Sep 21, 2022

Highest and Lowest Rated Major US Trucking Corridors based on Points of Interest (POI) Ratings

Highest and Lowest Rated Major US Trucking Corridors based on Points of Interest (POI) Ratings

5 Tips for How to Make Money Owning a Semi Truck <p>Being a semi truck driver can be a lucrative business. But it's not always easy to make money as a truck driver. Here are some tips for how to make more money with your new truck and your time on the road. Here we will explore 5 tips to help you get started making money owning a semi truck: </p> <p><strong>1. Create a Business Plan</strong> </p> <p>A business plan is an essential tool for any trucking business. It helps to set goals and track progress, as well as identify potential areas of opportunity and risk. When creating a business plan, it is important to consider all aspects of the business, from the initial start-up costs to the long-term viability of the company. Determine factors such as if you will be doing long haul loads or local only. Additionally, the business plan should be updated regularly as the business grows and changes. By taking the time to create a comprehensive and well-thought-out business plan, trucking businesses can increase their chances of success in an increasingly competitive industry. </p> <p><strong>2. Learn the Legal Side</strong> </p> <p>The trucking industry is highly regulated, and it is important for both truck drivers and trucking companies to understand the legal landscape. Federal regulations govern everything from the maximum number of hours a driver can work in a week to the type of insurance that must be carried. State laws can also have an impact on the trucking industry, particularly when it comes to issues like weight limits and emissions standards. In addition, there are a variety of international treaties that trucking companies must comply with if they want to do good business across borders. As a result, it is essential for anyone involved in the trucking industry to have a solid understanding of the law. Luckily, there are many resources available to help educate drivers and companies about the legal side of the trucking industry. </p> <p><strong>3. Find Freight that Pays Well</strong> </p> <p>CDL drivers and business owners are feeling the pinch these days. Fuel prices have been on the rise, and the demand for freight has been on the decline. As a result, many truckers are finding it difficult to make ends meet. However, there are still plenty of opportunities out there for truck drivers who know where to look. If you're willing to put in a little extra effort, you can find loads that pay well and keep your truck running. Here are a few tips to help you get started. </p> <p>First, check out our <a href="https://www.truckerpath.com/truckloads/free-load-board/">Trucker Path TruckLoads</a> load board. This service offers a free load board where you can search for high-paying loads by location, weight, and other criteria. You can also find reviews of shippers and brokers, so you can be sure you're getting a good deal and ultimately save more money. </p> <p>Finally, don't forget about social media. LinkedIn is a great place to connect with other truckers who might be able to help you find good-paying loads. Facebook groups can also be a valuable resource. By following these tips, you should be able to find plenty of high-paying loads that will help keep your business afloat. </p> <p><strong>4. Cut Costs with a Fuel Card</strong> </p> <p>A fuel card can help you save money on fuel costs. By using a trucking fuel card, you can get discounts on fuel at participating truck stops. This is very help to offset the costs of the fuel tax. You can often get a quality fuel card through a <a href="https://www.tafs.com/">factoring provider</a>. You can also get discounts on other services, such as maintenance and repairs. In addition, many trucking fuel cards combine with truck stop rewards programs on fuel purchases. The savings can add up quickly, so it's definitely worth considering a trucking fuel card if you're looking to cut operating costs. Just be sure to do your research and compare different cards before choosing one, as there can be significant differences in terms of network, benefits and fees. </p> <p><strong>5. Increase Your Cash Flow</strong> </p> <p>In the trucking industry cash flow is important. After all, you need money to keep your own truck running and to pay for your expenses on the road. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to increase your cash flow in the trucking industry. </p> <p>First, try to get paid sooner rather than later. This means working with clients who are willing to pay promptly. You may also want to consider invoicing regularly so that you don't have large sums of money tied up in unpaid invoices. </p> <p>Second, look for ways to save money on your operating expenses. This may include negotiating better rates with suppliers or finding ways to cut back on fuel costs. Every little bit you can save will help increase your bottom line. </p> <p>Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for what you're worth. If you're not being paid what you're worth, it's time to look for new opportunities. Remember, trucking is a competitive industry, so there are always companies looking for good drivers. If you're not happy with your current situation, don't be afraid to shop around for a better deal. </p> <p>By following these tips, you can start increasing your cash flow and improving your bottom line in the trucking industry. So put them into practice today and see the difference it makes in your small business. </p> <p><strong>You can be successful in the trucking industry</strong> </p> <p>Trucking takes time and dedication. Driving a commercial truck is not typically the best option for a side hustle. At the end of the day whether you are a new startup or an industry veteran, the goal is to be successful and make reliable income through truck driving. You need to be able to cover business expenses such as varying fuel prices, truck payments for your truck lease, salary if you have a company driver, etc. Past that you ultimately want to keep a sustainable profit margin. That all needs to be factored into your business plan. </p>

