Blog

Fuel costs can make up a significant portion of a fleet's operating budget. In fact, fuel costs usually account for a substantial percentage of a fleet's overall expenses. According to the 2024 National Private Truck Council (NPTC) Benchmarking Survey Report, fuel costs were rated as the 6th leading challenge by fleets. This indicates that fuel costs continue to be a significant concern for fleet operators, emphasizing the importance of finding effective strategies to manage and reduce fuel expenses....

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Toll roads have a long history, but in recent years, they have gone through significant and rapid changes. The primary purpose of toll roads is to facilitate the rapid and efficient transportation of a significant volume of people and goods. However, their construction and maintenance costs are substantial, requiring charges for travelers before they can utilize the road. The revenue generated from these tolls is then utilized for road repairs and enhancements. According to World Population Review, the following 15 out of 50 states do not have toll roads and currently have no plans to build them in 2024: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming....

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Driver wellness is critical for any fleet. Maintaining the health and well-being of drivers not only benefits them personally but also has positive impacts on the business and boosts customer satisfaction. It's encouraging to see the growing adoption of wellness programs within fleets has increased over the years. According to the NPTC Benchmarking Survey Report, 74% of surveyed fleets had a wellness program in 2023, up from 63% in 2015....

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Brake Safety Week has been announced for the week of August 25th – 31st. Is your fleet prepared? Starting August 25th, CVSA-certified inspectors across North America will conduct inspections focusing on brake systems and components for Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Brake Safety Week. More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998....

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The price of diesel has been on the decline in May, but it is still well above pre-pandemic norms. The substantial value of diesel relative to 2021 has led to an alarming increase in fuel card fraud. For trucking companies that are already operating on narrow profit margins, fuel fraud can be a devastating financial blow....

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Operation Safe Driver Week has been announced for July 7-13th by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The focus area for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is reckless, careless or dangerous driving....

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Mark your calendar, as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck has been announced for May 14th to May 16th. The International Roadcheck is a rigorous initiative focused on inspecting and enforcing regulatory compliance for commercial motor vehicles. Is your fleet ready for the challenge? This high-visibility operation spans three days and includes inspections in Canada, Mexico, and the United States to ensure compliance with regulations and safety in all three countries....

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It’s no longer a question of “should a company outsource their fleet needs”. Many companies already outsource and it’s becoming more attractive every year. According to the 2023 National Private Truck Council Industry Benchmark Report, 49% of the Class 8 vehicle population is leased, while 51% is owned....

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Millions of truck drivers across the country spend up to 11 hours a day transporting freight and delivering goods. With 72.6% of the nation’s freight transported by trucks, truck drivers hold a vital job, moving $940.8 billion in gross freight revenue last year, and paying $29.12 billion in federal and state fuel taxes. The trucking industry is crucial to our economy. Without truck drivers, the flow of goods across the country would be impossible. Yet, we find ourselves amidst a shortage....

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This year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, (CVSA), Brake Safety Week has been announced for August 20th-26th, with a focus on brake lining/pad violations. “The focus of this year’s Brake Safety Week is on the condition of the brake lining and pad,” said CVSA President Maj. Chris Nordloh with the Texas Department of Public Safety. “Brake lining pad issues may result in vehicle violations and could affect a motor carrier’s safety rating.” During Brake Safety Week, CVSA-certified inspectors throughout North America will conduct their usual inspections, in addition to reporting brake-related inspection and violation data to the CVSA....

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The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced the dates for the annual Operation Safe Driver Week. This year, from July 9th-15th, law enforcement officers throughout North America will be looking out for commercial motor vehicle drivers that are engaging in unsafe driving behavior....

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The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck will be conducted from May 16-18th with an emphasis on Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) and Cargo Securement. The International Roadcheck is the largest annual commercial vehicle safety event in North America. During this year's International Roadcheck, more than 18,000 vehicles will be inspected at 1,000 locations across the country. The event also helps ensure that drivers are getting the training they need by checking their licenses, permits, registrations and compliance with hours-of-service regulations....

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As new truck drivers enter the industry, it is critical they understand what their responsibilities are before and after every trip they make. In addition to the pre-trip inspection, drivers must record their odometer at the beginning and the end of a trip, as well as any fuel they put into the vehicle. These data points should be recorded and eventually compiled to complete your company’s fuel taxation paperwork for all the states they drive in. Here some tips to consider if you are a new truck driver having to report on your trips and fuel:...

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This year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Brake Safety Week is quickly approaching. From August 21st to 27th, inspectors will conduct North American Standard Level I and V Inspections on commercial motor vehicles throughout North America. The focus of this year’s Brake Safety Week is on brake hose/tubing chafing violations. In order to prepare, here’s what you need to know....

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Parts shortages, inflation, labor shortages, fuel prices, and now rising interest rates have all contributed to creating the perfect storm for all of us working in the supply chain. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, no one could have imagined the onslaught of challenges the industry would face and continue to face. But here we are....

