Playbook: Education and Training

The headline writes itself and the industry groups are celebrating: Pell Grants are coming to CDL schools. The American Trucking Associations called it a move that would “dismantle financial barriers that prevent students from low-income households from accessing the career pathways that lead to the trucking industry.” The Secretary of Education said a great education […]

The Entry-Level Driver Training regulations took effect in February 2022 after years of development and industry lobbying. The result was a federal training standard that requires no minimum hours of instruction, relies on self-certification at every checkpoint, and leaves every meaningful decision about actual driver competency to the fifty states, each operating in fifty different ways. The fraud factories did not slow down.

For most owner-operators and small carriers, the conversation about survival usually starts with rates. Fuel prices come next. Then brokers. Then regulations. But during a recent episode of The Long Haul, one reality kept surfacing over and over again: many carriers don’t fail because they can’t run freight — they fail because they never fully […]

Trucking is rarely a one-person job. Every mile logged, every late night delivery, every holiday spent on the road usually has a family on the other end of it—supporting, sacrificing, adjusting, and carrying part of the load. That’s something the industry doesn’t talk about enough. And it’s exactly what the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship Fund […]

Winter doesn’t usually just put trucking companies out of business overnight. It exposes the cracks that were already there. That’s the core idea behind the Winter Readiness Masterclass we recently held inside Playbook. Not winter as a weather problem—but winter as a stress test on your equipment, your drivers, your cash flow, your dispatch decisions, […]

Some small carriers believe direct shippers only care about price, capacity, and service. But in 2025, that’s not the full picture anymore. The companies you’re trying to do business with — whether it’s a local manufacturer, a regional distributor, or a national retailer — are vetting carriers differently. They’re pulling up Google. They’re checking your […]

Sen. Thom Tillis secured a multi-million earmark for a North Carolina truck driver training expansion included in the spending package to reopen the government.

You’ve seen thousands of them by now. The broker emails the rate confirmation, you glance at the pay, the pickup, the drop — maybe the weight if you’re paying attention — and then hit “Sign.” But that one-page piece of paper you treat like a formality? It’s the contract. Not a suggestion. Not a handshake. […]

AI is only as good as what you ask it to do.

There was a time when folks laughed at the idea of ELDs becoming mandatory. A time when faxing rate cons felt like standard procedure. And when you could run a whole dispatch board with nothing but a yellow pad and a flip phone. That time ain’t now. We’re living in the age of automation. And […]

The Department of Transportation announced this week it wants to add fentanyl testing to its mandatory drug screening program for commercial drivers, marking the first major expansion of federal drug testing requirements since amphetamines were added in 2017.

The Lesson Most Carriers Learn Too Late When most fleet owners think about maintenance, they think repairs. They think of downtime, tow bills, and chasing mechanics. But if you’re planning to grow—and not just survive—the only way to keep your trucks moving is to build a proactive maintenance program, not a reactive one. In this […]

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Wednesday removed three more electronic logging devices from its registered list, giving affected fleets until Nov. 3 to swap out the non-compliant systems before facing enforcement action.

Scaling With Sanity: Financial Management for Multi-Truck Fleets wasn’t about spreadsheets and theory. It was about what actually happens when your business outgrows your personal bank account. And if you’re pushing past three to five trucks without a real financial structure in place, you’re not scaling — you’re gambling. “More Trucks Should Mean More Profit […]

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended its temporary waiver allowing commercial drivers and motor carriers to use paper medical examiner certificates for up to 60 days after issuance, up from the previous 15-day allowance, as state licensing agencies continue transitioning to electronic medical certification systems. The modified waiver addresses ongoing implementation challenges with the National Registry II electronic transmission requirements that took effect June 23, with only 38 states and the District of Columbia currently compliant while 12 states including California, Florida, and New York have yet to implement the new system.