Sep 07, 2022

Small Fleet recap: How should owner-operators manage downturns? <p align=center>Understanding your costs and developing quality relationships are key, says Trucker Path’s Oliver</p> <p>This fireside chat recap is from the FreightWaves virtual Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit on Wednesday.</p> <p><strong>FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC:</strong> What steps can owner-operators take to manage downturns?</p> <p><strong>DETAILS:</strong> Owner-operators face increasing uncertainty in the freight markets, but there are steps they can take to handle whatever the market throws at them. Understanding your costs and building quality relationships serve carriers better than taking the “bear down and hope” approach that small fleets have operated under in the past.</p> <p><strong>SPEAKER:</strong> Chris Oliver is the chief marketing officer of Trucker Path.</p> <p><strong>BIO:</strong> Oliver has more than 25 years’ experience leading small to midsize businesses. In addition to Trucker Path, he led growth and development efforts for several transportation brands, including Cargomatic, Zonar and PrePass. He holds degrees in marketing, international management and finance.</p> <p><strong>KEY QUOTES FROM OLIVER</strong></p> <p>“It all comes down to the basics. How do you know if you’re making any money if you don’t understand what your costs are? So the very first that you have to do is understand those costs. And there’s a lot to consider there — it’s not just your truck and your fuel.” </p> <p>“Over time, after you have built a relationship and trust and that shipper knows you’re a go-to guy that’s going to get the job done for you, they tend to loosen the purse strings a little and trust you a little bit more and share a little bit more of the revenue. Just to build those types of go-to relationships over time is just a smart thing to do.”</p> <p>“We’re not just here to book a load, send it to you and get our little percentage out of the way. We’re trying to help people be better businesspeople.” </p> <strong>Source</strong>:<strong> <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/small-fleet-recap-how-should-owner-operators-manage-downturns">FreightWaves </a></strong>

