POLL: Owner-ops, what's your biz outlook headed into 2026?

Overdrive Staff

Dec 25, 2025

Updated Dec 30, 2025

The grille featured here is that of owner-operator Lucas Zach's project 2017 Peterbilt 389, featured back in September at this link with its paired Timpte hopper.

[Related: State of freight 'sluggish,' even amid spot spikes, capacity hits with ELP/CDL enforcement]

Night Hours Hos

FMCSA stops short of saying 2020 HOS changes caused more crashes

The number of post-crash inspections with an out-of-service HOS violation increased significantly after the 2020 hours changes compared to a pre-change period, but FMCSA said other external factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, weighed heavily on results.

Owner-operator Greg Labosky now pilots this 2025 International LT that bought new at the beginning of this year. The truck replaced a 2017 Freightliner Cascadia that, approaching 1 million miles, was costing the GDL Enterprise owner more in maintenance than he could countenance.

Minding Ps and Qs of costs, rates: Trucker of the Month Greg Labosky

Screenshot 2026 03 31 At 4 30 31 Pm

The 'new FMCSA' talks aggressive new strategy at MATS

Mix Collage 30 Mar 2026 01 55 Pm 7396

FMCSA fully engaged with owner-ops: OOIDA | DACA-recipient CDL holders have hope?

Randy Menkel and Never Satisfied Builds/J&L Contracting took home top honors in the 2026 Big Rig Build-Off at the Mid-America Trucking Show with their full-custom 1985 Peterbilt 359.

PKY results: Never Satisfied Builds' 1985 Peterbilt 359 captures big Build-Off win

FMCSA fully engaged with owner-ops: OOIDA | DACA-recipient CDL holders have hope?

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