Channel 19

Towing horror stories: $7,000 for a cross-town haul

More tales of predatory towing, where owner-operators are too often misled and charged thousands, sometimes in ways that clash with local rules and regulations. Here's what happened, and ideas on ways to fight back.

June 7, 2023

$7230 tow invoice

$6,000 for 16 miles? Viral video sparks outrage over predatory towing

A viral video led to outrage and a flame war between a truck driver and a towing company, and it's only one of many stories emerging about predatory towing practices, and sometimes threatening encounters with armed tow and boot operators.

May 26, 2023

Ingram's towing recovery usa_transportation

Caught at Roadcheck: 2023 inspection fails

How not to do it: With Roadcheck in the books for the year, a few states put forth some of the worst equipment and driver failures they saw. You might think of these as "negative reinforcement," as it were, of your own safe practices.

May 23, 2023

iowa roadcheck drug bust

Roadcheck fails: 'Worst of the worst' in Iowa

Ahead of the big Roadcheck inspection blitz two weeks on, Iowa DOT's Motor Vehicle Enforcement unit shows us pictures of some of the worst failures from last year.

May 1, 2023

iowa roadcheck sticker

'Sorry I ruined your life': How Overdrive helped reunite long-lost trucking pals

After sending picures of his truck to Overdrive, a longtime owner-operator reconnected with some of his trucking mentors from the 1980s. Now, reader, is your chance to do the same.

April 6, 2023

Bruce Child's 1972 International 4300

The ugly truth about screens and driving

Following the recent story of a driver caught using a tablet at highway speeds, we polled readers on the practice of "movie night at the wheel" and other handheld use, with some drivers admitting to doing it themselves.

March 24, 2023

tesla semi screens

Starlink Mobile: Hacking Elon Musk's high-powered internet service

One operator reports there's a way to hack Starlink dishes to get powerful internet almost anywhere for a fraction of the advertised price. He uses the high-speed internet connection to fuel his TikTok fame during downtime over-the-road.

March 17, 2023

starlink on bryan bailey's truck

Peterbilt clocked doing 101 | Senator, Teamsters pres exchange fighting words

A Peterbilt got clocked by Nebraska State Patrol doing a whopping 101 mph. Teamsters President Sean O'Brien and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) exchanged fighting words at a Senate hearing Wednesday.

March 10, 2023

Nebraska trooper radar

Driver caught using tablet at highway speeds on I-80

Wyoming Highway Patrol put drivers on notice after one was caught looking at a tablet while drifting in his lane down I-80. Troopers contend it's not uncommon to see some drivers full-on watching movies along straight expanses of the interstate.

March 9, 2023

wyoming highway patrol tablet reader driver

Operator let go after fentanyl, heroin found stashed in trailer

When Georgia police found suspected fentanyl, heroin and drug paraphernalia in storage pods being hauled by a professional driver, they knew enough to let him off with a warning.

February 16, 2023

georgia truck driver drug bust

Drivers convoy after Wyatt Raska's tragic death

A huge outpouring of support, both physically in a trucking convoy and online, sprung from the tragic death of Wyatt Raska, a 14-year old boy who loved trucking.

February 14, 2023

Mutha Trucka jansen wyatt raska

'Ice Road' stunt truck driver Zandara Kennedy talks drift racing

She's a Hollywood stunt driver and a competitive drifting racecar driver, but she's got a deep love of trucking, a CDL, and says trucking is her backup plan A-1 if the rest doesn't work out.

February 8, 2023

CAPTION? Cool shot.

I-80 in Wyoming closes again and again after fatal pile-up

I-80 in Wyoming keeps shutting down as intense weather causes crash after crash. The episode serves as a reminder to us all: Just because the highway is open doesn't mean it's safe.

January 30, 2023

wide view of I-80 44-car pileup

Why a college administrator quit her job and took up trucking

Tiffany Wallin fell for an owner-operator and the trucking lifestyle all at once, overcoming a personal tragedy to do so. For her husband, having a woman deal with shippers has been an eye-opener.

January 19, 2023

Tiffany Wallin sits behind the wheel of 2017 Freightliner Coronado glider.

Driver arrested after crash derails train in Tennessee

Police announced felony charges and blasted out the mugshot of a driver involved in a scary collision with a train, but some commenters are crying foul. The operator's day in court is set for April.

January 12, 2023

Screenshot 2023 01 12 At 1 28 54 Pm

FMCSA's new agenda, diesel's wild ride and the owner-ops who braved a 'bloodbath'

An ongoing pandemic, a raging foreign war, and diesel prices on a high-flying rollercoaster ride marked the year 2022, sure to go down as one of the most volatile in trucking's recent history. Track back through the most-read stories in this review.

December 28, 2022

No image defined the owner-operator experience of 2022 quite like the prototype suggested by this one, showing rarely seen per-gallon fuel costs and and gaudy totals. A similar series of photos shared around on social media prompted Overdrive's Gary Buchs in August to drill down into strategies to do more than just live with the all the horror around high fuel.

In favor of speed limiters: One owner-op's economic, safety case

Hear from an owner-op who swears by governing his truck at 58 mph, and how it's saved not just money and fuel, but potentially lives and headaches as well.

December 26, 2022

Robert ellis's Proud Mary 2016 Kenworth

Own the strangest-looking Pete ever | Rolling into inspection on rims

It looks like a movie prop, but it's got a Peterbilt "pink slip" and a new 700 hp Detroit engine under the hood or... under the whatever. Also: Trailer skates across the border on rims only.

December 16, 2022

highwayman truck

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Bryon Stoll's Freightliner Cascadia

In a tough spot market, strong relationships with those who feed you will pay off

Fewer loads available, too many truckers competing for those loads. Such has been the case in recent times. As the market hits bottom, relationships with brokers or direct shippers is more important than ever.

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'Just a workhorse': Father-son duo's 2007 Peterbilt 379

$7230 tow invoice

Towing horror stories: $7,000 for a cross-town haul

Youtube

Another reason to fight traffic tickets: Convictions can now impact your safety ratings

Cummins new for 2023.

Cummins new for 2023.

Another reason to fight traffic tickets: Convictions can now impact your safety ratings

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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 2022 edition of Partners in Business.

Partners in Business Issue Cover