Jun 17, 2022

Best Places to Celebrate Take Your Dog to Work Day if You’re a Truck Driver <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2022/06/Picture1.png"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-6687 size-medium" src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2022/06/Picture1-300x34.png" alt="" width="300" height="34" /></a></p> <p>Just so you don’t find yourself wondering who let the dogs out, this Friday, June 24th is National Take Your Dog To Work Day.</p> <p>It’s a great idea for dogs and their owners…just not great for every workplace.</p> <p>Images of dogs fighting, ripping up the boss’s sofa or relieving themselves in office lobbies everywhere come to mind. Certain workplaces not being exactly conducive to canines do as well. Bone clinics, ball factories, nuclear facilities and operating rooms should be avoided.</p> <p>The worst workplaces to bring a dog to work could fuel an entire season of Seinfeld.</p> <p>And the best ones, could quite possibly transform an industry. Trucking for starters.</p> <p>In an industry defined by long hours, solitary work, depressive downtime and a need for healthy physical activity, bringing your dog to work is a big idea.</p> <h3><strong>Dogs were made for truck driving.</strong></h3> <p>As the commercial says, “Dogs love trucks.” They love being with their owners, too.</p> <p>And the benefits are far, far from one-sided.</p> <p>Over work, loneliness, stress, and an often-hostile work environment are downsides of trucking that dogs are uniquely qualified to alleviate by providing comfort and companionship.</p> <h3><strong>The Big Benefits of Having a Dog as a Copilot</strong></h3> <ul> <li>If you drive with a dog, you’re not alone. (How’s that for alleviating loneliness?)</li> <li>Petting a dog or even gazing into a dog’s eyes releases oxytocin, a stress-reducing hormone.</li> <li>When you have a dog, you have to walk them. (A dog can make you exercise when no one else can.)</li> <li>Who needs an alarm when you have a security guard with hearing that’s four-times as sensitive as a human’s protecting your truck?</li> <li>When motorists see a trucker with a dog, it makes them feel good.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Key Considerations for Bringing a Dog to Work on the Road</strong></h4> <p>So what do you need to know if you’re a trucker with dog or a trucking company that wants to bring the quality-of-work benefits of canine copilots to their workforce?</p> <p>For starters, some lanes, states and regions are more dog-and-truck friendly than others. Good thing to know, because for all the big benefits of having a pup in your big rig, there are challenges.</p> <p>Driving with a dog can be a drag when truck stops aren’t good for a walk and a pee—or when hotel owners are downright anti-dog. It can be hard enough finding a safe place to pull over and rest—and even harder to find a dog-friendly one.</p> <p>We at Trucker Path crowdsourced our driver pool to find the sweetest spots in the country for drivers with dogs based on two simple criteria: the presence of pet-friendly truck stops and hotels. Here is what we found.</p> <h4><strong>Connecticut is the most pet-friendly state for truck drivers.</strong></h4> <p>Trucks may be banned from its beautiful parkways, but drivers still rank Connecticut the most pet-friendly state. Also, there appears to be no correlation between the quality of a state’s roadways and the attractiveness of its offerings for truck dogs. Connecticut ranks an abysmal 33rd overall according to the <a href="https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/26th-annual-highway-report-state-by-state-summaries.pdf">Reason Foundation’s 2021 ranking</a> of states’ road quality.</p> <p>According to Trucker Path data, the other pet-friendliest states for truckers are: 2) California, 3) Montana, 4) Virginia and 5) Oregon. No surprise that dogs favor California’s beaches and Montana’s big skies.</p> <p>In a testament to dogs’ easy-going nature, they don’t seem to care that California and Oregon’s rough roads are ranked down there at 45th and 25th respectively in Reason Foundation’s rankings. The places to live the dog’s life for truckers who like good roads and canines who like good hotels and truck stops appears to be Virginia and Montana, ranked 2nd and 11th respectively in Reason Foundation’s findings.</p> <h4>Who would have thought the Northeast was the pet-friendliest region?</h4> <p>Long haul truckers don’t tend to limit themselves to single states, so looking at the regions by pet-friendliness, is significant…and surprising.</p> <p>Congested, with a reputation for being a little prickly at times, the Northeast nevertheless warms to pets better than any other region in the U.S. Tri-state roadways are dog-eat-dog, but their hotels and rest stops make up for the traffic and trauma they bring on truckers through their pet-hospitality. Whether you have a layover while you search for a <a href="https://www.tafs.com/tafs-360-benefits/prodispatch/">decent-paying backhaul</a>, or want to take find out while you refuel, the Northeast is the North Star of pet-loving amenities and accommodations.</p> <p>Other regions ranked in this order: 2) Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Southwest and 5) West. Why is the West so passive toward pets while the Northeast is so welcoming and attentive? Maybe the East just needs the calming influence of pets more than the laid-back West?</p> <h4>Experience life in the pet-friendly lane on I-95.</h4> <p>It sort of makes sense that the interstate that defines Northeast driving would also be the number one most pet-friendly lane. If there’s any interstate in America where truckers could benefit from the calming influence of a dog, it’s the I-95. Only the therapeutic gaze of a pup has the power to neutralize this interstate’s road-ragers and the corridor’s constant congestion. It’s a drive that man’s best friend was made for. And maybe not-so-coincidentally a roadway with truck stops and hotel accommodations that were made for trucker-dogs.</p> <p>Trucker Path users ranked the second most pet-friendly lane being the I-10 spanning from sultry Florida to sunny California with miles and miles of desert landscape and pet-friendly accommodations in between. A furry companion has always been a welcome friend on this stretch going back to wagon train days. I-10’s truck stops and hotels seem to understand and open their dog doors wide for pet-owning truckers.</p> <p>If you’re a driver who wants to take their dog to work every day, there are other pet-friendly lanes to consider. Coming in at #3 in pet-centricity is the I-15 (San Diego to Montana and the Canadian border). #4 is the I-90 (Massachusetts to Montana by way of Chicago and South Dakota). And #5 is the I-75 (North-South from Florida through the Great Lakes).</p> <h4>Appreciate drivers by appreciating their dogs.</h4> <p>They say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their dog. The same goes for the way states, trucking companies, communities and hotels treat their trucker dogs.</p> <p>Companies and communities continue to look for ways to show appreciation to the heroes who move our goods. Showing love to truckers with dogs seems like a good way to reach the 40% of drivers who already bring their dogs to work—and the many more who would bark at the chance.</p>

Jun 24, 2022