Category: Owner Operators

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Business Carriers Owner Operators

Highway Truck Fatalities Rose 8.9% Last Year

A new report from the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that the number of large truck occupant fatalities increased by 8.9% between 2011 and 2012 up to 697. In 2011, the number of deaths was 20% higher than in 2010.

Despite the increase in the past few years, deaths among occupants of large trucks are the lowest they’ve been since 1950.

These numbers are also reflected in the total number of highway fatalities. In 2012, there were 33,561 highway fatalities. The NHTSA says that the number of highway deaths are at “historic lows.”

The ATA commented on the report saying that the NHTSA is not using specific enough categories to accurately portray the data. They note that the NHTSA counts non-freight-hauling vehicles as “large trucks” which is causing people to incorrectly believe that freight-hauling trucks are more prone to fatal accidents than they actually are. According to the ATA, the report “paints an incomplete and misleading picture of the nation’s trucking industry.”

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Owner Operators

How to Change OTR Tires

Off-the-road (OTR) tires are a specific classification of tires that are used with tractors and other forms of heavy machinery. These tires are large and feature different treads than regular tires to allow the vehicle’s operator to use them where normal tires would fail. Because these tires and the vehicles they are used on are so much larger than a standard vehicle, the changing process requires a bit of extra work.

STEP 1: Park the machine on a flat, level surface. Place tire blocks in front of and behind the machine’s wheels to prevent it from rolling.

STEP 2: Jack up the machine with a hydraulic jack. Place an appropriately sized jack stand underneath the machine to support it during the tire-changing process.

STEP 3: Remove the tire’s valve stem core and deflate the tire.

STEP 4: Drive a tire iron between the outward-facing tire bead and the lip of the tire’s rim. Slide the tire iron back and forth along the rim to loosen about six inches of the bead.

STEP 5: Insert the bead buster between the tire bead and rim. Lock the bead buster to the rim and use the drive ratchet and socket to turn the head on the tool and separate the bead from the rim seat.

STEP 6: Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for the tire’s inside-facing tire bead.

Apply the tire-mounting lubricant to the tire’s inside and outside bead and bead seat area.

STEP 7: Lock the machine’s tire with the valve hole on top and insert two long tire irons between the tire bead and the rim. Pry the bead over the lip of the rim. Work your way around the tire until the entire outside bead is pried over the rim lip.

STEP 8: Remove the tube from the tire.

STEP 9: Insert two tire irons between the inside bead the outside rim of the tire and pry the tire completely off the rim.

STEP 10: Lubricate the inside bead of the new tire and place the tire on the rim so that the inside bead is partially over the rim flange. Insert a tire iron and pry the inside bead over the rim flange.

STEP 11: Insert the tube into the tire and place the valve stem into the valve hole. Slide the tube completely over the rim and put a small amount of air in the tire (about 1 PSI).

STEP 12: Lubricate the tire’s outside bead. Insert two tire irons between the tire’s outside bead and the rim flange. Pry the tire’s outside bead over the rim flange. Work your way around the tire until the entire tire is on the rim. Pull the valve stem completely through the valve hole and secure it with the rim nut.

STEP 13: Lower the machine so that the tire is centered on the rim. Slowly inflate the tire to seat the beads into the rim. Do not inflate the tire to more than 35 PSI. Once the beads are seated, deflate the tire completely and refill it to the manufacturer’s specifications.

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Freight Loads Owner Operators

Step-by-Step Instructions for Using Load Boards for Freight

Truckers use online load boards to plan their trips according to the best profit potential. The boards allow load bearers to post their payloads on various sites for free with the required delivery dates and price then truckers scan the site for cargo, their delivery prices, deadlines and contact information. Truckers can also fill in gaps in their trips while on the road, at Wi-Fi hotspots or even via 3G smart phones, by logging in to their load boards and monitoring available jobs along their routes.

Sign up for load boards with a good reputation among your fellow truckers . Log on to the sites regularly. Some of these services cost about $40 a month or more; others are free but may not offer as broad a range of jobs where you need them.

Plan the major legs of your trips as far in advance as possible. You may need to be in, say, Houston on Friday morning for a half trailer of bananas bound for Cleveland. In this example, scan the sites for northbound cargo in Houston or on your way to Houston to fill up you trailer to capacity.

Click “Find Loads” or “Loads” on your load board site(s). Fill out as many fields as possible on the resulting search page. Select your origin and destination cities and states, as well as the desired radius from those locations. Many sites also allow you to arrange your results in a variety of ways, such as by pickup date or weight. Fill in these fields.

