In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his state would ban the sale of new light-duty gasoline and diesel vehicles, effective in 2035. And by 2045, new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in California must also be zero-emissions. So, what does this news mean for expedited trucking? First, by 2035, you would not be able to purchase a new Sprinter-style high-roof cargo van with an internal combustion engine in California. New vans will be all-electric-with ba...

President John F. Kennedy put it best when he said, "We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." And that's exactly what I want to do today - to thank all of you in the expedited trucking community for the impact you've made on my life and career since 2014 when I first got to know you as a writer for EO. After all, we recently celebrated "Driver Appreciation Week," which is a great way to spotlight how vital truckers are to making our ...

When John Elliot, chief executive officer for expedite carrier Load One LLC, and I had a conversation about the state of the expedited trucking market back in early March, so much was in flux. The COVID-19 pandemic led the U.S. to shut off travel from China and Europe. Several states were beginning to issue stay-at-home orders, except for essential workers. And automotive plants were about to close. Today, nearly five months later, the economy has been reopening in phases, bu...

You're a fleet owner about to hire a new team. Can you trust them to take good care of your equipment-and your customers? You're a driver looking to work for a fleet owner. Can you trust that this owner will have your back, pay you the right amount at the right time, and not blindside you with unexpected expenses? You're an owner-operator about to sign with a new carrier. Can you trust that the recruiter has your best interests in mind? Whatever role you serve in the expedite...

Cargo vans and small trucks under 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) are exempt from most federal commercial truck regulations. But if the FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) meeting on July 13 and 14 is any indication, that might change at some point down the road. The MCSAC pointed to the recent surge in the last-mile package and small goods delivery sector - primarily because of COVID-19 - saying there appears to be a gap in safety oversight...

If you're an expedite owner-operator, contract driver, or fleet owner, and you're experiencing a cash crunch from the impact of COVID-19 on your business, it's not too late to apply for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law in late March. But the funds could run out at any time. So, if you think you might qualify for the EIDL, you'll want ...

Before accepting a load, buying a new truck, or signing any contract for your expedite business, make sure that you're happy with the terms. But when presented with an unfair offer, how should you respond? Do you have the negotiation chops to arrive at a more favorable agreement? Try this quiz to find out. #1. True or false: Your voice has no significant impact on your ability to negotiate favorable terms. #2. Which is a more powerful tactic for winning people over to your po...

Social media can be a powerful tool to connect with people, increase your exposure, and build your personal brand. But if you're not careful, what you say on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram can damage your reputation, hurt your business, and waste a ton of your time in the process. So, if you're an expedite owner-operator, driver, or fleet owner, how can you capitalize on the opportunities that social media offers to help grow your business while avoiding the pote...

Whether you're a driver looking to become an owner-operator, an owner pursuing the next step toward fleet ownership, or a fleet owner in growth mode, you can purchase a reliable used expediter straight trucks with relatively low miles - 250,000 to 500,000 miles - at a significantly lower cost than comparable new models. But with the freight slowdown in 2019 that has carried into early 2020, what has been the impact on the used expediter truck market? What does the market look...

Most automakers plan to start reopening plants the week of May 18, which is good news for expedited trucking companies that have built a substantial share of their business providing just-in-time parts deliveries to those facilities. But uncertainty remains as to what expediters can realistically expect with how the plant reopenings will impact their business - at least, in the near term. For example... When will demand for vehicles get back to "normal"?In the latest jobs re...