Nov 24, 2025 | Accident prevention, Truck Driving
A truck driver has a number of important responsibilities they must take on. One of those includes watching their weight limits. Not only do overloads hurt a company’s reputation, but it also can bring on hefty overweight fines. However, there are some steps you can take to make sure you avoid these fines…
Overweight Fines: Ways To Avoid Them
Double-check your load
One way you can avoid overweight fines is by double-checking your loads. Remember that truck scales check more than just if your truck and trailer are over their acceptable weight limit. They also check how that weight is distributed. If a weight station finds that your truck isn’t carrying the weight properly, you can still be hit with an overweight fine.
Therefore, it’s important to double-check what you’re carrying if you can. Make sure that the load you’re carrying is secure and well-balanced too. If you need to, use things like ties or other restraints to ensure your load is secure and balanced enough to meet the weight requirements.
Consider your fuel
At first, you might not think that fuel adds that much weight to your truck. However, having a full tank can add a considerable amount to your weight. That weight could be enough to put you over the weight limits, and result in overweight fines.
Therefore, you’ll want to do your best to balance out your fuel levels across your trip. It might be more beneficial in the long run to make more stops for fuel than load up during one stop. That way, you can avoid an overweight fine due to having too much fuel. Plus, these stops will give you a chance to stretch and rest during your trip.
Plan out your route
Planning out a good route can really help you avoid overweight fines. A good, efficient route can help you save both time and money. While there are many things you’ll want to plan your route around, some of the important ones are truck scales, truck stops, and gas stations.
Some people might try and plan their routes around permanent weight stations. However, many officials carry portable scales with them as well. Therefore, it’s best to make sure you meet the weight requirements at all times just in case.
Nov 2, 2025 | Truck Driving, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents
When traveling long distance, it’s difficult to maintain a healthy diet. Because of the ease of fast food and pre-packaged food, eating healthy seems to become a chore. Perhaps you are looking to make a lifestyle change on the road. Or maybe you’re starting your trucking career and have a concern about staying healthy on the road.
Staying Healthy: Tips for Long Hauls
Snacking
If you eat out of habit, make sure the foods you are putting into your body are doing more good than they are bad. Snacks like nuts, trail mix, and granola are great and easy to keep in reach. Staying healthy, for you, could mean snacking in moderation, or changing your go-to road snack!
Eating
Try to eat three meals within the day. This adds to your goal of staying healthy because it prevents you from over-eating after missing a meal. If you eat regular meals throughout the day, the weight will be easier to keep off.
Not Just Eating
Exercise! Try taking a small walk during a stop. Staying healthy will be easier for you if you’re doing more than just eating better. You can start small and gradually add to your walks/runs. Your body will begin to notice the difference, and this small boost of activity will increase your energy, as well! Your walk can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as you would like!
After your outdoor activities, you can work out on the road, too! You can do things like shoulder shrugs (bringing your shoulders to your ears and holding for a few seconds). This will release tension in your neck and shoulders. Staying healthy isn’t difficult, you just need to consciously make the choice! Also, you can try abdominal crunches. Squeezing your abs and holding it for a period of time (think, 2 minutes or the length of a song).
Keep Track
If you can, start a journal of what you’re eating and when. In addition, log what kind of exercise you did for the day. By nothing this, you’ll be able to see your progress and potentially be able to spot problem areas if you’re not seeing results.
Aug 12, 2025 | Truck Driving, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents
You might assume that driving a truck without its trailer would be easier than driving with it. However, driving these bobtail trucks can actually be more risky than you’d expect. Driving bobtail requires one to be focused and aware of how their truck changes…
Bobtail Trucks: Driving Safely
Understand the Risk
As mentioned before, bobtail trucks are trucks which are driving without a trailer attached. At first glance, this may appear to be the safest way to drive these trucks. The trucks look like they should preform even better without the added weight of the trailer. However, it turns out this isn’t quite the case.
The added weight of a trailer helps a truck keep all its tires on the road. Removing these trailers then places all the weight on the front two tires of the truck. This means truck drivers will have to be aware of how differently their truck will handle while driving bobtail.
Ease on the brakes
Truck drivers normally have to use some force when they want to brake. However, with bobtail trucks, braking becomes a different story. Hitting the brakes hard could result in your truck flipping over due to the unbalanced weight. It helps to visualize it like you’re riding a bike. You’ll flip your bike if you brake with all the weight on the front wheel, and the same idea applies with bobtail trucks.
To avoid this, you should try to ease on the brakes instead. This will help keep the truck grounded and come to a safer stop. Furthermore, this helps the truck come to a stop sooner as well. You might also want to avoid other braking methods like engine braking when driving bobtail.
Check you clearance
Something else to keep in mind is your truck’s clearance when driving bobtail. Truck drivers know they have to make sure their clearance is at a level that allows them to pass under bridges or through tunnels. A trailer actually helps lower a truck’s clearance. The added weight helps to push the truck just a bit lower to the ground than usual.
However, without this added weight, your truck might have raised back up in height. That’s why it helps to double-check your clearance just in case. After all, you wouldn’t want to realize your truck’s too tall after its too late!
Mar 15, 2025 | Truck Driving, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents
If you are going on a long road trip, it is not uncommon to come across semi-truck accidents. These vehicles are very large and heavy. Because of this, they can be dangerous for their drivers as well as other people on the road. While many things can happen on the road, there are a few common causes of truck accidents.
Semi-truck Accidents: What Can Cause Them?
