Runaway recounted down Sandstone Mountain, and: Revisiting a quite accurate spot rate prediction pre-ELDs

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South Carolina-based owner-operator Lee Epling is one among many readers who, in the wake of the previous edition of the Overdrive Radio podcast, have echoed a particular aspect of retired veteran hauler Gordon Alkire‘s perspective on the tragic Colorado crash a few weeks back. Epling, in due turn, likewise urged caution pointing the finger at this or that cause, or piling on the driver, before all the facts are known.

Along the way, Lee Epling shares his own brake-failure story on Sandstone Mountain in W.Va./Va. on I-64.

Further in this Monday podcast episode, we talk with OOIDA board member Monte Wiederhold about the same subject, likewise what turned out to be his quite accurate prediction when it comes to spot market rates and the ELD mandate. While his small fleet’s mostly shipper-direct freight benefited directly from the 2017-’18 rates run-up with gains that he hasn’t lost in his contracts, the same cannot be said about the spot market, which adjusting for the rise in fuel in April was give or take some pennies per mile from being more or less right back where it was in April of 2017.

Wiederhold offers some perspective, too, on how to maintain in such an environment. Take a listen to both pros here:

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