Trailer Ladder
Protect your back and give yourself a tool that will make your job easier at the same time. The Deckmate folding portable truck bed ladder is an economical solution to the potentially expensive problem of back strain and injury caused by spinal compression, a common ailment in flatbed and P&D work. Weighing in at just 20 pounds, the Deckmate ladder has a folded length of 33 inches. This makes it a lightweight when you are rolling onto the scales, and easy to stow and retrieve.

This ladder was built with drivers in mind. It’s made of steel instead of aluminum, is powder-coated to make it more durable, and is completely portable. With an overall length of 53 inches and a width of 18 inches, it is roomy and adaptable without being bulky. It also displays features that show forethought and attention to detail, like no-skid steps, a reflective marker, and a no-pinch hinge. To find out more....

Mobile Advertising Trucks

In the trucking world, owner-operators already have quite a few advantages over trucking employees. They are responsible for their own vehicles, and have the freedom of operating more like a business owner than an employee. But the soaring price of fuel has taken a toll on owner-operators, who are hit hardest by the crisis, and many are turning to second ways of earning income.

One of these innovative new ways of earning income for owner-operators is mobile advertising trucks. Companies allow owner operators to lease the sides of their vehicles to companies for the purpose of advertisement. For owner operators who don’t have a client to advertise for, the opportunity can be lucrative, earning drivers’ extra money for the routes they would already be driving. Owner operators can rent space by the week, month, or year, and printing companies will provide the adds, according to truckersmall.net.

The advertisements are similar to those seen on standalone billboards along highways, but the advantage to companies is that the moving billboard will target the thousands of drivers on highways across the nation. Though owner-operators who travel nationwide are preferred for many types of advertisements, local drivers are also considered for many local companies who choose mobile advertising. National Mobile Billboards says one of the advantages of mobile advertising is the fact that companies can decide if they want to focus on a small geographical area or an area as large as the entire nation.

According to Moving Billboards Incorporated, companies choose to use mobile advertising because it works, citing that a national study reported 91% of respondents remembered an advertisement they saw on the side of a truck.  National Mobile Billboards says, companies are now choosing the non-traditional mobile advertisements over traditional advertising such as stationary billboards because of the increased amount of target audience and the fact that, stuck in traffic, a person has no choice but to look at the trucking advertisement in front of him or her.

Though the advantage for owner-operators to lease their trucks for advertisement is a beneficial one, drivers shouldn’t feel left out of the loop. Though some mobile billboard companies lease sides of trucks for advertising, others hire drivers to do nothing all day but drive. With no loading or unloading, the mobile billboard driver job is one of relative ease. The task is simply to drive all day and be seen. Because this work is often in regional areas, this opportunity is a great one for the once long-haul truck driver who now wants a relatively easy job staying home. Drivers looking for these jobs can search truck driving websites, like cdljobs.com, in addition to other classified sites, like Craigslist or Myspace.

Whether you’re an owner-operator looking to make some extra money to make up for gas or an employee looking for easy work, the mobile billboard industry is increasing income and job opportunities for regional and long haul truck drivers.

Why Are Fuel Prices So High?

By now, you’re certainly aware of the high fuel prices that have skyrocketed at truck stops and other diesel providers everywhere. You’re probably so aware of the prices that you’re frustrated, complaining to your boss, calling your senator, or expressing your feelings on the Internet. But why are fuel prices so high?

Though taxes, war with Iraq, and other government decisions are certainly responsible for some of the price hikes, another important reason why diesel prices are so high is the peak oil problem.

Because oil is a non-renewable resource, produced from fossil fuels, a time must come when that oil, which is used to produce diesel, runs out. According to M. King Hubbert, who drafted the peak oil theory in 1956, that time has already come. Hubbert theorized that the United States’ oil production would peak, or get to the point where production would dramatically slow down, between 1950 and 1970. Though some agree with Hubbard’s assessment that oil production in the United States has already peaked, all agree that the peak oil problem is a major challenge since everything from food production to the transportation industry relies on oil.

Read more about the peak oil problem...

Radio Communication

In this world of cell phones, unlimited internet access, and text messaging, the old fashioned two-way radio might seem a bit out of date. But according to truckercountry.com, truckers still use the CB radio communication for a variety of reasons, and electronics companies are still manufacturing CB’s and other electronic communication devices just for truckers.

According to truckcountry.com, most truck drivers find the CB at an advantage over the cell phone for a variety of reasons. CB’s allow truckers to communicate with other trucks that are driving along the same road or passing. This way, truckers can get important information about what lies ahead in their drive. Drivers can also signal truck stops that they are intending to pull into a fuel bay or a weigh station. Drivers also often need CB’s to communicate their official trucking business, like picking up or receiving loads. For emergency purposes, channel 9, the emergency channel, reaches law enforcement.

But entering the world of CB radio is not easy. Learning signals, channels, installation, and everyday use is often easy for the seasoned professional trucker, but for new drivers on the road, it can be quite daunting. That’s why Mar Long, Bonnie Crystal, and Jeffrey Keating, experienced technology writers, wrote The World of CB Radio, a handbook about everything CB, from installation to using the radio. The book can be purchased from amazon.com for as little as $5.75 for a used copy. Pertinent information about CB use can also be found on multiple websites for truck drivers using the communication, such as truckercountry.com and expertvillage.com. More on radio communication...

Trucking Blogs

Whether it’s fishing, quilting, reading, or surfing, everyone has a hobby. Throughout history, many have adopted writing as a hobby, keeping journals about their daily lives. This hobby must have been common for long haul truckers even before the use of portable computers, as so many stories and songs about truck driving have romanticized the profession. Today, truckers who keep a journal don’t have to do so merely for their own enjoyment. Blogs, or online journals, are interesting, apparently to many. There are over 22,000,000 results for trucking blogs on Google alone. Truckers and non-truckers alike are beginning to read these blogs to learn more about life on the road. Whether you’re into writing or reading, here are a few of the most interesting trucking blogs on the net. Read on about trucking blogs...

