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The FMCSA is holding a roundtable to discuss, “property broker’s and freight forwarder’s ability to meet their payment obligations to carriers,” as CCJDigital.com reports. This is a big issue. Freight brokers are a dime a dozen. When I talk with perspective customers about utilizing our carrier/brokerage services I am frequently met by outward hostility. And it’s […]

The Marlboro Man, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, the star quarterback, the ace pitcher…we men have these idols; guys who stand alone – seemingly – and save the team, rescue the woman, solve the problem. And we think that if we admit to a problem; a problem within ourselves, we’ll be perceived as

I applaud acting FMCSA Administrator T. F. Scott Darling, III and his ride-along. I have been critical of many of the FMCSA’s actions over the history of this blog. But there is simply nothing to fault for his actions here. Darling went out on the road with an owner-operator, Leo Wilkins, to see how FMCSA’s

Philosophy is so interesting to me. I love the various philosophical or metaphysical laws and try to live by them. When I think of changes that I want to make, I try to remember that I cannot control all the variables that will affect change and thus, according to the Law of Unintended Consequences, I

Various groups in the trucking world are clamoring for and against greater length and/or weight capacity allowances from the DOT and the federal government. It’s probably obvious, that most shipper would want greater capacities. If they can ship more goods for roughly the same prices, it’s a win for them. But the carriers straddle the line. Currently

Disc brakes stop vehicles shorter. Unfortunately, however, their wear life is also shorter. They are also more expensive… Continuing with the theme from Wednesday, we’re surprised when a passenger car does not have them. Yet despite that roughly 80% of new class 8 trucks rolling off manufacturers’ assembly lines do not have this safety feature.

Back in the 60’s, Chevy’s “350” (350 cubic inch or 5.7L displacement V-8) engine was one of the most common engines on the market. During the 1970’s fuel crunch, Chevy’s venerable V-8 netted only 145 HP. Today Chevy makes a 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 cylinder engine that makes 250 horsepower. Around 1995 the gas prices started

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance annual International Roadcheck (June 7-9) will focus on tire safety this year. Tires are an under-appreciated part of any vehicle’s safety profile. Back 2007 Tirerack.com tested the same vehicle with different tires (tires with differing tread-life remaining on the tires). They tested tires with 10/32” of tread (new), 4/32”, and 2/32”. They

While ELDs are controversial at best, here’s some tech that isn’t necessarily cheap but will be effective; autonomous-braking. Jason Cannon has an article at CCJdigital.com highlighting the technology. He indicates that according to, “[a] study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute…automatic emergency braking (AEB) could decrease truck fatalities by between 44-47 percent…” While I

Todd Dills has an interesting column (Overdrive.com) and link to short film by Mel Films on the Japanese “Dekotora” culture, which is basically the Japanese equivalent of American custom rigs. If you combine American customization with the flash and glamor and lights of Tokyo end up with Dekotora. Be sure to check it out and thanks