Stories from the road & the freight market
Trucking essentials for owner-operators and carriers, industry news that affects your rates, and the latest from Doft — with fresh stories published every week.
Trucking EssentialsELD Crackdowns Are Cutting Hours: How to Maximize Your Available Time
FMCSA enforcement is tightening. Stricter ELD compliance is reducing productive hours for many owner-ops. Here's how to work smarter within the rules.
Trucking EssentialsUS-Mexico Freight Boom: How Owner-Ops Can Capitalize on Export Surge
Driver shortages and surging exports are reshaping the cross-border freight market. Here's how owner-operators can position themselves to capture higher rates and consistent loads.
Trucking EssentialsBroker Safety Ratings vs. Real-World Reliability: What Owner-Ops Should Actually Check
FMCSA safety data is flawed—and brokers know it. Here's what to verify before you book a load or sign a contract.
Trucking EssentialsCapacity Keeps Shrinking: Why August Freight Slump Doesn't Mean Lower Rates
Volume is down, but available trucks are down faster. Here's why tight capacity keeps rates elevated even as freight volume softens.
Trucking EssentialsMonday Freight Slump: Why Volume Crashes and How to Survive It
Freight Mondays are notoriously slow. Here's what's really happening in the market—and how owner-ops can stay profitable when loads dry up.
Trucking EssentialsFuel Credit Cards vs. Factoring: Which Saves You More Money in 2026
Fuel credit cards and factoring both promise cash flow relief, but they work differently—and one may cost you thousands more per year. Here's how to choose.
Industry NewsIntermodal Shift: Why Truckload Rates Stay High While Freight Moves by Rail
Freight is moving, but not always by truck. Understanding the intermodal shift explains why capacity stays tight and rates hold firm even when volume softens.
Trucking EssentialsDeadheading in a Tight Market: When Empty Miles Cost More Than Freight
Capacity is scarce, rates are high, but so are your odds of rolling empty. Here's how to calculate deadhead risk and use loadboard data to minimize it.
Trucking EssentialsELD Self-Certification Loopholes: What Owners Need to Know Before Compliance Deadlines Hit
Five ELDs were just revoked for compliance failures. But the real risk isn't the banned devices—it's the self-certification gap that let them slip through. Here's what that means for your operation.
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