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 […]
Training gaps and outdated tools have left freight security full of blind spots; competition makes them wider. The trucking industry carries roughly 70% of all goods across the United States, yet it’s operating in the middle of a freight recession. Volumes are down, rates are volatile, and with many providers fighting load to load just […]
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 […]
A lot of folks think “growth” just means more trucks, more loads, more lanes. But that’s not growth—that can mean chaos. Real, sustainable growth comes from clarity. And clarity only comes when you know your numbers inside and out. If you’re not tracking, reviewing, and executing off your data, you’re not scaling—you’re just guessing. And […]
Here’s the truth: fuel is your second-biggest cost right behind your truck payment or labor. Yet too many fleets treat it like an afterthought. If you’re not planning fuel alongside your routes, you’re not running in the most effective way—you’re running blind. And in this market, blind spots cost real money. The fleets that win […]
If you’re still booking loads of freight based on whatever’s paying the most today, you’re not really running a business—you’re rolling dice. A business that lives only on spot freight is built on sand. The minute the tide shifts—rates drop, brokers ghost, or slow season hits—your whole operation sinks. On the flip side, chasing the […]
Here’s the hard truth: you don’t control freight. You don’t control whether a shipper changes their plans last minute or if a broker backs out of a commitment. What you do control is how you respond. Too many small fleet owners treat freight cancellations like personal attacks. But this business isn’t personal—it’s just business. You […]
That 1.7 Million Space “Shortage” Might Not Be Real According to Truck Parking Club’s August 2025 research report, the trucking industry has been looking at the parking problem all wrong. Here’s the traditional view: For years, that’s been the gospel. FMCSA, OOIDA, and even members of Congress have pushed funding and legislation to build more […]
“You Feel It Before You Read It” You don’t need a SONAR chart, Wall Street analyst, or FMCSA stat sheet to know that something’s been off. You feel it in your deadhead miles. You feel it when you sigh before grabbing another low paying load. You feel it in the way your truck payment hits […]
Most carriers hustle for good freight, good rates, and good relationships—but never stop to ask whether their brokers are holding up their end. It’s easy to assume that all brokers deserve your capacity. But the truth is, some brokers are hurting your margins more than they’re helping your business. And if you’re not tracking it, […]
Being an owner-operator is not just about grinding—it’s about evolving. It’s about pushing past the predictable stall-out that hits most carriers somewhere between survival and sustainability. That moment when you’re running thousands of miles, grossing big numbers, but seeing almost none of it stick. That’s the plateau. And in 2025, it’s more punishing than ever. […]
A commercial tractor-trailer’s illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike last week killed three people in a minivan that collided with the trailer at highway speed, putting new focus on critical flaws in commercial driver licensing and training standards that have made America’s highways increasingly dangerous.
If you’ve been behind the wheel long enough, you’ve probably got your own DEF horror story. Maybe it was a sensor going out halfway up a mountain grade, forcing you into limp mode at 5 mph while traffic backed up behind you. Maybe it was a clogged DPF that threw you into a forced regen […]
(The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.) Exposing the Risks Hidden in Plain Sight At The Playbook, we believe the road to reform begins with transparency. That’s why, in partnership with The Freight Fraud Task Force, we’re launching a series […]
Corrugated boxes, linerboard, medium, coated boxboard—this is the packaging that everything else rides in. When mills run hotter, converters buy more rolls, warehouses stack more cartons, and the truck market usually follows. When mills cool down, that heat fades out on your trailer a few weeks later. Cardboard is the heartbeat of goods demand. The […]
New survey data from Truckstop.com and Bloomberg Intelligence shows small fleet operators and brokers maintaining cautious optimism about freight market recovery despite challenging first-half conditions. While only 16% of carriers reported revenue growth year-over-year, most expect conditions to improve or stabilize heading into the second half of 2025.
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.
The basis for most fuel surcharges is down 5.8 cts/g over the last three weeks.
If your entire week is shaped by whatever pops up on the load board that morning, you’re not running a plan—you’re reacting. That approach is what keeps carriers in the cycle of inconsistent weeks, poor reloads, and missed opportunities. The top-performing small fleets don’t operate like that. They plan based on zones, not just lanes. […]
In trucking, data is power. If you’re running loads without recording what they pay, what they cost you, and how they perform over time, you’re operating with a blindfold on. Brokers come to the table armed with historical lane data, fuel indexes, and national averages. If all you have is a rough memory of what […]