Why This Class Matters in a Down Market Rates are tight, volumes are shifting, and fuel isn’t doing anyone any favors. A lot of carriers are hanging on by a thread, and in a down market, it’s natural to think adding a second truck might help you grow your way out of it. But here’s […]

If you’re a fleet owner, owner operator, or small carrier trying to build a team that lasts, listen up: what happens in the first 30 days with a new driver doesn’t just impact their performance—it determines whether they’ll still be with you 6 months from now. And that’s exactly why our most recent Playbook Masterclass […]

Some small fleet owners measure success by how many trucks they can add. One truck becomes three, three becomes five, and before long, the whole focus is on truck count. But here’s the truth the industry rarely talks about: trucks are not the business. They are tools. Adding more of them doesn’t automatically mean you’re […]

With Colorado requiring commercial vehicles to carry chains starting September 1 and other states following suit through October, truck drivers need to understand the complex web of chain laws, installation requirements, and hefty penalties that await the unprepared. From $880 fines in Oregon to $1,000+ penalties in Colorado for blocking highways, the stakes have never been higher.

Let’s talk facts: Paperwork doesn’t make you money—but if you get it wrong, it will cost you money. A missing POD? Delayed payment. A lost rate con? No detention. Bad compliance files? Fines or shutdowns. And here’s the hard truth—most small fleets and owner-operators are bleeding cash because their documents are scattered across emails, glove […]

Rate confirmations, PODs, and invoicing aren’t clerical work—they’re operational control points. When you mishandle one of these, the entire cash cycle stutters. You risk not only delayed payments but also strained broker relationships and gaps in load documentation that can affect future opportunities. Brokers are moving faster than ever in 2025. If they see you […]

Let’s not sugarcoat it—your first DOT audit is a test, and most small carriers walk in unprepared. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t know what to expect. They assume having insurance, a truck, and a few loads under their belt means they’re good. But when FMCSA comes knocking, it’s not about how […]

If you’re operating trucks without a complete, organized, and regularly updated safety binder, you’re playing a dangerous game — one that ends with audits, violations, or worse, lawsuits. Too many new carriers treat compliance like an afterthought. They get their DOT number, get insurance, start moving freight, and figure they’ll “clean it up later.” That’s […]

If your load intake process looks like scribbled notes, missed emails, and “I’ll remember it later” — you’ve already lost. Not to the load board, not to rates — but to disorganization. And disorganization is the silent killer in this industry. It’s what clogs your cash flow, confuses your drivers, and burns you out before […]

If you are running a moderate sized fleet with more than 15-20 trucks, measuring your drivers is important. Let’s cut through the fluff—most driver scorecards fail not because the data isn’t there, but because the leadership behind them doesn’t know how to use them. Slapping together a spreadsheet with a few red, yellow, and green […]

Everyone in trucking talks about cost per mile. And yes, it matters. But if that’s the only metric you’re tracking, you’re missing a major part of the profitability picture. Because time—not just distance—is what really determines if you’re winning or bleeding in this business. Cost per hour gives you a real-world, down-to-the-minute view of how […]

As a carrier with enough units that you hire an internal dispatch team, understanding how to measure their performance is critical. If your dispatcher is only focused on picking loads and calling drivers, you’ve got a major blind spot in your operation. Because in today’s market, dispatch isn’t just about movement—it’s about measurement. And if […]

For a lot of new owner operators stepping into the industry, nobody hands them a guidebook. There’s no checklist stapled to the rate confirmation that says, “Hey, here’s what to look for before you take this load.” And too many carriers assume drivers just know what makes a run worth it—or worse, they shame folks […]

Many carriers skim through setup packets just to get the load—especially when they’re scrambling to fill backhaul miles or respond to a hot reload alert on a load board. That urgency makes it easy to treat all brokers like they’re the same, assuming the terms must be standard. But buried in that rush is where […]

If you’re still saying yes to every load just to “keep the wheels turning,” you’re not running a business—you’re gambling with your profit and praying it works out. The hustle mindset might have gotten you your first truck, but it won’t keep you in the game. The carriers who last know that saying no is […]

With over 12% of trucks sidelined during last year’s CVSA Brake Safety Week, the 2025 focus on rotors and brake drums puts heavy-duty and vocational trucks in the crosshairs. This guide breaks down what inspectors look for and how clean, well-maintained rigs are more likely to pass or avoid inspection altogether.

What the 2025 FMCSA rule blitz really changes: a side-by-side breakdown of old rules, new language, and what fleets, drivers and compliance teams need to know. FMCSA dropped 18 proposed and two final rules into the Federal Register. We’re giving you the practical play-by-play.

Recap hours and sleeper berth splits are two of the most misunderstood parts of hours-of-service regulations. Whether you’re a new CDL holder or a seasoned fleet operator, knowing how to use these tools can extend your driving day without risking an HOS violation.

