In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that getting into trucking – just like with any new business – is going to cost you some money. Obtaining the right insurance is one of those hard costs you need to anticipate. Operating without commercial truck insurance is not an option. You must provide the appropriate commercial insurance to operate legally in the U.S. and Canada.

When doing any sort of interstate or intrastate commercial hauling, the law requires a minimum $1,000,000 in general liability insurance. About two years ago the federal requirement for cargo insurance was dropped, but that does not mean you don’t need it. Every shipper or broker you haul for will require you to have cargo insurance to cover their load. I have $150,000 in cargo insurance coverage and that will generally cover most freight I carry. When that is not enough coverage, I purchase spot insurance to fill the gap between my coverage and that required by the shipper.

Based on what I experienced going through the process, here are some answers to questions I had along the way. Hope this is helpful:

When do I get my insurance?

Once you’ve completed all the necessary forms and before you are granted your Operating Authority privileges, you will need to have your commercial insurance in place. There will be a processing/waiting period. You won’t be issued your MC number or be able to legally operate without it. So it’s not something you can wait on or let go for a while. It will be checked at scales, and you will need it for setting up carrier packages, especially if you’re an independent owner-operator just breaking into the game.

Team Driving: 8 Insights on Trucking with a Partner

 

Photo Credit: TalkingTruckers.com

Have you ever wondered what it would like to be a team driver? If you're not employed in the trucking industry, team driving is a term for two people that take turns driving a semi-truck and managing different loads on the road. Many owner-operators that book loads on uShip happen to be husband-wife teams, but that's not to say team drivers always are. Many drivers hauling loads for larger carriers also prefer the arrangement.

Team driving has many advantages, even if you hit the road with someone who isn't your spouse. To state the obvious, the arrangement involves a LOT of quality time spent together. It's important to take into consideration the advantages and disadvantages before committing to working with another person.

Consider the realities with these eight insights on driving with a partner. 

Freight News Roundup - Gains in Trucking Employment, Trucking Conditions Improve and Medical Exams are Expedited

Every week, we're bringing the uShip community posts and articles about the transportation industry, transport policy and technology, and recent trucking news.

Trucking employment surged in April as unemployment dropped - OverdriveOnline.com

According to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, April saw an increase of 11,700 jobs in the for-hire trucking industry. This increase in jobs follows the upward trend of 2013. Month-to-month ups and downs this Spring, starting with an addition of 12,700 jobs in February followed by a cut of 6,300 jobs in March, has caused a stir in the trucking-for-hire world.

As the national unemployment rate continues to drop, the trucking industry is seeing a significant rise in jobs created. Compared to April 2012, the for-hire trucking industry has seen a 3.5 percent jump (45,300 jobs), totalling 1.368 million workers.

 

Trucking Conditions Index For March Continues Favorable Trend -TruckingInfo.com

The recent May 2013 Trucking Update included the March 2013 FTR Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) which showed improvements in the trucking environment with an increased reading of 13.12.  The TCI is designed around a zero scale, where any reading above zero shows favorable conditions and anything below zero shows negative conditions. Although the number is still low and shows only mildly favorable conditions for truckers, the expected rate for the coming months will continue to grow. 

The new trucking regulations slated to take effect July 1 will only increase the TCI further. These new regulations are expected to further increase trucking rates in the coming months, substantially improving carrier profitability. 

Find out about a new FMCSA rule, New York State's reclassification of truckers and Pilot Flying J's First Urgent Care Facility after the jump. >>

Marketplace Partner Spotlight: What's Shipping with Proxibid?

Guest Contributer: Dana Kaufman, of Proxibid

Since January, Proxibid buyers have taken advantage of uShip’s services to ship nearly 200 items throughout the US. Ever wonder what’s being purchased in the Proxibid Marketplace, and shipped to a new home? Well…just about everything! Read on to find out.

Throwback Thursday: Ford Model A

A common “throwback” listing we see on the uShip marketplace is the Ford Model A. We see not only the classic Model A Coupe cross the marketplace, but the Model A Sedan, Fordor, Roadster, Phaeton and Pickup. The overwhelming popularity of the Ford Model A began with its debut in December, 1927 when-- according to some sites-- riots started at Ford houses as people clamored to purchase the newest Ford creation.

Guest Post: Safe Spring Boating Tips Worthy of a Pound of Cure

 

Photo Credit: iboats.com

This article was written by boating expert Brad Stone at iBoats.com. Thanks Brad!

For many, springtime heralds the return to water recreation. In our eagerness to get the boat and family out on the water again, doing so safely can best be summarized by some sage advice from Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Michigan Startup Meritful Books it to Austin Using uShip

Photo Credit: Silicon Hills News

Austin startups are nothing if not supportive of each other.

It's that spirit that led our friends at Capital Factory to pool resources from various Austin startups and create a SXSW competition aptly called, “Move Your Startup to Austin... For Free.” uShip provided all relocation expenses as part of the contest.

President Obama Goes Deep with Loading Vehicles

Just days after President Obama made logistics news by nominating Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as the next Secretary of Transportation, he's making more transport news by explaining to the White House press corps the art of loading a vehicle transport truck, according to news satire site The Onion.

Read an excerpt from the article after the jump. >>

Top Ten Causes of Truck Accidents: Traffic, Roads, Fatigue and More

All drivers, but especially commercial drivers, should be careful on the road at all times.

That's the message behind transportation policy in the United States in general -- it resonates with the way lawmakers address fatigue in Hours of Service and other regulatory laws in the trucking industry. And for good reason: fatigue-related accidents happen every day, and cost thousands of lives.

But in recent years, the public has generally associated the problem of fatigue on American highways with collisions of large trucks and buses. However, studies show fatigue isn't even among the top five causes of truck crashes. In fact, four-wheel drivers tend to be more fatigued, more often than commercial drivers. We mentioned the fact that four-wheel motorists are responsible for the majority of accidents involving trucks in a recent post about red light camera policies-- and the same applies to accidents resulting from fatigue. Read on to find out more.

Throwback Thursday: Volkswagen Schwimmwagen

We recently came across a great "throwback" shipment on the uShip marketplace. If you couldn't guess from sounding out the name alone, this Volkswagen Schwimmwagen was developed as an amphibious vehicle for the German Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS during World War II. The Type 166 Schwimmwagen became the most popular vehicle amongst German officers during the war due to its versatility and durability.

Despite the vehicle's sordid past in Germany, we thought this recently shipped vehicle on uShip was so interesting that we wanted to find out more.

An Interview with Jonny Fritz: Songwriter, Truck Driver, "Dad Country" Scholar (Part 2)

If you missed Part 1 of our awesome interview with Jonny Fritz, check it out here. In a way, Jonny Fritz is to country music as uShip is to freight: he brings something new to a traditional industry, is a guaranteed source of ideas and innovation in the space— and for lack of a better word, he's just a bit weird (in the way that fine folks usually are, but rarely want to admit). That's a good thing, of course.

Both Fritz's music and his experiences on the road make him a great match with the uShip community that drives this blog— no pun intended. After all, we're music folks here at uShip. Our SXSW party is approaching legendary status. And take a stroll through the office on any given day and you're bound to hear a good number of songs you like, and a few you don't. (Just ask our friend Nick Hermandorfer.)

One thing we can all agree on, however, is Jonny Fritz's new album Dad Country. Stream the album here. It's great. Killer guitar, fiddle, organ, and piano arrangements round out Jonny's one-of-a-kind voice and harmonies throughout the record.

Read on to hear Jonny's tales of the Wild West, phantom big-rig trucks with x-ray high beams, the true gospel of Chevrolet, and a world where motorcycles never stop running.