Type pickup and delivery dates into the subsequent search fields, as well as minimum and maximum weights, to fine-tune your search. the sites will often require other information, such as trailer type and payload size. Click “Search” once you’ve finished filling out your search template.

Broaden your search before you abandon your quest and hop to another load board. Select other origin cities along your route to other payloads you’ve already arranged, leave either your origin or destination fields blank, or choose to browse by region if your particular site allows it.

Scroll down the results page, looking for jobs that align with your trailer size, weight limits, origins and destinations.

Scroll across in the entries for jobs that look promising to access the company’s phone number. Call them to arrange the details of the job.

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Owner Operators

Start A Career As A Truck Driver

Truck driving is becoming a more and more popular career for people seeking job security. The truck driving industry is always looking for truck drivers, the pay is good, and there is security in this career. Becoming a truck driver is also a great career for people who do not want to sit behind a desk all day. This article will outline how to start a career as a truck driver.

The first step to starting a career as a truck driver is to go to truck driving school. You can find truck driving schools by performing an internet search for “truck driving schools” followed by your city and state. Truck driving school will last between 6-7 weeks Truck driving school costs several thousand dollars to attend(many truck driving schools offer financial aid however).

The second step to starting a career as a truck driver is to apply to the truck driving schools job placement program once you graduate. Typically these job placement programs at truck driving schools have a high success rate in placing graduates, as there is a demand for truck drivers to fill positions.

The third step to starting a career as a truck driver is to put your resume on online employment web sites. These web sites can be good places for truck drivers to find careers, and having more than one job offer on the table will give you power in bargaining with a potential employer.

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Carriers Owner Operators

How Much Do Car Insurance Rates Drop After Age 25?

Several factors contribute to the car insurance rates you pay. Insurance companies generally consider your age, gender, driving history, occupation, the make and model of the vehicle you drive and where you live when determining the cost of the premium it will charge you. Drivers under the age of 25 typically pay higher insurance rates. Although the lowest auto insurance rates kick in at about age 40, once you reach age 25, the cost of insurance begins to decrease.

Average Rate Decrease

Male drivers can expect an average decrease in car insurance rates of 20 percent after they reach the age of 25. That is if you have a safe driving record and haven’t been involved in any automobile accidents. Rates for female drivers drop about 15 percent. Rates don’t decrease as much for female drivers who, in most cases, already pay less car insurance. Before age 25, insurance companies consider younger drivers inexperienced and more careless, which makes them a higher accident risk. After that age, individuals have graduated from college and are working a regular job. By that time, some individuals have married and started their families. These things make them more responsible adults in the eyes of insurance companies.

Risk Factor

Although teen drivers account for only about 7 percent of the licensed drivers in the U.S., young drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 are involved in almost 15 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents, according to the American Safety Council. Driving at unsafe speeds is a common cause of accidents involving teens. Statistics show that more than one in five teenage drivers is involved in an accident during the first year of being a licensed driver. Inexperience driving in combination with indulging in reckless driving behaviors like speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and having other teens as passengers in the vehicle place this age group at higher risk for auto accidents.

Driver Behaviors

Insurance companies generally classify males under the age of 25 as high-risk drivers pushing up the price of their auto insurance. Young men in this age category receive the highest number of tickets for speeding and reckless driving. They are less likely to wear seatbelts increasing their risk of suffering serious injury if involved in an auto accident. This group of drivers also accounts for the highest percentage of DUIs, reports the CDC. Male drivers younger than age 25 cost insurance companies money by filing more insurance claims than other categories of drivers.

Premiums Decrease Over Time

Car insurance premiums typically go down at ages 21, 25, 30 and 35. Unless you have an accident or get a traffic ticket, rates usually remain stable for a time. Check your policy soon after you reach each of these age categories, as you should be able to save money on your premium. If it has been five years since you were last involved in a motor vehicle accident, or if you’ve had no accidents, you may qualify for a good driver discount. Auto insurance companies often offer discounts to policyholders with credit scores of 720 and above. While younger consumers tend to have lower credit scores, maintaining a good payment history over time will continue to boost your score.

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Owner Operators Truck Leasing

Become an Owner & Operator of a Truck

Many truck lovers aspire to become the owner-operator of a truck. Being an owner-operator of a vehicle, such as an 18-wheeler diesel truck, allows you to make the decisions and be your own boss. Most owner-operators are responsible for buying gasoline, finding work, maintaining their trucks and paying expenses.

