Tag: Truck Driver Jobs

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Freight Loads Trucker News

Delivery Jobs That Pay Per Mile

Many people who do delivery jobs get paid for their work based not on how much time it takes them, but on how many miles they travel. This helps to provide a wage that is related to the amount of useful work the deliverer does, as well as the amount of wear and tear on the delivery vehicle, which the deliverer often owns and must maintain.

OTR Truckers

OTR stands for “over the road,” and refers to long-haul truckers who deliver between cities, usually in large tractor-trailers. Many of these truckers own their own vehicles and work as sub-contractors for contractors who need materials moved.

Truckers who are paid by the mile submit a bid to the company for the work. They try to bid low enough to get the job, yet high enough to make some money. The amount per mile that OTR truckers make can vary widely, from 25 cents to a dollar per mile, depending on the size of the load, the distance that it needs to be taken, and sometimes other factors, such as whether it is hazardous material.

Delivery Drivers

Delivery drivers of all kinds exist in large cities, where thousands of different items need to change hands every day. Some delivery drivers work for a fixed hourly wage, while others are paid by the mile. Some work for a wage, but also get a mile-based stipend that covers the cost of wear and tear and fuel for their vehicles.

City driving is far harder on a vehicle than OTR driving, because of the frequent starting and stopping. So, the reimbursement for vehicle degradation is an important part of a delivery driver’s pay. If a driver does this work for any length of time, his vehicle will very quickly begin to show its age.

Couriers

Couriers are similar to delivery drivers, but often deliver only information or papers, often of a nature that requires very quick delivery. Some urban couriers work in cars, others on scooters, and others on bicycles. Bicycle couriers are effective in large cities because they can bypass the automotive gridlock that slows traffic. Couriers may be paid by the mile directly, or indirectly in the form of sector-based rates: the more sectors a courier is required to pass through, the higher the pay for the delivery.

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Lifestyle Trucker News

How to Repair a Truck Tarp

You can repair a worn and torn truck tarp to secure and protect your load while in transit. Truck tarps are available in a wide variety of sizes and designs to fit the beds of large and small trucks. The majority of truck tarps are made of a woven canvas or plastic polymer blend that is lightweight and durable. Extensive exposure to high speed winds may cause damage to the connection system or the truck tarp itself.

Instructions

1

Trim the frayed edges of any torn sections of the truck tarp so they are clean and flat.
2

Hold torn edges together and apply a strip of tarp tape that is four inches longer than the tear to both sides of the truck tarp damage. Press the tarp tape to the truck tarp surface so it completely adheres.
3

Punch new holes in the edges of the tarp with the grommet tool in an undamaged location near where other grommets have failed. Crimp a new grommet onto the newly created hole using the grommet tool.
4

Secure the repaired tarp by hooking a few bungee cords into the newly placed grommets and attaching them to the truck bed.
5

Look in the rear view mirror to see the way the truck tarp is moving at high speeds. Add more bungee cords to secure the tarp down onto the load so snugly that it barely moves to avoid further damage.

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Lifestyle Trucker News

How to Start a Transportation Company

Transportation companies transport goods or people via taxis, shuttles, ferries, limousines, buses or freight companies. If you’re interested in starting a transportation company, you will first need to define a structure for your business. Start with a business plan to help you identify a need and any competition.

Define your business. Freight companies move vehicles across the nation and overseas for commercial and individual clients, such as car dealers who may need to move a handful of cars to another locale or individuals whose jobs have moved them across the country. A freight company will have significantly higher start-up costs, insurance needs and manpower. Local transport companies may service hotels, restaurants, schools, and tourists. A school bus service may charter kids to school. Another option is to start a moving company for residents moving within the local area.

