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Trucker News

Fuel Price on a Road to Constant Increase: Truckers Worry

The recent political upheavals in many of the Arab nations have raised an issue of worry among different governments. Its impact is likely to be seen on the economies of various countries and the worst affected area which is likely to suffer is the crude industry. There has been a considerable hike in the prices of the fuel pertaining to the uncertainty of the crude supply. The unstable political scenario in the Middle East has sent a wave of worry among the energy traders and they are looking out for alternatives to cope with this challenging problem. The trucking industry will be affected by this crisis and the trucking companies are also worried about the same.

The benchmark crude prices have witnessed a hike of 87 cents last week over the continued reports of disturbing situation in the Middle East regions. The oil traders are expecting a completely different market situation ahead of the weekend. The first thing to be affected after the reported fuel hike is the transportation costs. This is one of the major industries which are directly linked to the fuel cost. The truck driver jobs will also be affected by this situation as the overhead transportation costs will increase and the trucking industry will try to minimize the cost on other level to match the fuel costs. This is especially a threat to those truckers who have joined recently and they may be the first ones to face the job cuts.

The owner operator jobs are likely to suffer as this will minimize the profits of the owner operators who work on a percent basis with the trucking companies. All the industries are connected in a chain and the increase in the transportation costs will put its impact on other industries as well. Second in queue are the freight companies which take the services of the truck drivers to make their loads deliver. The trucking companies are likely to charge more from the load board and it will create an imbalance in all the sectors. There is already a shortage of truckers and the trucking industry is providing new truck driver jobs. If the driver job cuts are done, it will hamper the delivery of loads available. In the present situation, the price rise is undoubtedly a big blow and it has come at a very wrong time when the trucking companies are facing many other challenges.

If the political crisis in these nations continues, it will disrupt the chain of demand and supply and the fuel prices may go higher. The economy is already undergoing a difficult phase and managing the businesses is a challenging job. If the fuel hikes persistently goes on, it will affect the functioning of many of the trucking companies and the costs are likely to be adjusted by the cuts in truck driver jobs. The trucking industry will try hard to cope with the tough market conditions but it is a big threat to the drivers’ employment.

Categories
Carriers

Zurich Reported Truck Crashes can be reduced by Telematics

The cost involved in the crashes can be reduced considerably with use of the technological advancements, said the Zurich Financial Services Group. This will be very advantageous to the trucking companies.

Telematics and Fleet Risk Management Zurich has evaluated the use of this strong technology. This along with the driver development programs can ensure high level of safety to the owner operator jobs and other risky jobs like flatbed drivers, reefer drivers and straight truck drivers

Telematics will also help reduce the operational cost of the fleet and help save the environment too.

How does Telematics Work:

The telematics devices are installed in the trucks. The data is regularly captured by the device and is transmitted to the centrally located server. The fleet managers, owners and dispatchers can derive the data captured over the internet.
It includes the vital driving information of the truck driver activities like the speed of the vehicle, location of the vehicle and other diagnostic statistics. There are sensors on the vehicle which detects and reports the wide range of trucking activities. There is a secure link linked with this to the data center therefore, the fleet manager can view and manage real time reports.

This ensures the trucking companies and shippers that the available loads are on their correct route and safe to be delivered on time.

Telematics are mostly seen in connection with other vehicle systems. This is nothing but the GPS sensors are connected with the wireless communication servers and are utilized with computer resources. With the critical data supplied to the fleet managers, it can help reduce the collision risk associated with the driving jobs. It guarantees regulation compliance and enhance fleet performance. The application of telematics will offer 10% reduction in operation cost and 11% reduction in fuel cost.
Check our load board blog page for more articles on driver safety.
There are a range of products available which depends on the fleet size and the characteristic of the carrier type and loads hauled by it.

The fleet managers usually start with the basic fleet safety solution offered by telematics. Then getting the required solution and gaining experience, they move upward to more comprehensive and competent management capability mobile resourcing.

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Trucker News

A new scope for Canadian-American Border

Leaders of the two nations, the US President Mr. Barack Obama and the Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Stephen Harper conducted a meeting last week. The main issue was the long-term co-operation relating to the borders. The negotiations lead to signing a pact Friday calling dealing with the increased trade and security tie ups between the U.S. and Canada. This will facilitate quicker and hassle free transport between the countries and a good source of business generation for the trucking companies of both the countries.
The cross-border relations regarding the trade between the two nations were in turmoil since the 9/11 terrorists attack in the U.S. The meeting was focused to “intend to pursue a perimeter approach to security”. The loads available and people should be allowed to travel with more flexibility making the transport much easier for them.

The joint declaration stated that they will work to develop an integrated security policy which will ensure that the cargo and other goods undergo compatible screening tests, before they move out of the Canadian and U.S. ports. This will enhance the quick crossings at either port enabling the subsequent crossings much more fast.

Check out some of the latest industry news and happenings on our truck load board blog page.

The leaders directed to create a Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) between the United States and Canada which will be formed by combining the foreign affairs officials and senior trade regulatory from both the countries.

