Owner Operators

Truck dealerships are in the business to make money, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, as a trucker, you need to be armed with information to keep from paying too much. After all, you’re in the business to make money, too. And spending more than you need to cuts into your profits.

Of course a truck dealership makes money off of truck sales, parts sales and truck service and repairs. But there are other ways a truck dealership makes money that many truckers don’t know about. These are through tractor financing, tow bills, parts pricing, and express shipping.
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Tags: Truck Sales, Truck Service

Any trucker will tell you, it’s no fun to be broke down on the side of the road. A road call from a truck shop service truck or a tow by a heavy wrecker can be extremely costly. A truck driver who knows his truck and carries the right supplies may keep a road side break down from turning into a massive road expense.

For a trucker who doesn’t know much about his engine, it’s a good idea to spend some time in the truck shop asking questions if the mechanic seems approachable. Some mechanic shops will run you out but many don’t mind questions so long as you’re trying to learn (as opposed to trying to tell the mechanic how to do his job). Even if your engine is under warranty, that warranty won’t do you much good on the side of the road- and any dealership that’s worth it’s salt will let you turn the busted parts in later as warranty returns.
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Thumbs down to Stephen Franklin and Darnell Little, the authors of the Chicago Tribune article Bone-Weary Haulers Raise Risks on Road (subheading: As truckers struggle to make ends meet, they push the limits of endurance and highway safety).

The article, published December 10, 2006, uses anecdotal stories, incomplete statistics and ignorance of the trucking lifestyle to paint truckers as sleepy menaces. A more appropriate title for the article might be “The Hassles Truckers Handle Make Trucking Hard.” But that wouldn’t be nearly as eye-catching. Read the rest of this entry »

Trucking and taxes go hand-in-hand. But trucking companies and owner operators in trucking who have an ICC number or who are leased to a carrier that has an ICC number can save on sales tax in some states.

Some states, like Oregon, Montana and New Hampshire, have no sales tax at all for any retail purchases. Read the rest of this entry »

That’s the slogan for this year’s CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) Brake Safety Week [PDF File]. From August 27 through September 2, 2006, the CVSA is focusing on brake safety. This is part of the CVSA’s annual Operation Air Brake Campaign.

Anyone who has seen a truck driver flying down the Grapevine, Black Mountain, Snoqualmie, or any other well-known down grade with a trail of smoke behind him and terror in his eyes knows the importance of good brakes. We all know the smell of burning brakes- which can be avoided by planning for the down grade and using engine brakes when your truck brakes are in good condition. But if your tractor or trailer brakes go, nothing is going to stop you except- if you’re lucky- a truck escape ramp. Keeping your brakes adjusted is just plain smart. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are paying the heavy use tax ( IRS Form 2290 PDF ) in 2006 and plan to sell your truck during the tax period, you’ll have a pleasant surprise starting this year. You can apply for a credit when you sell the truck- meaning you’ll get a pro-rated portion of the tax back.

In previous years, you had to pay the $550 tax and if you sold your truck during the tax period, you did not get anything back. You could provide the form to the person you sold the truck to so that they didn’t have to pay the tax in addition to what you already paid. But once you paid the tax, your money was gone.

Now if you sell your truck, you can apply for a credit on the money you paid out. This also applies to trucks that were destroyed in a wreck or that were stolen. This policy is in effect for the tax period of July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007. It does not apply to trucks sold, destroyed or stolen prior to July 1, 2006.
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A driver who needs to send or receive a fax on the road will find that one page can cost more than a cup of coffee…

Prices to send and receive faxes are sky high at truck stops. Let’s face it; they have a fairly captive audience. Big rigs can’t just park in the lot for the local copy store and send a fax. And very few truckers have fax capability in their trucks.

These are some options truckers have for faxing from the road:
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Tags: Fax, Truck Stops, Truckers

When you decide to buy a truck there are some simple steps you can take to be sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you go into a truck purchase blindly, you are likely to pay too much and get much less than you hoped for.
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Tags: Truck Purchase

Going over-the-road with your husband can be a lot of fun, but if you’ve never done it before, you may not know what you’re getting into. The longer you will be out with him, the more information you will need. If it’s a short trip, it’s okay to be a little unprepared. But if you’re going on a long run, the more prepared you are the more enjoyable your time on the road will be for both of you.
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The New Jersey government may have a budget crisis, but, for truckers, it’s business as usual.

Many of the state’s government offices will be shut down until the state legislature finalizes a budget, but the state police will be in operation.

According to Captain Al DellaFave of the New Jersey State Police, truck weigh stations will be operating under normal procedures. “The weigh stations are run by the state police, so they won’t be affected,” he said.

Atlantic City casinos are closed because gaming officials are not working. State lottery, construction, motor vehicle offices and maintenance for hospitals, parks and beaches will be affected. Paychecks for state employees are not being written and courts are not in session. But the truck weigh stations, according to state police, will be running normal hours.

Generally, the only active truck scales in New Jersey are on I-78 Eastbound in Bloomsbury and I-295 Northbound at Carney’s Point.

Tags: New Jersey, Truckers, New Jersey State Police, Truck Weigh Stations, Atlantic City Casinos, Truck Scales, Truck Drivers