Learn to drive an 18-wheeler diesel truck at a truck-driver training school that fits your needs, schedule and budget. Browse the Internet and Yellow Pages to locate schools in your area. Truck-driver training programs typically last two weeks to two months. The longer programs usually have shorter classroom sessions.

Obtain your Class A driver’s license. A Class A or commercial license is required to drive an 18-wheeler truck. It is obtained by passing the Class A driver’s test offered at the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. A fee is usually required to obtain the licence.

Work as a company driver for at least one year. This experience may be needed before taking the big step of working for yourself. The income enables you to save money to buy your truck, and the experience builds confidence.

Purchase your truck. The truck should be in good condition and have good tires, because you will pay your own maintenance costs. A truck should have passed all operating tests before purchasing it. Commercial truck dealerships are similar to car dealerships. Search the Internet for commercial truck dealerships in your area. Some dealerships permit you to browse their inventory and prices online. Truck prices have a wide range, from $10,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The typical price for a basic truck starts in the $20,000 range.

Find work with a company as an owner-operator. Search classified-ad websites for opportunities. Consider the pay and the benefits offered. Only a few companies offer owner-operators benefits, but the search to find them may be worthwhile.

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Carriers Lifestyle Owner Operators

Third Party Logistics Disadvantages

Businesses that operate across multiple different locations are familiar with the need for a logistical infrastructure: ensuring different facilities have the different products they need, when they need them. While some companies organize their own logistical needs, others outsource these tasks to third party logistics (3PL) companies. Such a decision is not without its disadvantages.
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3PL Basics

3PL companies follow the economic principle of specialization by building up logistical infrastructures, methodologies and computer based algorithms to maximize shipping efficiency, then offer this expertise to businesses. These companies sell their services by saying that they cut a company’s logistical costs. These rates can be especially attractive to smaller businesses. This is because 3PL firms have an economy of scale in logistical support. Adding another customer to their shipping routes costs them much less than it would cost the smaller business to build its own logistical infrastructure.

The economy of scale such logistical firms have from the amount of shipping support they already do means that their rates can be especially attractive to smaller businesses, for whom investing in developing their own logistical infrastructure would represent a very sizable investment.

Lack of Direct Oversight

One of the downsides of using 3PL services is that the client businesses have no direct control over their operation. They are relying on the 3PL company to consistently come through in delivering the promised services. This lack of direct control means that client companies are at the mercy of any problems the 3PL company faces. Beyond the possible loss of business, the damage that results from 3PL services failing to deliver certain products on time are the client company’s problem, not the 3PL service’s.

Pricing Models

3PL services promote their service as the most cost efficient way to get logistics done. While this may be true, contracting with such a service means that the company is locked into the pricing model specified in the business agreement. By handing logistics over to a 3PL service, companies are forgoing the possibility that an in-house logistics department could figure out a cheaper and more efficient solution.

Dependency

Handing over logistics to a 3PL service is a large commitment. Businesses need a reliable structure to function. Logistical downtime can translate into large amounts of lost productivity and revenue. Consequently, while the free market dictates that a business which is dissatisfied with its 3PL service could always find another, or develop its own logistical infrastructure, the reality is not so simple. Switching the nature of a company’s logistical support can cost the company a great deal in unforeseen costs resulting from the transition. When businesses contract with 3PL services it creates a dependency which is no small matter to change. This dependency puts the client company in uncomfortable situations if pricing schemes or service reliability from the 3PL service is not working out as expected.

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Carriers Lifestyle Owner Operators

Trucking Job After Being Fired

Being fired from your current job is disappointing and often a blow to your ego and sense of self-worth. Getting a job after being fired can be especially difficult since most employers ask why you are no longer with the last company you worked for. While it may seem impossible to obtain work after being fired, it’s not if you learn how to get a trucking job after being fired.

Obtain your license. Complete a training course that prepares you to get your commercial driver’s license (CDL) since this license is a requirement for all trucking jobs in the United States. Take the written and practical exams at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after completing the course. Pass a medical exam and receive your CDL license.

Seek out references. Find people willing to serve as references who can attest to your work experience and personal character. Ask old employers prior to the one who fired you, or look for business owners or leaders of civic groups you’ve worked with who can serve as references. Don’t use family members or close friends, though.

