As the U.S. economy transitions to a post-pandemic footing, what does this mean for expedited trucking? What does the prospect of the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act mean for the industry? What is the current state of the expedite market? And what can we expect in the coming months and years? I recently spoke with John Elliott, chief executive officer for Load One LLC, to get his outlook. EO: How would you describe the current expedited freight market? John Elliott...

In a recent EO piece, “The State of Fuel Prices: What Expediters Should Know,” I wrote about some of the key trends that are driving up fuel prices. And, in that article, I mentioned how, for expediters, “higher prices at the pump mean lower profit in your pocket.” But then I received an email from long-time expedite owner-operator, Linda Caffee, who kindly corrected me. She said that higher fuel prices actually “make us more money.” So, I called her to dig deeper...

EXPO IS THIS WEEK! HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Register Now - It's Free! The Expedite Expo '21 is shaping up to be the first in-person trucking event since the COVID lockdowns began last March. The show’s presenting sponsor will be Expediter Services. Hundreds of drivers, owner-operators, and fleet owners from across North America will descend upon Fort Wayne, Ind., to meet new people, learn from successful expedite professionals, and open doors to new business opportunities. So...

“I will do today what others won’t so I can do tomorrow what others can’t.” This quote by the all-time great NFL Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice captures the essence of what it takes to succeed as an expediter. How? Think about it. Whether you’re an owner-operator or a 1099 contract driver, you’re a business owner. You’re the boss. Sure, you have clear instructions from the carrier, broker or shipper, for how a load should be handled and by when to deliver...

You’re looking to become an expedite owner-operator to be your own boss, set your own schedule and gain control over your financial future. But the reality is that ownership is not for everyone. As an owner, you’re taking on more responsibility - and risk. And if you’re not prepared, you could be setting yourself up for failure before you even get started. So, what can you do to prepare for ownership and put yourself in the best position to succeed? Use this Pre Owner-O...

As of press time, the national average price of gasoline is $2.87 a gallon, up 49% from $1.92 a year ago, according to the AAA, when the pandemic lockdowns were in full force, stifling fuel consumption. Diesel is $3.08, up 20% from $2.56 this time last year. And several industry analysts believe gas prices could reach $4.00 a gallon in some states by summer. California, the most expensive market, is already at $3.92. With fuel being one of your biggest expenses as an expedit...

OFFICIAL NOTICE: Expedite Expo 2021 is happening July 16-17 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Ft. Wayne, IN. Dust off your traveling shoes and grab your mask because we will congregate together! We have thought long and hard about this and feel that by July, people will be ready to start safely meeting up. Check out our announcement link HERE. We would love to have you join us in 2021! We could not be happier to proceed and get the chance to bring everyone togethe...

A few weeks ago, EO checked “under the hood” of the 2022 Ford E-Transit to give you an idea of what to expect with the upcoming all-electric cargo van. The conclusion: While the van shows promise, the estimated range at 126 miles for the initial version is not (yet) practical for most expediters. Well...about the same time that article was published, General Motors announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that it was also entering the electric van fray. GM said th...

A few years ago, numerous headlines predicted how a brave new self-driving world was just around the corner to put three million truck drivers out of work. Today, the media and industry analysts have slow-rolled their predictions as technology companies and automakers still grapple with developing autonomous driving systems that are ready for prime time on a large scale. As it turns out, humans still have the edge in making decisions in a wide range of challenging driving si...

If you run cargo vans for your expedite business, you’ll want to stay on top of any developments that could impact your vehicle purchase decisions. This way, you gain insight into whether you should pull ahead a purchase sooner than you planned, hold off for now, or try a different van make or model than you currently own. So, as you evaluate your options, here are the highlights of what’s new in cargo vans for 2021. Ford TransitAn electronic parking brake replaces the ma...