Blue Ribbon Podcast

On this episode, I was joined by Pete Emahiser, Owner and Operator of Tadmore Transportation in Toledo, Ohio. Tadmore is #980 on this years INC 5000.  He is a member of BiTA, The Blockchain in Trucking Alliance, and a Charter Member of TransRisk. Tadmore is in the TOP 5% of Brokers rated by Credit Worthiness and the highest Rated Broker in at least 100 miles as per DAT Reviews. Pete is also a Mode...

JANUARY 14, 2018 In this episode I get us ready for 2018. There are a lot of exciting things happening in the economy and especially as it pertains to trucking. 

I came across a piece of garbage propaganda piece published recently in USA Today. It gives us the tales of woe of Port Truckers in LA and the lease agreements they are "forced" to operate under. But who is to blame? The drivers? The companies? I think someone is being left out of the equation.  The article from USA Today can be found here. 

The Supreme Court announced that they will not hear OOIDA's appeal to the ELD Mandate. This shouldn't be a surprise. The Federal Government ruled in favor of the Federal Government. You shouldn't be shocked that this has happened, yet many seem unable to grasp the concept that the Federal Government doesn't care about you. Let's talk about the real issue here, and it ISN'T the ELD. 

This is the story of my short time driving for Swift Transportation. 

This is the story of how my journey as an Owner Operator came to an end.

I'm back with an all new episode. It's time to address the real issue around our Hours of Service. I think we've lost our minds. People seem to have lost all their good sense and ability to reason over this electronic log mandate. In this episode, I will tell you that we NEED the electronic log if we're going to be forced to operate under such an inefficient and archaic system. I've been using one...

Fuel taxes are an important element of your profitability. It is very important to understand this issue so you won't end up losing money by buying fuel in the wrong states. IFTA Website with State Fuel Tax Rates An overview: Before IFTA-   Fuel taxes were collected by individual states. Trucks had to have fuel tax permits in each state, many having to display plates on their trucks for each state...

With co-host Dan Babbit. I get a lot of questions about Landstar. Now that I've been here two years, I feel a lot more confident about answering them. There's also a lot of misinformation out there about Landstar that needs to addressed. Whether or not you lease to Landstar is your own decision. I just want to provide ACCURATE information so that you can make your best decision. We discuss and des...

In this episode I talk about the most important things you need to know about buying a truck and becoming an owner/operator. It's all about attitude. In order to succeed, you have to first have an attitude of service. You put others' needs ahead of your own.  The Steve Harvey video I talked about where he says you need to jump in order to be successful.

With Co-host Dan Babbit In this episode we discuss the last month of my life and why I haven't posted a new episode lately. I suffered a catastrophic engine failure 4 days before Christmas. We discuss the financial and mechanical details involved in dealing with an event like this. I also tell the amazing story of how we were able to obtain the funding to cover the cost of a $24,000 engine.

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Zola Sawdy, founder of the Facebook Group: Big Trucks Cooking. I've been wanting to do an episode on the lifestyle in the trucking industry and found Zola's group to be a perfect example of how drivers and their spouses are finding creative ways to save money and eat healthier inside their trucks. You can find the group here. 

Introducing Co-host Dan Babbit. We talk about ridiculous propaganda aimed at the trucking industry and knowing your operating costs.    SHOW NOTES: http://www.salemnews.com/opinion/column-time-to-re-regulate-trucking/article_411792fe-b57f-53f4-b502-c5cc2154b226.html

Introducing Ezekiel Goodwin, one of our new co-hosts for the program. Zeke has been in the industry for 5 years and is joining the program to give his perspective on issues facing the trucking community.  In this episode we talk about pig protesters and the so-called "driver shortage." SHOW NOTES: Animal Rights Protesters Block Entrance to Pig Slaughter Facility

I received an email this week from a company driver who is considering taking a 1099 contract. In this episode I give my thoughts on 1099 Company drivers and also talk about the horrible attitudes in the industry that come out when rates and volume are down

It is time to address an issue that is facing this industry - the so-called "Safety" Advocates.  SHOW NOTES:Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2012 ATA Relative Contribution/Fault in Car-Truck Crashes Paper which cites University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute Moms Against Cars Facebook Page

In this episode I talk about managing profit as an owner/operator. You cannot know your profit unless you know your cost. Proper attitude and perspective are also a requirement for success in trucking business.  www.letstruck.com www.dropbox.com https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jotnot-scanner-scan-pdfs-from/id307868751?mt=8

In this episode I talk about the types of revenue a truck can earn, and percentage versus mileage contracts. 

In this episode I talk about the costs associated with operating a truck leased to a carrier. SHOW NOTES: IRS EIN Link: http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i2290/ch02.html American Truck Driver Facebook Post "Leasing a Truck Onto Landstar": https://www.facebook.com/anamericantruckdriver/posts/908883379169212

I decided to make an episode that would shake things up a bit. I talk about the desperate need in this industry for a basic understanding of economics, courtesy, and respect.

Welcome to the American Truck Driver Podcast. In this episode, I introduce myself and talk about how I got into the trucking business and how I went from being a Company Driver to an owner/operator.