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...

In the early weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, many expediters have been staying busy. But after the initial panic buying and need for urgent deliveries slow down, will you have enough cash to get through a potential lull? Or if, God forbid, you test positive for the coronavirus and need to self-quarantine, unable to earn revenue for the next two to three weeks, what's your cash strategy to keep your business afloat? As of this writing, no one knows when the U.S. economy will ful...

The two-trillion-dollar "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act" (or the "CARES Act") was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Now it's time to unpack it. What provisions in the COVID-19 stimulus bill apply to you as an expedite owner-operator, driver, fleet owner, trucking carrier-or whatever your role is in the industry? Here's a list of 10 key provisions in the bill-5 for individuals and 5 for businesses-with links to the original sources to help you sort through...

As of this writing, the COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus) pandemic has ground much of the U.S.-and global-economy to a halt. Several states have issued full lock-down orders, causing most businesses to close except those deemed as essential services, such as healthcare facilities, grocery stores, pharmacies, and transportation companies. Many restaurants are still open but only for take-out or delivery. And last week, most automakers announced plant shutdowns for the f...

Where do you want to take your business this year? In what areas do you want to improve in your personal and professional life? Whether you're a driver, owner-operator, or fleet owner, you have specific things in mind you'd love to achieve in 2020. The question is: Will you follow through? After all, most of us abandon our New Year's resolutions by February. So, how can you defy the odds and maintain the discipline you need to keep working toward your goals throughout the nex...