Small fleets

On Thursday, self-driving trucking company Kodiak Robotics and Pilot Co. opened their first truckport for autonomous vehicles at the Pilot Travel Center in Villa Rica, Georgia. According to the news release, the truckport will be used by Kodiak to launch and land its autonomous trucks and serve as a hub for drivers to pick and drop off loads for first- and last-mile deliveries.

“In an era where financial empowerment can impact the success of companies and the livelihood of small business owners, we’re making sure the trucking community can take advantage,” says OTR CEO Fritz Owens.

“Trucking as a business is not about what you make, it’s about what you don’t spend,” industry expert Adam Wingfield said at FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.

Fuel costs are a huge cost component of operating a trucking business. Small operators are at a significant disadvantage in the current market thanks not only to declining demand but fuel price volatility.

Trucking officials talk about survival lessons they’ve learned from previous freight recessions.

The co-founder and CEO of freight dispatch provider SmartHop, Guillermo Garcia, explains why he wants every small trucking company to thrive.

“First, have no fear. Secondly, believe in yourself. Lastly, know your costs more than anyone else. When you have those things, you have the best chance for success,” said the president of Bottomley Enterprises.

Werner’s senior vice president discusses how technology impacts brokers and truck drivers during FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.

Nolan Transportation’s Drew Herpich offers advice on how small carriers can best navigate the evolving business landscape.

Equipment price inflation not only inhibits capacity growth it carries consequences well into the future.

Some of the larger TMS providers cost four times what EKA charges and without as many features.

Iron Truck Services aims to give smaller fleets affordable access to services such as insurance, equipment maintenance, fuel purchasing, truck sales and rentals.

Big Benefits for Small Fleets: The CarrierHQ Difference

A former owner-operator and J and R Transfer’s Josue Ramos discuss challenges with shifting freight volumes, hard times and what they wish they had known before becoming an owner-operator.

Trucker Tools’ CEO and a Schneider expert chat about how the COVID-19 pandemic has made brokers, shippers and the public more aware of the value that owner-operators bring to the freight industry.

Owner-Operator Fast Facts

SmartHop is more than just a freight dispatch; its “business-in-a-box” tools distinguish it as a comprehensive solution for over-the-road-trucking.

The technology needs to be modular, meaning you can pick and choose how you want to instrument your fleet.

Pilot Flying J is targeting small trucking fleets with a new fueling network aligned with brands like Marathon Oil’s Speedway commercial fueling locations. It expects to have 250 outlets by the end of 2020.

Among the resistant 30%, reasons to avoid dash cams range from protecting driver privacy to the fear of driver turnover.

Smaller carriers are snatching up the big carrier’s excess truck supply, even in a softer year. The reason is not obvious.

Brought to you by EROAD… FMCSA says no transition period, but carriers are waiting until the last minute.

The FreightWaves Freight Intel Group is producing research culled from FreightWaves SONAR and other sources. Read about its first several research papers and how to learn more.

Merge Transit is a spot market agency that helps owner-operators and small fleets reduce inefficiencies in their business, and looks to automate the process of dispatching.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …Regular budget forecasting can help businesses better manage their cash flow and help identify potential revenue problems.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …When owner-operators and small fleets make the decision to expand their businesses by adding trucks and people, they often turn to the online payroll systems to pay them.

There are technology solutions out there for the smaller carriers, but they may be expensive or not designed for the littler guys.

With less than two months left before the ELD mandate goes into effect, statistics coming from ground zero on the compliance of carriers to the proposed rule are far from satisfactory.