For the first time in decades, the federal government is shifting its attention from policy roundtables to the actual drivers and fleets keeping the country moving.
Starting June 2025, the FMCSA will enforce long-delayed rules on driver medical certification and English proficiency, with direct implications for fleets, intrastate drivers and licensing agencies. From MVR downgrades to out-of-service roadside inspection orders, these rules shift from paper compliance to real-world enforcement. Fleets that fail to adapt may face costly violations or sidelined equipment.
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.
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 CVSA reinstating English proficiency violations as out-of-service offenses, FMCSA’s new guidance puts front-line carriers and drivers on high alert and raises deeper questions: What about drivers who are deaf, mute or communicate differently? Who gets left behind, and what can fleets do now to stay compliant?
From truck parking to preventative maintenance, many small fleets think big-fleet strategies don’t apply to them. Here’s what the big guys are doing, and how you can steal their playbook.
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.
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.
Facing a DOT audit in 2025 doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Learn how fleets can stay ready year-round, avoid common audit pitfalls and keep their trucks rolling smoothly without regulatory worries.
On Monday, the FMCSA revoked eight electronic logging devices tied to Gorilla Fleet Safety LLC, citing failure to meet federal technical standards. Fleets now face a 60-day deadline to replace noncompliant systems or risk violations.
Fuel is your largest expense and your biggest opportunity. From transmission choices and smart fueling to preventing fuel fraud, this guide provides practical, proven strategies for owner-operators and small fleets aiming to trim costs, boost efficiency and keep profits rolling in 2025.
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.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably got one truck that’s doing okay—or maybe just surviving—and you’re thinking: “Is it time to grow?” “Should I get another truck?” “Can I afford to scale, or am I just chasing the dream too fast?” Let me say this up front. The worst time to add a second truck […]
Two new executive orders refocus attention on English language requirements for truck drivers, reviving enforcement protocols that have existed since 1937. Industry voices say training, licensing and real-world risk management are essential priorities beyond language rules.
Meet Bubba, the AI-powered voice assistant designed specifically for drivers. Bubba finds loads, negotiates rates, vets brokers and manages documents while protecting drivers’ profits and time. After decades of everyone but drivers using AI, Bubba finally brings real-world driver-first solutions that let you stay focused on the road while maximizing your margins. Learn why Bubba might just be the smartest, toughest, “Say no to Cheap Freight” dispatcher you’ll ever have.
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.
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.
Independent owner-operator pay rose in 2024 but not by a lot, according to the president of ATBS.
Fleet maintenance has evolved beyond the old-school break-fix mentality. While preventive maintenance is a step up from waiting for breakdowns, predictive maintenance, powered by telematics and AI diagnostics, is the new gold standard. By using real-time data to forecast failures before they happen, fleets can drastically cut repair costs, improve safety, and reduce costly downtime.
Technology-driven platforms like Motive and Fleetio enable fleets to automate diagnostics, optimize maintenance schedules, and track performance metrics in real time. In an industry where compliance, efficiency, and cost control are everything, predictive maintenance is a necessity.
Fuel is one of the largest expenses for trucking fleets, making conservation strategies essential for long-term profitability. By leveraging technology such as fleet fuel cards, AI-powered route optimization, and real-time driver monitoring, fleets can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and prevent fuel fraud. Implementing preventative maintenance, minimizing idling, and optimizing routes are key to ensuring every gallon is used effectively. With fluctuating diesel prices and tightening margins, adopting a data-driven fuel management approach is necessary for survival in today’s trucking industry.
The FMCSA is eliminating MC numbers by October 1, 2025, requiring all motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders to operate under a single USDOT number. This change aims to streamline registration, reduce fraud, and improve compliance tracking. While the transition simplifies carrier identification, it raises new challenges for brokers, shippers, and industry professionals accustomed to MC-based vetting. With potential impacts on contracts, insurance, and fraud prevention, fleets must prepare now to ensure a smooth transition. Here’s what the trucking industry needs to know before the deadline arrives.
CVSA enforcement blitzes like International Roadcheck, Operation Safe Driver Week, and Brake Safety Week can make or break a fleet’s compliance record. Failing an inspection means out-of-service violations, increased ISS scores, and higher insurance costs. The key to staying ahead? Proactive fleet technology. AI-powered dashcams, electronic DVIRs, predictive maintenance systems, and compliance automation help fleets avoid costly violations. With FMCSA safety ratings on the line, adopting these tools ensures that fleets remain inspection-ready year-round because trucking compliance isn’t seasonal.
MATS is less than a month away, visit The Playbook at booth 38248.
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.
The freight market is tightening as we come to the end of February. What does tha mean fo owner0ops?
