Fuel is the single largest variable cost for most fleets and typically accounts for between 20% and 30% of total operating expenses. And right now, it’s a cost that’s moving sharply in the wrong direction for bottom lines. Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March 2026, diesel has surged from $3.76 per gallon at the end of February to $5.45 as of April 1
The Department of Transportation has been moving fast on commercial driver’s license reform since September 2025, and carriers that haven’t been preparing are at risk of getting caught flat-footed. When the FMCSA issued its emergency interim final rule last fall, the agency justified it as an urgent safety measure. Courts then paused it. Now, after reviewing thousands of public comments, the FMCSA has issued a formal
Ever remember hearing, “If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?” It’s a drastic example, sure. But it was always about the same thing: avoiding the pitfalls of following the crowd when the consequences could be serious. What does that phrase have to do with running a fleet? More than you’d think. Popular AI dash cam and telematics
As 2026 gets underway, the less-than-truckload (LTL) sector is cautiously optimistic after a disappointing 2025. Industry leaders are pointing to signs of a potential rebound, including declining interest rates, improving consumer sentiment, and tightening truckload capacity that typically pushes smaller shipments back into LTL networks. However, the timing remains hazy. The sector shares the mildly
A year ago, we made five predictions about where the trucking industry was headed in 2025. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, let’s see how they played out. 1. Market recovery without a boom. Verdict: ❌ As it turns out, even our tempered expectations were too optimistic. The anticipated rebound hasn’t materialized. Overcapacity remains stubbornly persistent, and freight volumes have stayed soft throughout the year. The sector continues what analysts describe as
Coming into 2025, there was widespread expectation that the freight market would finally turn a corner. Instead, uncertainty has reigned supreme. Would-be turnarounds in rates and volumes have been brief false starts, leaving the trucking industry to wonder whether we are approaching an uncomfortable new reality where stagnation becomes the default state. As 2025 winds down, several prominent topics have grabbed attention, from regulatory crackdowns to long-awaited policy changes.
November is here; the jack-o-lanterns and costumes have been put away. Soon it’ll be time to defrost Mariah Carey and Jimmy Stewart for their December classics and debate whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie. That also means that it’s gift-giving season, and if you’re reading this, there’s probably a professional driver on your list.
During the freight recession that’s plagued the trucking industry since April 2022, a huge problem has been excess capacity. The number of for-hire carriers in the market has grown precipitously over the last several years, with a massive increase in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. According to SONAR data, the total number of
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial drivers officially took effect on June 25, but enforcement has been anything but consistent. Carriers now face a confusing patchwork of state-level approaches, uncertain inspection standards, and evolving federal guidance. If your drivers aren’t prepared, those inconsistencies can lead
There was a time when dash cameras were optional for fleets. If operations were running safely, cameras weren’t absolutely necessary. Those days are over. Dash cams and video telematics are now essential tools for modern fleets. They reduce risk, cut insurance costs, improve driver behavior, and protect carriers from costly litigation. The hardware and software