Get licensed, insured and registered. Select a relevant name for your business that includes the type of service you provide and then register your business and purchase liability insurance. Obtain the required license for your company. For example, if your company will include buses, trucks or vehicles designed to carry more than 16 people, you will need a commercial driving license. If operating a school bus company, contact your local motor vehicle department to learn the requirements for procuring a school bus driver’s license. Additionally, companies that move passengers or cargo across state lines may be required to obtain a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number.

Find a location for your business. A taxi or shuttle service should be situated near hotels, airports or downtown. If operating a school bus service or freight company, look to move into an old warehouse to eliminate construction costs and zoning concerns.

Procure your commercial vehicles. Find reliable mechanics who are skilled on your particular makes and models. When first starting, you may have a small fleet, which means that anytime a vehicle breaks down, you are literally losing money. Quick repairs are imperative. Purchase commercial auto insurance for your vehicles. Hire trained and licensed drivers with clean records. Purchase workers’ compensation for your employees.

Procure a website for your transport business. Then invest in reservation software that can help you organize and track your reservations. Look for software that can integrate with your site and will provide your customers with accurate quotes, assign staff and vehicles, and display trip routes, cancellations, baggage options, freight handling and accommodations. On your site, detail policies for pets, cancellations and reservations. Hire a dispatcher or receptionist to take calls.

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Business Lifestyle

Trucking jobs added

The surge in trucking employment came to an abrupt end in May as the industry added a mere 100 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the preliminary estimates released June 3, by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Through April, payroll employment in trucking for the year had risen by 18,000. BLS did revise its initial April estimate upward by 1,100, however. Compared to May 2010, payroll employment in trucking is up 3.2 percent.

The overall economy put the brakes on hiring as well. While the nation added 232,000 nonfarm jobs in April, it mustered only 54,000 net new jobs in May. The unemployment rate ticked up a tenth to 9.1.

Total employment in trucking in April was just over 1.274 million – down 179,100, or 12.3 percent, from peak trucking employment in January 2007. The BLS numbers reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.

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Trucker News

Trucking adds 4,500 jobs

Trucking companies hired 4,500 workers as part of 244,000 nonfarm jobs added on a seasonally adjusted basis during April, according to the preliminary estimates released May 6 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition, BLS revised its original estimate for March upward by 1,200 jobs. Compared to April 2010, the number of jobs in for-hire trucking was up 41,600, or 3.4 percent.

Total employment in trucking in April was more than 1.27 million – down 180,300, or 12.4 percent, from peak trucking employment in January 2007. The BLS numbers reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet. Nor do the numbers reflect the total amount of hiring since they only include new jobs, not replacements for existing positions.

Although the economy added 244,000 jobs in April, the unemployment actually rose slightly to 9 percent as workers entered or reentered the job market at a faster rate than the number of jobs being created.

Good news

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Trucker News

Safety belt usage

The job of the seatbelt is to hold the passenger in place so the passenger is almost part of the car which prevents the passenger from flying forward as the car stops abruptly in the case of a collision.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on May 2 announced that newly released data show 78 percent of commercial truck and bus drivers wore safety belts while operating behind the wheel in 2010, compared to 74 percent in 2009.

safety belt

According to FMCSA’s Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Survey, the number of commercial drivers who are wearing safety belts has increased by 14 percent since 2007. The 2010 survey observed 26,830 commercial drivers operating medium- to heavy-duty trucks and buses at 998 roadside sites nationwide.

The survey found that safety belt use for commercial drivers and their occupants was higher, 80 percent, in states where law enforcement may stop drivers for not wearing a safety belt, versus 72 percent in states with weaker secondary enforcement belt use laws.

