Pulse

Updated Jan 5, 2011

Going for the gold


Max Untitled 1We began celebrating Overdrive’s 50th year of publishing in October, when that milestone year began. Now, starting the calendar year of that golden anniversary, we’re introducing some improvements.

Let us know what changes you like and dislike, and what we can do to improve.

You’ll notice this issue looks different. We’ve redesigned some visual elements and made other changes, as well.

The biggest one is that we’re wrapping three departments – Channel 19, Truck Gallery and Gauges – into one new, larger section, Roadside Attractions. It will start off each issue with a collection that builds on those departments by adding advice, upcoming events and brief, colorful news that stands out from the basic industry topics covered in our main news section, Log Book.

Up to now we have done monthly installments in Gauges of key owner-operator data (miles, costs, income, etc.) from our partners at ATBS, the leading owner-operator financial services firm. Instead of continuing to parcel out that quarterly information over three months, we’ll now present the most important indicators as soon as we get them. Gauges will contain other owner-operator measurements and related business indicators during the interim months.

The ATBS information, averaged from thousands of clients, is a valuable benchmark for judging how your business is doing. You won’t find their data in any other trucking publications.

Another big change this month involves our Trucker of the Month and Trucker of the Year program. We announced last year that we are merging the program with the Truckload Carriers Association’s Owner Operator of the Year program, which Overdrive has co-sponsored in recent years. The result should be a stronger competition with more visibility and better prizes. Our sister publication, Truckers News, is doing the same with TCA’s company driver competition.

Overdrive will begin to profile the top six candidates as Owner Operators of the Month in March. This will follow the announcement in our February issue of the 2011 Overdrive Trucker of the Year, chosen from our 2010 Truckers of the Month.

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From those six finalists announced in 2011, the top three finalists for Owner Operator of the Year will be presented at TCA’s annual meeting, March 4-7, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. The winner will be featured in an Overdrive cover story in 2012.

Nominees are judged on safety, professional accomplishments, ability to run a business, and contributions to the industry and their community. Solicitations for the contest’s next round will begin this summer. If you or someone you know is deserving, we hope you’ll take the time to enter.

The job of producing a magazine that meets its readers’ needs is never done. As you read this and subsequent issues, let us know what changes you like and dislike, and what we can do to improve. In the end, helping you do your job better is the only golden achievement that counts for us.

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.
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