Diesel Emission Standards

Since the new millennium, the Environmental Protection Agency and other government offices have been doing everything they can to encourage truckers to upgrade their vehicles in order to comply with tightening emissions standards.  Although most truckers would be happy to do so, as saving emissions also means saving fuel costs for truckers, making needed changes to older trucks is costly, and truckers can’t always afford the initial costs of the repairs, even if those repairs would save them money in the long run.  

For truckers in Maine, however, getting those startup costs just got a little bit easier.  According to truckinginfo.com, a new state program will allow truckers to get low cost loans in order to make necessary changes to their vehicles.  The loans are also available to other businesses to want to invest in “energy saving equipment.”  

According to Maine Governor John E. Baldacci, the program was initiated for truckers and other small business owners whose profits were hurting because of oil and gas prices.  Unlike more costly loans, these loans charge only three percent interest, according to the governor.  

Truckers and other business owners can borrow up to $250,000 for energy-saving equipment, including bunk heaters that do nor require an idling engine and APUs.  The state is also seeking to make assistance available for truckers who want to invest in diesel pollution reduction equipment. The improvements will allow truckers to save around $12,000 or more per vehicle.  

Though the loans will allow truckers to save money and boost profits through technological investment, they also boast benefits for the environment, cutting carbon emissions to better comply with state and federal targets. Truckers who are interested in obtaining an investment loan can contact the program manager for state energy programs, according to etrucker.com. For those interested in the relationship between cost and energy efficiency, contacting the program manager will not only yield more information, but will also allow truckers access to a free energy audit, which will enable truckers to explore energy-saving investments that have been personalized to their truck of small business.  

Maine truckers are not the only ones to benefit from the government’s desire to improve the environment, however. At the end of 2006, in fact, the Environmental Protection Agency joined forces with the Small Business Administration in order to provide inexpensive loans to truckers who wanted to upgrade using SmartWay kits.  

With the loans, which were sponsored by national lenders like Bank of America, Business Loan Express, and Superior Financial Group, small trucking companies could purchase kits including idle-reduction devices, special tires and equipment designed to tests aerodynamics, and exhaust after-treatment devices.  

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the kits improve fuel economy by fifteen percent and save truckers around $8,000 each year. The small loans available for the kits ranged from $5,000 to $25,000 and allowed truckers to make small, affordable payments.  

Whether truckers are looking for a federal loan or a state program like Maine’s initiative, finding funding for emissions upgrades is easier than ever. Truckers interested in investment loans should inquire at their state departments of transportation in addition to researching federal options.

Fuel Credit Cards

Because truckers make up a large part of the United States’ economy, owning a company that caters to truckers is a lucrative business. But most businesses that cater to the trucking industry consider only the vehicle and trucker’s physical needs on the road. Companies manufacture tools for truckers who want to make maintenance on their vehicles a little easier, seat cushions for truckers who are uncomfortable for long periods of time in the driver’s seat, and even electronics that can be plugged into a trucker’s cigarette lighter to provide entertainment or convenience.

But truckers’ lives on the road consist of more than fixing up and sitting in their trucks. Instead, truckers also live the life of the traveler. On the road for most of their days, truckers also need products and services that cater to the mobile lifestyle they need. That’s why The Multi Service Corporation was formed in 1978. Though the company’s first service was specialized credit cards for truckers, in 2008, The Multi Service Corporation provides a variety of conveniences that make it easier for a trucker to manage his or her personal and professional lives.
More about fuel credit cards...

Green Lubrication Solutions

From reusable shopping bags to energy saving light bulbs, we’ve all heard a lot about being green. Usually, the appeal to use green products is met with groans and jeers. Products known to be environmentally safe are also often known to be inferior and quite costly. Most consumers don’t want to spend extra money for a second-rate product just to help out the environment.

But for truckers, Green Lubrication Solutions is changing the reputation of green products. The company has developed a series of lubricants featuring Boron CLS Bond technology. Products using Boron CLS Bond reduce fuel and maintenance costs in vehicles by chemically bonding with vehicle metals, creating a boundary that reduces friction and wear and tear in the vehicles. The products, MotorSilk and LubriSilk, can be used in commercial, industrial, and agricultural vehicles, and require only a single application or treatment. Read on about "greening" your engine...

The trucking industry is always looking for new recruits, and for a large portion of the United States’ workforce, a nine to five desk job no longer holds the appeal it once did. People want to be out on the road, seeing new sites every day and having new experiences, so many traditional workers are turning to trucking to make that dream come true. Before these workers can hop in the driver’s seat, however, they need to complete one task, obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License.

Many drivers spend hours behind the wheel of a truck preparing for their new positions, but are still nervous about taking the CDL. No matter what subject they’re covering, tests are nerve wracking, and most tuckers-to-be want to feel comfortable before they sit down to complete their exams. Practice tests are available online at many sites. A word of caution, even though many sites advertise that their tests are free, further reading will prove otherwise. There are hidden costs everywhere, as we all know.

USA Drive Safe provides a way for future test takers to feel the confidence they need—online study products. The products are designed to help test takers prepare for the CDL exam and are authored by test creators and exam book writers. Practice tests can be taken online for as little as $5.99, and results can be e-mailed to the user’s account. For those who would rather study the questions for a longer period of time, CDL practice test question and answer booklets are available for download for only $5.99. By using either option, students will be able to determine if they have what it takes to pass the CDL or if they need to study harder before scheduling the exam. Read more to find about practice tests...