Driver Fatigue
One of the most common causes of semi-truck accidents is driver fatigue. It is not uncommon for truck drivers to have to drive 1000s of miles in a few days. Many truck drivers are paid based on the number of miles they drive. Due to that, it is lucrative for truck drivers to drive further distances in a smaller time period. The more miles they cram in, the more money they can make.
There are rules that regulate the number of hours that a driver can drive per day. Additionally, there are rules for how often and how long they must take breaks. It is important for these drivers to take breaks and be well-rested.
Driver Distractions
Additionally, it is easy for a cell phone, GPS, food, and many other things to distract drivers. Distractions are a cause semi-truck accidents. Since their trips can be long, truck drivers can get distracted. Therefore, truck drivers should try and avoid as many distractions as possible. For example, drivers should avoid using their cell phones or messing with their GPS while driving. Not paying attention to the road could end up costing someone their life.
Driver Inexperience
Another common reason for a semi-truck accidents is driver inexperience or inadequate training. In some cases, new drivers can be on the road immediately after finishing their trucking courses. This is because inexperienced drivers are going to provide cheaper labor than experienced ones. Unfortunately, this could lead to these drivers being unfamiliar with their assigned truck. If this is the case, errors are more likely to happen. More training could lead to fewer accidents.
A driver may not know how to properly control their truck if they are not used driving a very large, heavy vehicle. This could include speeding, or taking turns or curves too sharply. Since trucks are very heavy, they will also brake much differently than a regular car will. It may take a new truck driver some time to improve his or her driving skills.
Loading Issues
Some semi-truck accidents can actually come from poorly loaded cargo. Sometimes, incorrectly loaded cargo can lead to an improperly weighted truck. This could cause the truck to be difficult to maneuver. It could also lead a truck to jack-knife, potentially causing serious injuries.
There are many factors that could lead to semi-truck accidents. However, proper training, correct loading, fewer distractions and rested drivers could all help to reduce the number of trucking accidents.
Apr 30, 2024 | Truck Driving, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Semi-trucks are everywhere you look on the highways. However, due to their weight and size, they are prone to get into an accident. There are many types of truck accidents. No matter which type it is, they can be very dangerous. Truck drivers need to be very careful when they are driving. However, other cars need to be aware and mindful around trucks as well.
Types of Truck Accidents: Different Ways They Can Cause Accidents
The Vehicle
There are several ways in which the truck itself can cause the accident. A jackknife is one of the types of truck accidents. This happens when a truck trailer folds up on itself so that the cab now forms a 90 degree angle with the trailer. This can happen when a driver brakes hard and quickly. The weight of the trailer brings it forward against the cab, especially if the truck is overloaded. There is also the possibility for a truck to rollover. This could be a result of a driver losing control of his truck. This could cause a lot of danger to the other cars on the road too.
Trucks can make very wide turns. A wide turn is when a driver swings left before making a right turn. When the driver is not aware of rear traffic or the right side surroundings, it can trap vehicles or even pedestrians. Trucks also have very large blind spots. This can make it dangerous for cars nearby, as a truck may not be able to see them. A truck could change lanes right into another car if the car is in it’s blind spot.
Debris
Another one of the types of truck accidents is caused by debris from the truck. Semi-trucks are known for having tire blow outs. This is because they are so heavy that they put a lot of pressure on their tires. When this happens, a big, heavy tire could get thrown up into the air. The tire could hit other cars or block the roadway. It is also possible for a semi-truck to loose it’s cargo load. If the driver or loaders do not properly load or secure the cargo, it could fall out. The lost cargo can then cause a hazard.
Other Cars
It is also possible for other cars on the road to cause a collision with a semi-truck. These can be very serious. It is possible for another car to get stuck underneath the trailer of a truck. This can happen if the truck stops quickly and the other car doesn’t have enough space to react in time. These are one of the most dangerous types of truck accidents.
A car could also be in a head-on collision, or a T-Bone accident, with a semi-truck. These could be either parties fault, depending on what the circumstances were about the crash. Just as with any accident involving a semi-truck, these can be very serious. This is why it is so important to be a defensive driver.
Jan 7, 2024 | Truck Driving, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents
Saying that GPS has made driving easier is a huge understatement. With GPS apps on phones, truck drivers can go on longer trips faster and more accurately. However, many drivers are unaware of proper GPS usage. Knowing the right way to use GPS can help you get the most out of this great driving aid…
Proper GPS Usage: Traveling Safely
Keep it at eye-level
GPS is more convenient than ever these days with GPS apps on smartphones. However, these apps come with a risk of drivers constantly glancing at their phones. This takes their eyes off the road, and could lead to potential accidents. That’s why it’s important to keep your GPS at eye-level while driving. Using a phone mount can let you keep your phone GPS up and keep your eyes on the road. Proper GPS usage means you make sure you use it responsibly.
Understand how they operate
It’s always a good idea to know how your GPS works before you head out on the road. Many are designed to be user-friendly, but proper GPS usage means knowing all the features they have to offer. This is especially important in making them safer to use as well. A feature that many GPS apps and devices have is voice navigation. Having your device read out where you need to go can help you stay more focused on the road. Additionally, make sure that it recognizes the address you put in as the correct one before you begin driving!
Use common sense
The GPS is a great tool, but it isn’t perfect. Like all technology, it might have moments where it doesn’t work like it should. In these situations, it’s important to rely to your senses. Remember to obey the traffic signs around you. Many people turn the wrong way onto one-way streets just because their GPS said so! If you think you’re going the wrong way, or your GPS is losing signal, it’s good to stop at somewhere like a gas station and ask for more reliable directions. GPS is a handy tool, but like all tools, you have to use it properly. Proper GPS usage means knowing how to use your device safely and accurately. It also means knowing what to do when things go wrong.
