A key to success in expedited trucking is learning which type of loads to accept--and which ones to pass on. A “good” load will pay you well and put you in position to get your next job with minimal wait times or deadhead miles, whereas “bad” freight can tie up your time and cost you more money than you earn. But if you’re new to this business, it could take several weeks or months of trial and error before you learn the ropes and figure out what defines a “good�...

If you’re operating as a team, you’ll spend the bulk of your sleep time while the truck is moving, and this can create challenges with getting the sleep you need to avoid fatigue and burnout that could put your (and your partner’s) safety at risk. So, what can you do to improve your quality of sleep in a moving truck? Here are nine tips. 1. Make your mattress as comfortable as possible“Having a good mattress and pillow helps a lot,” says Heather Hutchens, an expedi...

Meet Petra Webb. Originally from the Netherlands, Petra moved to the States in 2001 after marrying her husband Jason, a U.S. Army veteran. Before joining Jason as an over-the-road driver in 2005, she worked as a front office manager at a hotel in Orlando, Fla. And 10 years later, in 2015, the couple made the transition to expedited trucking. Today, Petra and Jason drive a tractor-trailer for MSR Transport Services, an Ohio-based expedited trucking firm founded by Army and Nav...

One aspect of expedited trucking is that you’ll often have a day or two (or more) of downtime before you get your next load. So, if you’re having to layover anyway, what are some of the best spots to wait in between loads? EO recently caught up with veteran expediters Sandi Putz, Sandy Goche and Stephen Halsted, Irene Riley, and Greg Huggins to get their recommendations on their favorite layover cities--and why. Sandi Putz, Owner-OperatorHollister, CaliforniaWhy? “We di...

Perhaps you’ve been an over-the-road (OTR) driver for a few years now, and you’re curious about whether expedited trucking could give you the career growth opportunity you’ve been looking for. Or, maybe you’re new to trucking altogether and trying to decide which segment of the business is best for you. But as you think through your options, you may be wondering: What exactly makes the expedited trucking different from OTR? And what should you expect from the expedit...

In recent weeks, with the devastating aftermaths of Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida, the national average price for diesel has jumped from $2.52 before Harvey to $2.72 a few days after Irma, a span of about three weeks, according to AAA’s fuel price guide as of press time. This may only be a short-term spike in fuel prices, and it’s definitely a far cry from the over $4.00 per gallon for diesel about five years ago. Back then, veteran expedite owner-operat...

When it comes to running your own business as an expediter, even the smallest things can add up to big efficiencies and cost-savings. The challenge is being able to find those opportunities so that you can capitalize on them. And that’s where smartphone apps can help. So, here are four apps that can empower you to run your business more efficiently and effectively, while making your life easier when you’re away from home. Trucker PathCost: Free How can you eliminate unpr...

Why do owner-operators leave a trucking carrier? If you ask carrier executives, the vast majority will tell you that the top reason is because of pay, says Tim Hindes, chief executive officer of Stay Metrics, a South Bend, Ind. firm that helps motor carriers capture insightful data to boost their driver engagement and retention rates. And that explains why you see a lot of trucking recruiters tout their sign-on bonuses, compensation plans and benefits. But surveys of drivers ...

Meet Heather Hutchens from Waco, Texas. You might recognize Heather and her husband Jason from their ”Our Life on the Road” video blog on ExpeditersOnline.com. Before they got into expedited trucking as team drivers for a fleet owner in January 2013, Heather had just left her 22-year career as an optician. This past spring, they took the plunge, making the transition from drivers to owner-operators leased on to Landstar. What led Heather and Jason to become expediters? W...

 As an expedite owner-operator, you’re empowered to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and earn a good living. The challenge is that your income depends on you driving the truck. If you don’t run it, you don’t get paid. That’s why a growing number of entrepreneurial-minded owner-operators are becoming fleet owners, where they own multiple trucks that earn income for them, whether they’re driving, sleeping or playing. The idea is that the more trucks you own ...