Freight Contracts: If your business ships large amounts of products over a wide geographic area, you’ll need to rely on transportation that goes above and beyond parcel delivery. A contract with a freight carrier is a necessity if you plan to get products to your customers in a timely and…
Truck Insurance: Some drivers may consider leasing a vehicle instead of purchasing. Although you do not take ownership of a leased vehicle (unless you decide to purchase it at the end of the lease period), you are still responsible for obtaining and paying for insurance coverage. According to the Federal…
Truckers Terminology: Many groups around the world have a special language – a way to communicate that only their members understand. The trucking industry is no different. Although it may sound funny to the average person, driving an ‘18 wheeler’ or a ‘rig’ are everyday activities in the world of…
[box type=”shadow”]Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious problem and an occupational safety risk. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), many drug and alcohol users are employed and bring their addictions to work with them. Workplace policies prohibit the use and possession of drugs and alcohol…
[box type=”shadow”]Drivers will not be able to use hand-held phones while temporarily stopped due to traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays, but they will be able to use them after moving the vehicle to the side of, or off, the highway and stopping in a safe location….
[box type=”shadow”]Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set several new rules in place to ensure truck drivers get enough rest to safely drive during their shifts. A new study undertaken by the National Sleep Foundation compares workers in the transportation industry – pilots, train operators, bus, taxi and limo drivers…
[box type=”shadow”]The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is one of the agencies that regulate the transportation of hazardous materials. The DOT refers to infectious substances as those materials capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety and property when transported in commerce. These regulations are necessary to prevent any accidents…
[box type=”shadow”]Peterbilt was founded in 1938, when T.A. Peterman purchased the former Fageol Motors Company (Oakland, California) from Waukesha Motor Co. & The Central Bank of Oakland – the two practically kept Fageol alive after its declared bankruptcy in 1932. The Denton, Texas-based Peterbilt Motors Company builds tractor-trailer big rig…
[box type=”shadow”]The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates the Department of Transportation (DOT), published a new federal law requiring reflective tape on all trailers and semi trucks that are at least 80 inches wide and weigh more than 10,000 pounds. The law is intended to cut down on accidents…
A Customs broker assist importers and exporters in meeting federal requirements that regulate the movement of merchandise across the United States border. A customs broker supplies the necessary documentation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection along with the appropriate fees to ensure that the client’s materials are moved across the…
[box type=”shadow”]Lift trucks pick up supplies and transport them across industrial sites. So the truck operator and other construction workers don’t get injured during this process, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration–OSHA–regulates the design, maintenance and use of lift trucks. OSHA also restricts who is allowed to drive a lift…
Pickup trucks are useful for hauling items, and the amount of weight they can carry depends primarily on their weight rating. Engineers design pickups in three different weight classes that define how much drivers can carry in the bed of the truck and inside the cab. Considerations A 3/4 ton…
[box type=”shadow”]International trade runs on several timetables; there are ships entering and leaving ports and planes taking off and landing in cities across the globe. Trucks roll day and night to pick up and deliver freight. Managing these shipments is the job of freight brokers and forwarders. Freight forwarders arrange…
[box type=”shadow”]Shipping companies charge different rates for freight, based on the types of items and any special handling that may be necessary. The transportation distance also may factor into the freight charges. For the most accurate estimate, use the shipping company’s freight cost calculator. Many companies offer these tools on…
[box type=”shadow”]The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates the use of hazardous materials placards–diamond-shaped labels attached to shipping containers, trucks and train cars–to identify the cargo. Placard regulations have come a long way from the days when people traversed city sidewalks wearing message-bearing placards, covering front and back.[/box] [box type=”shadow”]Transport Transporting…
[box type=”shadow”]Traveling on interstate highways can be a hassle for a regular car, but for an oversize load or over-dimensional load, the trips are twice as slow, twice as dangerous and twice as legally complicated. There are several important regulations to follow when transporting an oversize or over-dimensional load on…
Careers: Logistics according to the Council of Logistics Management is ” the process that deals with planning, implementing and controlling the efficient flow of goods, services and information from the point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption in order to meet the customers’ requirements.” The activities in logistics include transportation, warehousing, freight, delivery…
The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) oversees the American highways and that vehicles that drive on it. The U.S. DOT heavily regulates the commercial trucking industry. Inspections are one ways that the agency ensures that the trucks on the road are safe and are driven by a safe drivers….
[box type=”shadow”]Interstate trucking authority, also called an operating authority, is a permit held by truck drivers who deliver goods between states. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration along with state transportation agencies in 38 states oversee interstate trucking licenses through a single state registration system (SSRS). This authority is only…
Brake Regulation: The Department of Transportation-issued regulations detailing requirements for certification of electronically controlled pneumatic brakes used on trains. The ECP brake system, which is a new design, reduces the risk of runaway trains because it continuously recharges the brake pipe. In older brake systems, a brake pipe cannot be…
[box type=”shadow”]Federal government laws on handicapped parking were established in order to provide guidelines to the states when they passed their own state laws. The aim of the federal government was to lay the groundwork for a uniform system for handicapped parking. The Americans with Disability Act, enacted to provide…
[box type=”shadow”]Driving isn’t always as easy, and without the help of road signs, drivers would often find themselves uninformed, confused and even lost. Some of the most important traffic signs are those involving warnings. Warning and caution signs warn drivers about potential upcoming dangers or hazards. Hundreds of warning and…
[box type=”shadow”]Selling via a drop shipper means you don’t have the product you are selling on hand but instead use the manufacturer or a distributor to ship the product for you. Using a drop shipper in the Internet marketplace, which is often done on sites like eBay, can be a…
Freight Charges: If you are planning a business venture that will require you to ship your products by truck, the freight charges to do so will be one of the major expenses you need to plan for. Without properly calculating those charges, you won’t be able to put together a…
