Business: Page 2

Hours of Service

Legislation looks to ease HOS regs for livestock, ag haulers

A bill reintroduced in the Senate would relax HOS regs for livestock and ag haulers. Also, the owner of a Rhode Island-based trucking company was sentenced for falsifying FMCSA documents; and TA donates to St. Christopher Fund.

March 24, 2021

Prideandpolish Livestock Truck

Partners in Business

Partners in Business tip: Properly spec your tires

Did you know that properly spec'ing your tires can save you money? Spec'ing your tires can reduce tire cost per mile and reduce fuel cost per mile. Learn more.

March 24, 2021

The Feb. contract-freight fall-off; California trucker shut down after falsifying med cert

ATA’s advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell by 4.5% in February after rising almost 2% in January. Also, FMCSA shut down a Calif.-based trucker after a crash and falsified med certs; new TX truck stop; and more.

March 23, 2021

Compared with February 2020, the index was down 5.9%, more evidence of the turn of a good deal of freight to the spot market throughout last year as supply chains were topsy-turvy with COVID-influence consumption shifts and more. In 2020, the index was 4% below the 2019 average, ATA said. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its for-hire fleet membership and has been doing so since the 1970s.

What you need to know about the tax-filing extension

Today's news: The IRS late last week extended the tax filing deadline to May 17, though not the estimated quarterlies deadline. Spot market in the last week -- rates edge up. The show goes on for Expedite Expo in July.

March 22, 2021

Spot market demand continues strong | According to Truckstop.com and FTR Transportation Intelligence's market overview for the week just ended, spot rates edged a percent overall, with demand metrics rising and posted trucks becoming slightly more scarce. The companies' overall Market Demand Index (MDI) thus rose on those indicators by 13.9 points to 201.4. Compared to last year, the MDI is up 143 points, or 245.3%. Some of the gains are being offset by fuel prices, which continue to rise -- last week another several cents per gallon.

Record-setting rates for reefers, vans; flatbed hits a high plateau, too

Following February's weather disruptions, truckload freight shipments settled into more normal patterns during the week ending March 14, said DAT Freight & Analytics, yet rates hit record-setting highs even so in dry van, reefer.

March 19, 2021

DAT average linehaul week ending March 14 2021 graph

House OKs bill to extend PPP application deadline

The U.S. House OKs a measure to extend the application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program. The bill now goes to the Senate.

March 18, 2021

If the U.S. Senate approves the Paycheck Protection Program application extension, small fleets can apply as late as June.

DAT: Spot truckload rates plateau after several weeks of gains

Three weeks after winter storms upended supply chains across the country, truckload freight shipments settled into more normal patterns of activity during the week ending March 14. Also, two truckers named Highway Angels for helping motorists in need.

March 17, 2021

Load-to-truck ratios plateaued this week after several weeks of gains, according to DAT.

Owner-operator income saw strong 2020 gains

The average net income in 2020 for leased and independent operators combined jumped to $67,742 in 2020, thanks to pandemic-related changes.

March 16, 2021

WTI flatbed truck on highway

Small carrier, driver shut down after numerous safety violations found in compliance audit

A three-truck Alabama-based carrier was found to have poor vehicle maintenance and driver monitoring practices that made the company and a driver "imminent hazards to public safety." Also, diesel prices hit highest national average since December 2018.

March 16, 2021

Hours of service violations mostly unchanged since rule change, ELD viols climb under COVID

More from FMCSA's ART Forum: Loosened hours of service rules haven't yet resulted in lower violation rates. Also: Trends in ELD enforcement and false log violations, as well as a Biden Administration revocation of Trump-era contractor definition.

March 12, 2021

Despite shifts in DOT policy, safety ratings for owner-ops still hard to come by in 2020

Though FMCSA believes its off-site audit experiment, accelerating plans laid prior to the pandemic, is a success, dramatically reduced safety rating numbers tell a different story.

March 11, 2021

State trooper car parked

Peering through the fog of 2021 spot freight and rates

We asked forecasters at DAT Solutions to peer through the fog and try to make sense of what lies ahead for freight demand and rates in 2021. The underlying forces in the spot market appear to point to a coming slowdown, though wildcards remain.

March 10, 2021

With the spot market jarred, we asked analysts and forecasters at DAT Solutions to peer through the fog and try to make sense of what lies ahead for freight demand and rates in 2021. The underlying forces appear to point to a coming spot freight slowdown, though wildcards remain.

Ohio-based trucker shut down following fatal wrong-way, head-on collision

FMCSA says the driver refused to provide blood for drug testing and was charged with manslaughter, among other thigns. Also, the PRO Act that would nationalize the ABC test for contractors passed the U.S. House. Vocational model updates from Peterbilt.

March 10, 2021

Closed Shutdown

Yet another reason insurance costs are rising

Claims, says Sergio Hernandez of the DialVan 60-truck Laredo, Texas-based fleet. Hear his story of a multiple injury accident, for which DialVan shared no fault, that resulted in payout of his company's $1 million policy limit, and how they're mitigating.

March 9, 2021

DialVan crash scene

Nationalized ABC test would ice trucking’s independent contractor model

A bill making its way through the U.S. House would follow in the footsteps of California’s A.B. 5 law passed in late 2019 by severely curtailing the ability of owner-operators to haul freight for larger motor carriers.

March 8, 2021

semi truck on the highway

As small-fleet owners face charges, confusion ensnares popular ELD

An NTSB report has also ensnared a popular ELD, though experts argue that investigators are unclear on the AOBRD- vs. ELD-spec. Also, Navistar shareholders have approved the sale of the company to Volkswagen's Traton group.

March 3, 2021

Ntsb Newhampshire Motorcycle Crash

Fuel prices rocket past $3 national average

Diesel prices jumped 9.9 cents in the most recent week to their highest mark since the first week of 2020. Also: Legislation was reintroduced to bring more women into trucking; KW's 2020 Dealer of the Year; 19 new PrePass locations in Missouri; and more.

March 2, 2021

Canada pumps the brakes on ELD deadline

Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra today announced an intent to work with industry and others on details of a "progressive enforcement period" to begin with "education and awareness" exclusively, amid ongoing device registry delays.

March 2, 2021

Canadian Eld Mandate 2

Page 2 of 1276

Semi trucks parked at Pilot gas station pumps

Independents worry fuel prices will keep rising

After seeing diesel costs rise steadily since fall, more than half of Overdrive survey respondents with operating authority expect their biggest percentage cost increase this year to come from fuel.

Man eating inside restaurant

Truck stop is part of Alaska's backcountry history

The independent trucker we will not go away protest sign

Owner-ops aren't company drivers for a reason

Trooper at computer watching truck cross scales inspections

Roadcheck: Do blitz announcements do any good?

Howes Diesel Defender

Howes Diesel Defender

Owner-ops aren't company drivers for a reason

More episodes »

The Business Manual for Owner-Operators

Overdrive editors and ATBS present the industry’s best manual for prospective and committed owner-operators. You’ll find exceptional depth on many issues in the 2021 edition of Partners in Business.

Partners in Business Issue Cover