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The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week has been announced for July 10th-16th, 2022. Law enforcement will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicles adhering to risky driving behavior. Unsafe drivers will be pulled over and cited or given a warning....

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With an average of 300 billion miles logged every year, Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers must pass stringent skills and knowledge testing by the State governments responsible for issuing Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs). Once a CDL is obtained, a driver must continue to maintain it. A serious traffic violation can affect a CDL holder’s ability to maintain their CDL certification, in addition to disruption of business operations. Nonetheless, Commercial Driving remains a lucrative and in-demand occupation....

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The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck is scheduled for May 17-19th. With the date quickly approaching are your drivers prepared? The CVSA International Roadcheck is one of the world’s largest target enforced programs for commercial motor vehicles. On average, nearly 15 trucks or buses are inspected every minute during this event. This year’s CVSA International Roadcheck will have an emphasis on wheel ends, which include wheels, tires, rims and hubs....

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Summer is here and construction is in full swing, from road construction to new building construction and everything in between. It is important to pay attention and stay safe while traveling through work zones for both you and the crew working these jobs. Protect workers in constructions zones by giving workers extra room, slow down, and be prepared to stop. Avoid all distractions including but not limited to cellphones, CB radio, eating, drinking, GPS, chatting with passengers or playing with the radio. Keep your eyes on the road and be alert to work zone signage and work zone crews. According to Work Zone Safety, 115,000 total crashes happened in work zones in 2019, and 22,000 crashes in work zones were truck-involved....

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As summer is passing and fall is around the corner, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Brake Safety Week is quickly approaching. Brake Safety Week is set for the week of August 22-28. In order to help your fleet and drivers prepare, here’s what you should know first: During Brake Safety Week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America inform motor carriers about the importance of proper brake maintenance and the risks of receiving brake system violations. The CVSA will conduct North American Standard Inspections focusing on brake systems and components with particular attention to hoses/tubing of commercial vehicles identifying vehicles with violations. If any vehicle inspected has a violation identified as an Out-of-Service brake violation, it will be removed off the road until the violation is corrected....

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Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck is quickly approaching. CVSA International Roadcheck will have an emphasis on lighting and hours of service. Are your fleet and drivers prepared?...

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Brake Safety Week is coming up. To help your fleet prepare, here are a few points on brake system safety. Starting August 23rd, law enforcement agencies across North America will be conducting focused Brake System Inspections for Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Brake Safety Week....

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Is tire management a surprise in the transportation industry? Unfortunately, some fleets have a reactive, rather than proactive, approach when it comes to their tires. Their focus is on their core business, until they find themselves on the side of the road deflated with a breakdown. With the cost of tires being around $0.035 to $0.04 per mile, tire management is a must! And the five major components of an effective Tire Management Program are tire analytics, selection of a tire vendor, tire standardization, tire maintenance, and management of the casing program....

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As we enter into summer, it is time to prepare for the CVSA International Roadchecks being held June 4th - 6th that is if you have not already been busy preparing your fleet. According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the roadside inspection program will inspect 17 commercial vehicles a minute over the 72-hour period across North America, which will equate to over 73,000 commercial vehicles. Will your truck be one of them? This international roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world and covers the United States, Canada, and Mexico....

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Before a PACCAR MX engine is put to work in a customer truck, the design has gone through countless hours of testing to ensure quality, performance and a best-in-class service life....

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It’s one of those things that you think to yourself “it’ll never happen to us,” and when it does, it causes all sorts of headaches. Properly securing your trailer’s load, whether it’s a dry van, reefer or flatbed, is a bigger issue than most people think....

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The longest days of the year are here. And so are the toughest driving conditions – brought to you by inclement and below freezing weather. Are your drivers and trucks ready for the elements? Here are my top tips to keep your drivers and trucks running safely....

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What are all the trade actions taken by the Trump administration and our trading partners, and how will they impact the heavy-duty truck industry?...

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When it comes to companies that lease trucks, the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) have been that those “operational” leases effectively received off-balance sheet treatment. That’s about to change. New standards unveiled by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) will soon require that all leases — financed and operational — with terms longer than 12 months be reported on a company’s balance sheet....

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If you’re reading the trade journals – even newspapers – you’re no doubt noticing articles about the infrastructure. What will happen? And, what about toll roads -- will they be privatized? What does this mean for the transportation industry?...

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With all the changes in truck technology, there is data coming in from virtually every angle. How do you make sense of it all and how can you put the information to work for you?...

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There was a time when you weren’t a real truck driver unless you manually shifted gears. Well, times are changing, and drivers and fleets are embracing automated transmissions more willingly than ever before....

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While Chevy Volt and Tesla Model S and Model X series electric cars have become more commonplace on the roads, what about the big rigs? What’s the future with electric trucks? They’re coming too…but it will be several years as technology is tested, re-tested, and proven in fleet evaluations....

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