Meet George Mullan. George ran his own insurance and investment advisory firm for over three decades before he became an expedite fleet owner in 2008. Today, he runs Mullan Transportation based in Maumee, Ohio, operating a fleet of 14 trucks-three tractors and 11 straight trucks-all leased to XPO Logistics Expedite. So, what led George to expedited trucking? How did he get started as a fleet owner? And what advice does he have for others who may be considering becoming an ex...

Love them or hate them. But if there's one thing that has kept the NFL's New England Patriots at the top of the professional football world for two decades, it's this: They're smart about replacing star players when the value is still high and before performance declines. Perhaps successful expedite owner-operators follow a similar formula for timing their truck replacements-when the truck's value is still high and before you have to throw a lot of money at it to keep it on t...

While there has been a lot of media hype in recent years that robots will rule the roads, putting millions of truckers out of business, the reality is that Level 5, fully driverless trucks are still a long way out, according to most industry experts. But significant developments are happening right now that directly impact the expedite business. And instead of a story of impending doom, these technologies offer the potential to improve safety, increase fuel efficiency, and ma...

Talk to any fleet owner and ask them what their biggest challenge is, and the vast majority will reply that it's finding and keeping good dependable drivers. That's because with unemployment at historic lows and increasing demand for freight in recent years, fleet owners are struggling to compete for drivers to keep their trucks rolling and earning money. So, how can you gain a competitive advantage in attracting the "cream of the crop" drivers to your fleet? Here are four ma...

As an expedite owner-operator or fleet owner, you may not have a lot of time to read books. But you can always find time to listen to good books-while you're driving, working out, cleaning your truck, or performing other tasks-to expand your knowledge, learn new skills, and become a more profitable expediter. So, which audiobooks can help you change the trajectory of your business and your life? Here are three to check out. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don'...

Accepting a load, buying a truck, working with customers-these are just a few instances where effective negotiation skills can pay dividends in your business. But good negotiation is not about getting all you can at the expense of the other party. Instead, negotiation should be more like collaboration to arrive at an outcome that both sides can feel good about. At least that's the perspective of successful team expediters like Bob and Linda Caffee and Jason and Heather Hutch...

Meet Scott Driskill. Scott is a former EMT (emergency medical technician), who got into the expedited trucking business in 2012, first as a fleet manager and then as a driver. In 2017, Scott bought his first van-a 2014 RAM Promaster extended van-to become an owner-operator. And about a year later, in April 2018, he purchased a straight truck to officially become a fleet owner. Today, Scott runs Hammerhead Logistics headquartered in Bucyrus, Ohio, operating a fleet of three v...

When you invest six figures in a new expediter truck, you don't want any regrets. That's especially the case when spec'ing a custom sleeper for your truck where your goal is to balance comfort and cost. After all, your truck is your home away from home, so comfort is essential. But your truck is also a tool to generate revenue for your business. And the more you pay to accommodate amenities you might want, the less profit you get to keep. So, how can you ensure your next cust...

What would define "success" for you in 2019? Is it earning a specific amount of income? Is it achieving a certain level of health? Is it taking the next step in your business to become, say, an owner-operator or fleet owner? This is the time of year most of us reflect on our goals. But how do you ensure that achieving success with one goal doesn't lead to failure in other areas of your life? For example, you could set an income goal that would require you to run much harder ...

Benjamin Franklin put it best when he said, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." And one resource that can help you generate a high return on your time investment in expanding your industry and business knowledge is ExpeditersOnline.com (EO). So, what were the most-read articles on EO to help you grow your business this past year? What were the most popular topics? In case you missed any of them, here are the Top 10 EO articles for 2018. #1. How to Succeed as ...