With 1 in 3 drivers only medically qualified for short-term certification, and FMCSA policy updates arriving next month, fleets must treat driver fitness like the operational risk it is. A house in New Jersey hit by a truck might have been spared. The next one might not.

Key Performance Indicators are must-tracks for small carriers.

FMCSA audits shape your safety rating, impact your ability to haul freight and determine if your company stays on the road. In 2025, with scrutiny rising and technology advancing, understanding how these reviews unfold is mission-critical.

According to reports, nearly 4% of drivers on U.S. highways don’t have valid CDLs, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With licensing standards fractured across states and risky drivers slipping through the cracks, here is how fleets can get ahead of driver risk before it costs them a verdict, a fatality or the whole business.

With MC numbers disappearing, tougher English proficiency rules hitting drivers, broker transparency tightening and several regulations disappearing, fleets face challenges and opportunities. Here’s your essential guide to navigating trucking’s changing road ahead.

With CVSA’s International Roadcheck around the corner, thousands of inspectors will be out in force, and if you’re not ready, your truck could be the one parked roadside with an out-of-service sticker. This guide breaks down what a Level 1 inspection really involves.

AB5 has redrawn the line between independent contractor and employee in California, sending shockwaves through lease-on models and forcing many drivers to get their own authority, but what happens when those new authorities consider brokering freight? This breakdown simplifies what AB5 means for fleets, when broker bonds are required, and why double brokering, ghost MCs, and improper authority setups can cost more than just your load, they can cost your entire business.

If Part 1 of this series was about the mindset shift—getting off the hamster wheel of the spot market—then Part 2 is all about the muscle: the actual steps to build, pitch, and maintain shipper relationships that bring consistency to your business. This is where the rubber meets the road. In the Playbook Masterclass, we […]

How do you get from running your truck to running your business? Find out in this Roadmap Snapshot.

Let’s be honest. If you’re still relying solely on the spot market to run your business in 2025, you’re not building a business—you’re gambling with your livelihood. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The spot market load board is not a business model. It’s a temporary solution. In a recent Playbook Masterclass, […]

At Motive’s Vision 25 Summit, fleet leaders saw firsthand how AI-powered tools can transform safety, efficiency and driver culture. With new AI features like Motive AI Coach, real-time fatigue detection, fraud prevention and natural language analytics, Motive emphasized that technology should serve, not replace the people behind the wheel. Real-world success stories and a major courtroom win against Omnitracs reinforced that Motive’s future isn’t just built on innovation, but on trust, transparency and tangible results for fleets ready to lead the next era of trucking.

The State of Freight webinar focused on a market that is coming to terms with a raging trade war.

A proposed California law, Assembly Bill 1331, could upend how trucking fleets monitor drivers by prohibiting dashcam and GPS surveillance during off-duty periods, even inside the vehicle. If passed, the bill would redefine off-duty time as private, creating costly compliance challenges and raising concerns about safety, theft prevention, and liability. With $500 penalties per violation and the potential for lawsuits, fleets operating in California, and nationwide, may need to rethink how they balance privacy with operational oversight.

A proposed California law, Assembly Bill 1331, could upend how trucking fleets monitor drivers by prohibiting dashcam and GPS surveillance during off-duty periods, even inside the vehicle. If passed, the bill would redefine off-duty time as private, creating costly compliance challenges and raising concerns about safety, theft prevention, and liability. With $500 penalties per violation and the potential for lawsuits, fleets operating in California, and nationwide, may need to rethink how they balance privacy with operational oversight.

Truckers are getting a new opportunity to tell the Trump administration what regulations are hurting their business.

Updates to the CVSA Out-of-Service criteria have been released, set to take effect April 1.

The Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirement has become another regulatory headache for trucking fleets, adding complexity to an already compliance-heavy industry. While designed to combat financial crimes, the Corporate Transparency Act’s BOI mandate has been met with legal challenges, leaving businesses uncertain about their obligations. Despite ongoing court battles, FinCEN continues to push forward with enforcement, meaning most trucking companies structured as LLCs, S-Corps, or partnerships must file ownership details or face significant penalties. With deadlines approaching and regulatory uncertainty persisting, trucking fleets must stay informed, prepare their filings, and avoid compliance missteps.