It's an owner-operator's nightmare. You're an expediter, whose objective is to get time-sensitive freight to the customer as quickly and safely possible. But the one tool you need up and running so you can make a living for your family is broken down on the side of the road. And it gets worse. Your engine has blown. So, what should you do? EO spoke with John Lalonde, expediter sales representative for Fyda Freightliner in Columbus, Ohio, to get his advice. EO: What is the typ...

This is the second installment of a three-part series to introduce you to each type of vehicle typically used for expediting. The first article covered "Why I Chose a Tractor" and the third article will address "Why I Chose a Cargo Van." Tom and Tina Evans are fleet owners with TNT Expedited Services Inc. and owner-operators leased to Load One Transportation & Logistics. They started in expediting with a straight truck in 2001 and currently drive a 2005 Freightliner Busin...

In December, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced the adoption of a Final Rule requiring commercial truck drivers to use to use electronic logging devices (ELD), which automatically record driving time and monitor engine hours, vehicle movement, miles driven, and location. The ELD mandate requires drivers and carriers who currently use paper log books to maintain hours-of-service records to adopt ELDs by Decembe...

This 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." You see a lot of folks who get their start in expedited trucking with a smaller vehicle, such as a straight truck or cargo van. But not veteran expediters and fleet owners Daina and Norm St. Onge, who run the Knoxville, Tennessee-based Direct ...

When you operate under your own motor carrier authority, you get to call your own shots and keep more of your income by negotiating rates directly with customers and not having to share a cut of your revenue with a carrier. But all the support that a carrier supplies -- such as sales and marketing, dispatch, and other important business services -- you'll have to handle on your own. And while the rewards of getting your own authority can be attractive, the risks are high. Wha...

The Affordable Care Act -- also known as "Obamacare" -- has been a political lightning rod since it was passed into law in 2010. But for trucking owner-operators, the ACA may actually be making health insurance more "affordable." At least that has been the case for veteran expediters Linda and Bob Caffee. When they received notice that the health insurance company they had been with for about 10 years was going out of business, the Caffees explored other options. They started...

Choosing a motor carrier is one most important business decisions you make as an expedite owner-operator or fleet owner. But when it comes to evaluating carriers, there is no "one-size-fits-all" option. So, what should you look for in a carrier to ensure it's the best fit for your own business and lifestyle goals? EO spoke with three expediters to find out why they chose their carrier and what advice they could offer rookie expediters on selecting a company. Here's what they ...

Properly maintaining your truck's tires not only keeps you (and the public) safer on the road but also saves you a lot of money. As results from tests conducted by Goodyear show, just 15 percent underinflation of steer, drive and trailer tires results in about an 8 percent drop in expected tire life and a 2.5 percent reduction in fuel economy. And according the American Trucking Associations Technology and Maintenance Council, a constant 20 percent underinflated condition red...

Tell us a little about yourself. Sandy was born and raised on a farm in north central Iowa. She is a collector of fine writing instruments (fountain pens, ball points, and mechanical pencils). Stephen is a military brat and has been all over. His hobby is trying to keep Sandy happy at all times. The driving community may know them for their brimmed hat collection. They team drive, with Sandy taking the daylight hours and Stephen driving the night time hours. Tell us about you...

At the rate of a gallon of fuel wasted per hour, engine idle can get real expensive -- real fast. And excessive idle is illegal in many areas of the U.S., creating risk of hefty fines if you continue running the engine to keep your truck heated or cool when it's parked. So. what are the latest developments in idle reduction technology to help you cut fuel waste without sacrificing cab and sleeper comfort? Here are three new anti-idle systems that have just entered the market ...