The Playbook

Adam Wingfield Thursday, May 15, 2025

How to Read Your Rate Con Like a Pro

Too many carriers treat the rate con like a formality, but buried in those few pages are the traps that can cost you detention pay, shift liability, or delay your check for weeks. In this guide, we walk through how to break down a rate confirmation like a fleet manager, flagging sneaky clauses, protecting your rights, and building a system to manage paperwork at scale. In trucking, reading the fine print is financial survival.

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Adam Wingfield Thursday, May 15, 2025

The Truth About Deadhead and How to Fix It

Deadhead miles don’t show up on rate confirmations, but they quietly bleed small carriers dry, fuel, time, equipment wear and revenue lost every mile you roll empty. This guide breaks down what deadhead really costs and offers five practical strategies, from triangle hauls to smarter rate negotiation, to cut it down, tighten your routing, and boost profit without needing a dedicated lane or a giant customer list.

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Rob Carpenter Wednesday, May 7, 2025

AB5, Broker Bonds & You: A Simple Breakdown for Fleets

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.

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Adam Wingfield Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Shifting Gears: New Rules, New Rivals and the Road Ahead

Independent Contractor Fight Reignites — DOL Backs Off Biden-Era Rule for Now The U.S. Department of Labor just announced a major shift: It’s officially putting the brakes on enforcing the 2024 Biden-era independent contractor rule — at least for now. In a memo sent May 1 by acting Wage and Hour Administrator Donald Harrison III, […]

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