competition: What's your view of driverless trucks?
Will on-highway trucks without an operator behind the wheel ever be feasible in large-enough numbers to provide competition for owner-operators? Weigh in here with your views around automated driving technology and thoughts on potential timing for its competitiveness with traditional operations.
June 26, 2025
Aurora Launch
Business
Diesel prices spike as global tensions rise | ELP out-of-service enforcement in effect
As crude oil prices climbed through June, so did diesel prices in the U.S. -- from a nearly four-year low to an 11-month high in 3 weeks. Also: As ELP OOS enforcement begins, new driver language assessment released; 31 "superloads" moving in Oregon; shop owner faces charges over emissions "deletes."
June 25, 2025
Truck Stop Fueling Diesel Adobe
Partners in Business
Owner-op biz planning is everything when trucking hits the famine of a down cycle
By budgeting for downturns with routine emergency savings, tracking costs per day and per mile, and making disciplined decisions about fuel efficiency and load choice, effective planners not only stayed in business during the long downturn. Many increased take-home income, even in the 2024 freight-rates famine.
June 25, 2025
Two Trucks On Highway
Overdrive Radio
When will owner-operators have to compete with truly 'driverless' trucks?
We've heard the "driverless" marketing for a decade. But with recent commercial autonomous implementation, this Overdrive Radio episode aims for an answer to the question of just what's the reality right now, likewise offers opportunity for owners to weigh in.
June 24, 2025
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Regulations
FMCSA 'confident' in fraud fight despite buyouts, 7% staff reduction
FMCSA has a lot on its plate, but it's losing staff by the dozens. Meanwhile, the fight against fraud in brokered-freight and other markets, implementation of ELP enforcement, pursuit of bad-actor CDL programs, and other heavy lifts mount.
June 23, 2025
Despite staff reductions, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration still has plenty on its plate in the months and years ahead.
Custom Rigs
Kenworth celebrates history with 4th annual parade
Trucks spanning more than 100 years of Kenworth history participated in the Kenworth Truck Parade in Chillicothe, Ohio. Also: Semi-truck uphill drag races coming to Ohio; Relay Payments expands into truck service, repair and maintenance payments; Truck Parking Club rolling mobile access controls for gated lots.
June 20, 2025
Among the iconic Kenworths participating in the 4th annual Kenworth Truck Parade in Chillicothe, Ohio, was this 1966 Kenworth W923.
Regulations
Biden, 'driver shortage' myth caused CDL-vetting 'crisis': Punjabi trucking association CEO
Raman Dhillon, CEO of a U.S. Punjabi trucking association, said his warnings to the Biden White House about unvetted foreign drivers fell on deaf ears. Rather, the "driver shortage" narrative dominated the conversation.
June 19, 2025
North American Punjabi Trucking Association CEO Raman Dhillon meets with President Joe Biden during the rollout of the Biden-Harris Trucking Action Plan.
Business
Tank washouts bring cost, time investment into focus for liquid bulk niche haulers
Getting used to planning for washouts -- both the time and money involved -- is a must for most tank owner-operators. If you're jumping in anew, get ready to basically relearn how to drive, too, with the big slosh.
June 17, 2025
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Overdrive Radio
'Shake a stranger's hand' today: Remembering owner-operator and songwriter Bill Weaver
In this week's podcast, celebrate with us some of what Bill Weaver leaves behind after his untimely passing June 30. This Overdrive Radio episode features some memories, likewise re-airs of two episodes featuring his "Every Mile I Drive" and "Burnin' the Old School Down" records, from 2016 and 2018.
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Equipment
FTC's 'junk fees' rule could protect trucking from predatory towing
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Custom Rigs
Oversize-haul owner-op's 'clean and simple' 2020 Peterbilt 389
Dataq Inspection
Regulations
DataQs reform: FMCSA pivots to new state requirements for funding
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Overdrive Radio
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'Shake a stranger's hand' today: Remembering owner-operator and songwriter Bill Weaver
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Pride & Polish
Overdrive’s annual Pride & Polish virtual truck show attracts entries from across the nation showcasing show-quality design, mechanical ingenuity and plenty of trucking-business pride. Find recent-history awards shows, in-depth features about the winners, and more.
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