The other aspect they looked towards jointly is an approach to increase and modify the available infrastructure at major public ports at the point of entry. The target is 10 major public ports.
The pact is welcomed by the Canadian Trucking Alliance. CTA expressed, this will help recreate the cross border relations which were much strained in the last decade after the terrorists attack. There is at least one truck crossing the U.S. – Canada border in every three seconds. Thus the pact will have a direct impact on truck driver employment.

We were looking towards this border agreement to be initiated by the government of both the countries from a long time. David Bradley CTA president said this agreement is the start point to achieve a more stable trade and security measures. This will help achieve more reliable risk-management and yield profits in trading programs between the countries.

It might take some time to finalize the things and start the real action; however a work group will be formed to work across the borders and look after the proceedings in this matter. The same will be reported to Obama and Harper by this work group.

Categories
Business Carriers

Challenges Faced by the Trucking Industry Today

The trucking industry (also sometimes referred to as the logistics industry) is the name of a vital part of America’s economic activities. Trucking Companies provide Commercial Vehicles and drivers to carry goods from one part of the country to another. Transportation by Trucking is major way of transporting goods in the USA.
Trucks are used mainly for transporting materials and commercial products over land. Other incentives for the purpose are transportation by carriage trains and air carriage. Air and train cargo services have certain drawbacks however; the most obvious on is that both of these cannot go everywhere in the country but trucks can. This is due to the presence of vast and complex network of highways and trucking stations across the country.
Challenges to the Industry:
Unfortunately the trucking sector is facing a lot of problems these days. Many small Trucking Companies are closed or are under heavy debt and fighting for survival. Trucking sector provides many Owner Operator Jobs which are also adversely affected when the sector downsizes
Major causes of the down trend are discussed in this article.
The recent economic crunch is on a global scale. USA is certainly affected by the phenomenon. As the production and consumption of commercial goods is decreased the trucking industry has less and less loads availableto carry. This is one of the major causes of the down trend in trucking sector.
Other major problem for the trucking industry is fuel cost. Commercial heavy load carrying vehicles are diesel fueled. Diesel, along with other petroleum products, is continuously rising in price in past few years. As the fuel cost increase, trucking companies are left with no option than to increase their charges or cutting short on their man power etc.
Congestion on the freeways is yet another significant problem for the truckers. Roads are ever increasing in truck traffic and truck stations are crammed with Vehicles most of the time. Tough to meet security and safety regulation by federal and state authorities imposed on trucking companies worsen the situation.
With less freight to carry around the country truckers are struggling hard to get contracts. There are now internet based load boards. They offer loads which need to be moved by the truckers.
Authorities require truck drivers to be specially educated for the job. The ever hardening regulations and rules require more and more educated drivers. But properly educated truckers are not easily available everywhere. Shortage of drivers is also a major problem for the industry.
More and more states in the US are introducing environmental laws regarding emissions of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gases by petroleum based vehicles. These laws require trucks to use advanced emission reduction equipment; which add to the cost considerably.
Another major problem, which limits the truckers from working at their desire time of the day to get the most out of their trips around the country, is the Hours of Service regulations by National authorities.
These problems are deteriorating the trucking industry of the US. Small trucking companies are being kicked out of the game and big giants are expanding their reach.

Categories
Carriers Newbies

An Insight to Truck Driving Jobs!

Freight and logistics related jobs from the trucking industry are the most sought-after jobs in the United States. The reason for such jobs being in demand is the trucking industry in the United States today is expanding enormously. The job does not involve just the delivery of goods and materials, but the drivers have to be really skillful to perform the truck driving job. As there is a high requirement for skilled workers in this field the jobs in this sector are high-salaried jobs. With the new inventions and innovations taking place each day around us, the traditional truck also changing for the betterment.

There is a complete tie up between the owner operator and the driver. The owner operators are always in need of the skilled driver because they need to handle this very responsible work of handling heavy trucks and delivering the goods to their clients on time. For this they need to reply only on the experts. They are willing to pay good salary for getting an expert in the field. In turn truck drivers will work hard to deliver their best results so that they can provide highest delivery solutions for present consignment and make the relations between the parties good for future business too. The truck drivers also work for handling the truckloads to get an extra income. Both have to work hand in hand for complete collaboration and the benefits of each other.

Some other perks enjoyed by the truck driver to make their occupation a little more lucrative is that the trucking companies sometimes allow the family of the truck driver to visit them at the place of their work.  The industry will provide the driver with some allowances like medical benefits, insurance and safety. Modern trucking system will include all the equipment and tools needed to complete the journey for the delivery of goods, especially in the case of liquids or hazardous chemicals. These days’ truck drivers are provided with GPS tracking device which will help you to find your location and provide road guides to reach to your destination. As long as the driver is serving the purpose of the company the company will take care of his needs. He can work with his own flexibility as long as the goods are delivered on time.

A skilled owner operator driver is needed by the trucking company to take over the freight services and shipment of goods. A good truck driver must have certain qualifications that are set by the company such as knowledge in terms of maps, routes, traffic rules, and navigation. Good manners and a high sense of responsibility is needed by the company. The driver must be disciplined and give priority to safety. He should avoid mistakes that can cause death, injury and loss of any sort.