Volunteer to gain experience. Contact local nonprofit organizations in your community to see if they have a need for volunteers with a CDL. For example, food banks often need truck drivers to transport food in large trucks from a warehouse to a soup kitchen or distribution center while other groups need volunteers to drive around a large truck or trailer to collect donations from people in the community. Volunteering with your CDL gives you the opportunity to get experience as well as gain positive references if you do a good job.

Search for open positions. Look online at popular websites such as Career Builder and Monster for open trucking jobs. Check the career section of major trucking companies that transport goods in your community or across the U.S. such as J.B. Hunt, Swift and CR England. Submit an application or your resume to be considered for the job. Network with local farmers, transportation companies and manufacturing companies since they often have trucking jobs available.

Be honest about your past. Tell the truth about your last job when interviewing for a trucking job. If they ask why you left, explain that you were terminated. Your reason for leaving can easily be checked, and if caught lying you surely won’t get the job. When you do talk about your past job, be positive and admit to the mistakes you made which led to you getting fired. Discuss what steps you’ve taken to learn from these mistakes and ensure they won’t happen again.

Start your own company. If you can’t find a trucking job, you always have the option of starting your own trucking company. While this requires start-up funds along with purchasing at least one truck to use in your company, the potential to earn more than just a salary exists if you can grow and expand the business by taking on more clients and transportation jobs. Plus, you don’t have to explain to anyone why you got fired.

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Carriers Owner Operators Trucker News

What Is a Bob Tail Truck?

A bobtail truck refers to a semi truck without a trailer attached. This is a general term for a truck that is used to transport cargo.

Cargo

A bobtail truck may carry bulk liquid, pressurized gas, vehicles, valuables, cash, concrete, livestock, logs and many other things that need a powerful engine to haul. Truck drivers choose which items they are willing and not willing to haul. Refrigerated bobtail trucks are specifically designed to keep cargo at a cool temperature for transporting food and other temperature-sensitive items.

Jobs

Certain jobs, like logging and construction jobs, require drivers to travel narrow mountain roads. In a large bobtail truck, this can become very difficult and even life threatening under certain conditions. Other truck drivers, such as tow truck drivers, work hard hours and stay on call all day and night. They never know when someone will need to be towed from an accident scene or pulled out of a ditch. Any of these extreme conditions may provoke a bobtail truck driver to refuse certain jobs or cargo.

Driver Responsibilities

Drivers for these heavy duty vehicles must have a separate truck driver’s license in order to get behind the wheel of a bobtail truck. In addition to the driver’s license, truckers must maintain and operate this big rig. This includes loading and unloading, keeping a log book with trip details, navigating hazardous roads and performing weight calculations.

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CDL Owner Operators

Penalty for Driving Uninsured

Every state except New Hampshire requires drivers to carry automobile insurance, but this does not mean every driver does. According to the Insurance Information Institute, all states have a percentage of uninsured motorists among their drivers, from New Mexico’s high of 29 percent to Massachusetts’ low of 1 percent. To put teeth into the law, most states have imposed penalties for driving without insurance, as have many countries around the world.

Reasons
As unemployment rises, so does the rate of uninsured motorists. Most people who drive without insurance do so for financial reasons. In an economic crisis, more people can be expected to get rid of their insurance payments by getting rid of their car insurance. Other drivers believe that they do not need insurance because they have never had an accident. Still others cannot get insurance because of their past driving record or immigration status.

Monetary Penalties
Many states and foreign governments punish uninsured motorists by imposing fines. In the United States, fines can range as high as $5,000 for a repeat offender, with the specific dollar amount varying from state to state. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, large fines for first-time offenders is the best way to enforce insurance requirements.

License or Registration Suspension
Many jurisdiction impose additional penalties for driving without insurance, including taking points from a driver’s license, suspending the driver’s license, suspending the uninsured’s vehicle registration and/or impounding the vehicle.

Jail
Some drivers can be jailed for repeatedly not carrying car insurance.
Driving without insurance can send you to jail. While no state mandates jail time for a first offense, many give the court the option of jail time for repeat offenders. However, while high fines were found to be an effective deterrent, jail time for noncompliance was not. This is probably because motorists do not believe that the penalty will be enforced.

Other Penalties
A relatively new penalty imposed on uninsured motorists is depriving them of the right to sue for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering. These so-called “no pay, no play” laws have been proposed in more than 20 states, and enacted in eight, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

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