Truck dispatching is about maximizing efficiency, reducing downtime, and ensuring compliance. The best dispatchers are logistics strategists, connecting drivers with freight, optimizing routes, and handling regulatory and admin tasks so carriers can focus on the road.
With freight markets fluctuating and compliance requirements tightening, owner-operators and small fleets are increasingly turning to dispatching services to stay competitive. The right dispatcher can boost earnings, minimize deadhead miles, and streamline back-office operations. But with so many services available, how do you know which one adds value and which one just takes a cut?
This guide breaks down the role of dispatching services, the benefits of outsourcing logistics, and how to find a dispatcher who actually improves your bottom line.
Interlining freight and freight brokering are two often misunderstood functions in transportation. While both involve coordinating freight movement, the distinctions in responsibility, regulatory requirements, and legal compliance are significant.
This article talks about how interlining carriers work together to complete shipments across multiple legs, sharing liability and direct transport duties. It also breaks down how freight brokers facilitate shipments without ever taking possession of cargo and why they must hold FMCSA broker authority and a $75,000 surety bond.
With FMCSA cracking down on unauthorized brokering, understanding the legal and operational differences is crucial for carriers, brokers, and shippers.
A CDL is a commodity. Many drivers feel stuck in low-paying, high-turnover jobs, but those who grow, specialize, gain endorsements, and strategically pivot can turn their experience into a high-value career. Whether it’s moving into specialized freight, fleet management, brokerage, or even autonomous vehicle testing, a CDL opens doors beyond the driver’s seat.
The key is to treat trucking like a business. Understanding market demand, positioning yourself for better opportunities, and leveraging your expertise. The industry is changing, and drivers who adapt will thrive. The question is, Will you be one of them?
Spot freight is the wild card of trucking that offers flexibility, fast solutions, and sometimes, unexpected windfalls. But is it a viable long-term strategy, or just a short-term fix for supply chain disruptions?
This article breaks down how spot freight works, what determines its pricing, and why shippers turn to it instead of contract freight. While it provides an immediate solution for last-minute loads and market shifts, it also comes with financial unpredictability. Learn how businesses can strategically use spot freight to complement their shipping strategy while maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks.
What should be a simple recovery or tow process has become an industry crisis. With predatory towing companies exploiting trucking fleets through excessive fees, cargo ransoms, and impound scams. Carriers often have no say in which towing company is called, leading to inflated invoices, trucks held hostage, and financial strain.
From $202,000 tow bills to $10,000 “ransom” demands for cargo release, these practices are draining the industry. Fleets must take proactive steps to build relationships with reputable tow providers, training drivers to document incidents, and challenging inflated invoices to protect themselves. Until stronger regulations are in place, carriers that don’t fight back are setting themselves up to lose.
The trucking industry is under attack from rising insurance costs, cargo theft, and nuclear verdicts. Now, fraudulent staged accidents have emerged as another costly threat, orchestrated by criminal networks to exploit insurance claims and extract massive settlements. Cases like “Operation Sideswipe” in New Orleans and similar schemes in New York have cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars.
Adding to the crisis is third-party litigation financing (TPLF), where private investors bankroll lawsuits, driving up the frequency of multi-million-dollar verdicts against carriers. However, fleets are fighting back with AI-powered dashcams from companies like Motive, providing real-time visibility, GPS tracking, and data-backed defenses against fraudulent claims.
This article talks about how dashcams are shifting the landscape, preventing staged accidents, disproving false liability claims, and helping carriers build defensible compliance programs. Read on to learn how visibility, data, and technology can protect your fleet from fraud and exposure.
The truck parking debate is always on fire but it’s heating up. While drivers struggle to find safe, available spaces after long shifts, services like Truck Parking Club, and Freight Ninja offer paid alternatives, but at what cost? Should drivers have to pay for parking, or should free options remain the standard?
This article examines the realities of truck parking from both sides, how technology is improving access and awareness but also introducing new costs for truckers already being fleeced. With margins already tight, drivers shouldn’t be nickel-and-dimed, but businesses providing secure, well-maintained lots deserve fair compensation. The key isn’t eliminating paid parking but ensuring it remains a choice, not an unavoidable expense.
From dynamic pricing models to carrier-sponsored parking, the industry has room for solutions that benefit everyone. Read on to explore the possible compromises and why a balanced approach is crucial for the future of truck parking.
Spot freight rates fluctuate daily, making it tough for carriers to maintain profitability. While load boards provide access to freight, they often lead to rate wars, inconsistent loads, and lower margins. The key to long-term success? Establishing direct relationships with shippers.
Unlike spot market freight, direct shipper contracts offer stable rates, predictable revenue, and reduced competition. Carriers who move beyond transactional load board freight by networking, cold-calling shippers, and delivering exceptional service can secure steady, high-paying freight lanes. The most profitable fleets don’t chase loads, they build partnerships that drive long-term financial stability.
