"If you buy a truck, I'll run it for you." These words from a friend changed the trajectory of Donna Sleasman's career in expedited trucking in 2014. Sleasman, who had started in long-haul trucking in the early 1980's, became an expedite owner-operator in 2000 and continued in that role for the next fourteen years. Then in early 2014, a friend told Sleasman about her frustration with the way her current fleet owner was treating her and challenged Sleasman to buy another truc...

As an expedite owner-operator or fleet owner, the quality and condition of your truck tires directly impact driver safety, fuel economy, and your profitability. But how can you maintain your tires so that you can get the most life out of them? EO reached out to David Pressley, manager of Michelin North America's Customer Engineering Support for insight. Here's what he says you need to do to keep your tires on the road longer. #1. Tire PressureThis might be the most obvious ti...

This article is the first installment of a three-part series to introduce you to each type of vehicle typically used for expediting. The next two articles in the series will address "Why I Chose a Straight Truck" and "Why I Chose a Cargo Van." It's common to see expediters get into the business with a smaller vehicle, like a straight truck or cargo van. And for veteran expediters Tom and Tina Evans, that's how they got their start-with straight trucks. They bought their firs...

Meet David Mayfield. David comes from a long line of family members who have worked in the transportation industry. But it was his uncle, Scott Mayfield, who introduced him to expedited trucking, taking him on a run to deliver water tanks for Roberts Express (now FedEx Custom Critical) in 1994. Then in early 1995, David bought his first straight truck to become one of the youngest owner-operators at Roberts Express at age 25. A couple of years later, he bought his second truc...

When you got into the expedited trucking business, you had visions of all the exciting possibilities if things went according to plan. You're the one calling the shots, earning good income, traveling the country with your spouse. But, of course, not everything goes according to plan, right? Murphy's Law kicks in. You're involved in a crash. The cargo gets stolen. Your carrier goes out of business. So, when "stuff happens," how can you ensure you're prepared to handle it to k...

If attendance at Expedite Expo is any indicator of the health of the expedited trucking sector, then business is good right now. That's because it was a packed house for the 18th year for Expedite Expo, the only industry event focused exclusively on the expedited trucking sector, which was held on July 20 to 21 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky. "When exhibitors and attendees ask me if I thought the show was a success, I always turn that question back to them," says L...

You've decided to purchase a van for expediting but want to know: gas or diesel? If you ask other van expediters, you'll hear a wide range of opinions based on their personal experience. "Gas all the way. I have had no issues with my gas-burner, but I used to have a diesel van that gave me all sorts of trouble." Or... "Diesel. I'm old school. My diesel vans are workhorses, and they last forever!" Historically, diesel engines have held a significant advantage over their gas c...

Meet Patrick Lee. Patrick is a former freelance sound and video production technician who worked with headliner acts such as Miley Cyrus, Blake Shelton, and Charlie Daniels. He got into expedited trucking in 2012 as a team driver for a fleet owner with his business partner Eric Hyfield. About six months later, they bought their first truck to become owner-operators. Then, in 2014, they took the plunge into fleet ownership by purchasing their second truck. And today, only fou...

If you attended the educational workshops at Expedite Expo in July, you likely noticed a common theme that emerged in many of those classes: To succeed in expedited trucking, you must develop a business mindset. That's because whether you're a contract driver, owner-operator, or fleet owner, you're in business for yourself. But if you have spent most of your career working for someone else, you've likely developed the habit of thinking like an employee-where you look to a bo...

Your credit score not only impacts whether or not you get approved for financing to buy your first truck but also several other factors tied to the cost of vehicle ownership, including the required down payment, interest rate (and, thus, monthly payment), and insurance costs. In other words, even if you could qualify to buy truck with a below average credit score, it could still cost you hundreds of dollars (or more) per month, making it much more difficult to make money wit...