Successful truck drivers combine driving ability with patience, a desire to learn, adaptability, strong communication, responsibility, and a safety-minded approach. Building these six skills can help drivers succeed, grow their earnings, and develop long-term success in trucking.

Ready to dive into truck ownership and running your own business? That’s great news! You’re in a position that many drivers aspire to be in.

What Are Recap Hours? Recap hours are working hours that return to a truck driver’s 70-hour clock when the oldest day in an eight-day duty cycle drops off. They let a driver keep working without taking a 34-hour reset, as long as the driver has enough legal time available. Key Takeaways

A fuel surcharge is an additional fee trucking companies charge customers to help offset changing diesel fuel prices. For independent contractors and owner-operators who cover their own fuel costs, fuel surcharges can play an important role in determining whether a load is profitable.

An auxiliary power unit, or APU, is a small diesel-powered engine attached to a semi-truck that helps control the cab temperature, charge the truck’s batteries, and warm the engine block without requiring the truck’s main engine to idle.

Fuel prices are everywhere in the news right now, and not exactly for the best reasons. Trucking companies, truck drivers, and regular commuters are all concerned about the increase (and uncertainty) in prices and what it means for their wallets.

When you hear the phrase, balloon payment, what comes to mind? Do you think about a bouquet of balloons and a clown asking for your money? Well, if that’s where your head is going, you’re in the wrong direction, my friend. A balloon payment is not, in fact, payment for balloons. It is the final payment you make at the end of a lease. As this applies to the trucking industry, it’s the final payment you’ll make on your leased truck if you decide to purchase it.