Since to search such skilled drivers is becoming tough day by day, there are many load boards today that provides all freight and trucking industry solutions in a fast and reliable way. The trucking business now can avail such facility and can get there requirements like drivers and others met by them.

Categories
Newbies

Top 10 Questions – How Load Board Works?

Top 10 Questions & Answers

1. How much are loads paying and how do I get paid?

Q: The #1 question we receive daily is how do I get paid for moving the load, and who pays me?

A: RightNowLoads.com does not broker loads. We put you in contact directly with the Shipper, Manufacture or Broker of the load posted on our loadboard. You will agree to any payment terms and rates with them directly. RightNowLoads.com does not have the pay rates posted on our load board. We provide owern operators with the phone number to contact the poster to inquire about the pay rate and how you will receive your funds after you deliver the load.

2. How do I know if the Shipper is trust worthy?

Q: Do you offer any type of credit lookup to see how long it will take to pay and a brokers credit score.

A: Yes, if the load is posted by a broker we do offer our members 5 FREE credit report look ups per month. You will be able to get the brokers credit score and their average days to pay. If you need more than 5 credit score lookups per month we have another membership package for unlimited uses.

3. What do I get with RightNowLoads.com, what makes your load board different?

Q: How much is your service, and how does your site work?

A: Every member has a 3 Day Free trial. If you like our 24/7 Dispatching service you can become a member for 29.95/monthly. Click here for information on the 50+ different features our competition does not have, that you get for a low monthly fee.
We provide you with access to your loadboard and over the phone 24/7 support and dispatching service. Payments by Visa, Master Card and Pay Pal only.

4. Why is your loadboard the cheapest?

Q: Is there a contract with your membership

A: NO CONTRACT!, you are free to cancel your membership at anytime. We have a no questions asked return policy, but we do ask why you want to cancel membership so we can improve our service to current members and future ones.

5. Do you have loads for smaller trucks?

Q: I own a 24″ and 26″ Box Truck cargo van, do you have loads for my type of truck?

A: YES!, we have loads of many different weight classes. From 0-16,000lbs mostly bobtails, goosenecks and hotshot trucks to 24,00lbs mainly 26ft Dry Vans all the way to 48,000lb trailers like Reefer, 53″ Vans, Containers, Flatbeds and Auto.
However the frequency of available loads does differ between states, location and distance and the required intrastate or interstate permits required to move the loads.

6. I am a broker, can I use this site?

Q: If I need to post my loads is there a fee for this service and what can I do with this service?

A: If you need to just post loads we do have a FREE Broker posting account we can offer. If you need to search our owner operator directory you will have to register with our 29.95/monthly membership. If you have over 100 loads that need to be posted daily we do offer a free upload service and you can email us the excel or any file that has the load info you wish to post.

7. How do I get my FREE T-shirt?

Q: how do I order my free shirt that you offer?

A: Just Ask! tell us what you want on your shirt and we will send out next day. Only members are eligible to receive up to 2 shirts per month. Each month you are eligible to get a new design on your shirts. We plan on having more offers soon to give out to all members monthly.

8. Your the only site that has backhaul loads?

Q: Do you have a return load back so I do not have to dead head home?

A: YES! all loads on our loadboard have the option to view the available backhaul loads. We have the back hauls divided into 3 sections, state-to-state, city-to-state, and city-to-city.

9. What does the bid feature work?

Q: I bid on a load, but I did not get a reply back, what happens next?

A: After you bid on a load, its always best you contact the shipper DIRECTLY, placing a bid does not mean the poster will reply with any confirmation about your bid. RightNowLoads.com emails your bid to the email address of the poster and most poster of our board get 100’s of emails per day on various loads so I may be difficult for them to contact you back. Its always best to call and get a rate.

10. I told my friend about your service and they signed up?

Q: Can I share my account with my friend?

YES!, you can use our load board on more than one computer at a time. Fore every member you referred you get 50% commission on their first month membership and 20% commission for every month after. We have a great affiliate program to spread the RightNowLoads.com name around.

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Categories
Newbies

Just Getting Into the Trucking Business?

So your thinking of becoming a truck driver but dont know where to start? There are many types of trailers and loads you can haul from 48ft flatbed trailers to Reefer trailers to smaller 24-26ft straight truck (bobtail trailers).  You can driver interstate or intrastate…which loads are good for you, and which loads make the most money?

For most loads brokers or shippers will want a driver to have some expierience and probably want them driving approx 4-6months of over the road experience. Other manufactures need their loads deliveried ASAP and will let a driver haul a load with little experience.

A good place to start is with the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) new drivers checklist. Once you have got your experience under your belt you will probably have lots of questions about your next steps like What is a reasonable/acceptable starting pay per mileage? or what other expenses you may have as a owner operator.

To find new loads you can get wireless access at truck stops an get on a trucking loadboards to find available loads. FindFreightLoads.com is a great loadboard that will dispatch loads over the phone so you dont need a computer or internet access when your over the road.

Another great place to start when your a new owner operator is trucking forums, they are a great place for newbies and experienced drivers give great feedback.