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Trucker News

Trailer orders rise

When we think of the importance of trailers in the society, we might be surprised to find out that the list could be particularly surprising. This equipment had proven its worth to many people. Trailers like the Aluminum Pickup Flat-beds, Aluminum Utility, ATV and Snowmobile Trailers, Car Haulers, Dump Trailers, Enclosed Cargo Trailers, Equipment Trailers, Steel Pickup Flat-beds, Steel Utility Trailers, and the Stock and Horse Trailers are all essential. They are necessary equipments used in business, transportation, leisure activities and family outings. Net commercial trailer orders in March rose 21 percent from February, while shipments increased 33 percent, ACT Research Co. said. ACT noted that shipments for the first quarter of 2011 were more than double compared with the same quarter last year. The company’s State of the Industry: U.S. Trailers reported that all trailer categories are showing substantial improvement compared with the previous year, led by the dry van segment with shipments up 198 percent for the year.
Trailers
“Net orders have now grown for 18 consecutive months, as well as 19 of the past 20,” said Frank Maly, director CV Transportation Analysis and Research at ACT Research. “Total trailer net orders are now 98 percent above the level at this time last year. Shipments, up 109% year-to-date, are growing at an even stronger pace. Additionally, backlogs continue to grow. The stage is set for solid industry performance for the remainder of 2011 and throughout 2012.”

Since there are so many kinds of trailers that are available today, one should determine their purpose why they need to purchase a trailer. Trailers are an indispensable part of human lives. They help us carry or toll those heavy things that we need for business or personal needs.

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Trucker News

Truck posts smaller 1Q net loss

USA Truck on Thursday, April 21, announced base revenue of $99.7 million for the first quarter ended March 31, an increase of 11.7 percent from $89.2 million for the same quarter of 2010. The company incurred a net loss of $2.7 million compared to a net loss of $3.0 million.

“While we made substantial strategic progress during the quarter, our advances were almost entirely offset by exogenous factors,” said Cliff Beckham, president and chief executive officer of Van Buren, Ark.-based USA Truck. “We posted healthy revenue growth, particularly in our SCS and Intermodal service offerings, and we improved our earnings per share through continued execution of our VEVA (Vision for Economic Value Added) strategic plan. However, rising fuel prices, unusually harsh winter weather, increased government regulation and a tightening market for drivers combined to significantly and adversely impact our results.”

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Lifestyle

Oklahoma truck stop planned to fight prostitution

A judge has ruled an Oklahoma City truck stop owner must take new measures to deter the world’s oldest profession. On April 7, Judge Bryan Dixon of the District Court of Oklahoma County ruled in favor of city officials against Five Star Truck Stop. City representatives sought relief through the court after more than a year of negotiations with the business failed to resolve the soliciting issue, according to Master Sgt. Gary Knight. The judge ordered the business to fix and maintain fencing to completely separate the Five Star property from adjacent motels.

The property’s video camera capabilities must be improved and the owner has to buy and monitor video equipment that provides continuous parking lot surveillance. The owner must also provide copies of video surveillance data in usable form to police if requested.
The judge also has stipulated the truck stop must:
• Increase lighting.
• Post and maintain no trespassing or soliciting signs in conspicuous locations.
• Hire Council on Law Enforcement, Education and Training certified guards who can take prostitutes into custody and who are armed during certain hours.

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Lifestyle

TWIC program under fire

The U.S. House transportation committee blasted the Transportation Security Administration for delays in approving TWIC readers.

Meanwhile, Congress is considering legislation to address renewal deadlines for TWIC holders.

The TSA is still conducting the pilot program for readers to verify the Transportation Worker Identification Credentials’ biometric identifiers, Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) said. “Without any readers, TWIC is about as useful as a library card,” he said.

TSA Administrator John Pistole and TWIC Program Manager John Schwartz were scheduled as hearing witnesses, but did not attend or submit written testimony. The Department of Homeland Security said the TSA hasn’t testified before the committee since 2008, but reports to 108 other congressional committees and subcommittees.

“According to the House’s own rules, Congressional oversight jurisdiction over DHS functions relating to transportation security resides with the House Homeland Security Committee,” the department responded.

Mica said he would continue inquiries about full deployment of the $420 million TWIC program. The TSA has estimated TWIC could cost taxpayers and the private sector up to $3.2 billion over a 10-year period.