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 ...

  Expedite Expo 2017, which was held July 14 and 15 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky., featured a panel discussion led by Ellen Voie, president and chief executive officer of Women in Trucking, a national organization that encourages the employment of women in the trucking industry. Voie brought together a panel of three successful women expediters who shared their personal stories and insights on being a woman in expediting today. The panelists included Linda Caffee...

Fleet owners are taking on a more prominent role in the expedited trucking sector, and that was reflected in the attendance at Expedite Expo held July 14 and 15 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky., according to Lawrence McCord, chief executive officer of On Time Media, the producers of the industry trade show. “For the past five years, fleet owners are the fastest growing group at our Expo. And this year, we had the most fleet owners register in all our history,” s...

Shelly Feidt is a veteran of nearly 10 years in the expedite trucking industry. She and her husband Mitch log upwards of 140,000 miles a year driving a straight truck for FedEx Custom Critical. When Shelly was asked if she would encourage other women to pursue careers in trucking, the answer was an enthusiastic yes. “I would say go for it,” she said. “It’s a whole new direction.” Shelly had several previous jobs. She was working in an auto factory when she met Mitch...

Imagine there was a free workshop where you could learn about a new business opportunity without hype and high-pressure sales tactics. You could hear from people who are in the trenches, actually succeeding in the type of business you’re interested in. And you could ask the hard questions and receive candid answers about the possibilities and pitfalls of the business--to help you decide whether it’s a good fit for you. That’s precisely the type of workshop attendees go...

The 17th edition of Expedite Expo, held July 14 and 15 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky., had a big first: the delivery of the Expediter of the Year award to the first-ever winner, Robert Burton. An owner-operator leased to V3 Transportation, Burton was nominated for the award by his wife and co-owner Christy. “Robert is so much more than an expedite driver,” says Christy Burton. “Robert is an owner-operator, as well as a great human being. He goes above and bey...

Expedite Expo 2017, which runs July 14 and 15 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky., is the only trade show in the world geared exclusively to the expedited trucking industry. And this year’s show will feature the announcement of the winner of the inaugural Expediter of the Year award, which will be presented to one of these three finalists: Bob and Linda Caffee with Landstar, Robert Burton with V3 Transportation, and Edward Estes with Bolt Express. The purpose of this ...

  Expedite Expo 2017, which runs July 14 and 15 at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky., is the only trade show in the world geared exclusively to the expedited trucking industry. And this year’s show will feature the announcement of the winner of the inaugural Expediter of the Year award, which will be presented to one of these three finalists: Bob and Linda Caffee with Landstar, Robert Burton with V3 Transportation, and Edward Estes with Bolt Express. The purpose of th...