Winter Trucking 101: Understanding diesel and fuel treatments can help you keep going in cold weather
In life, some lessons are best learned the hard way. When it comes to diesel engines and winter, however, those hard lessons might mean being
Cliff Abbott
- About Cliff Abbott
- Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
Posts by Cliff Abbott
FMCSA renews medical certification waiver: Drivers should continue to carry wallet card
More than a decade ago, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set out to streamline the process of verifying that drivers of commercial motor
Roadcheck 2025 removes vehicles with bad brakes, tires and more
Billed as a “three day commercial motor vehicle inspection snapshot,” the annual International Roadcheck event conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has resulted
FTR presentation brings clarity, not optimism, to current trucking conditions
The food industry represents a significant percentage of shipments by truck, from raw materials like sugar and flour going to manufacturers or finished products headed
The future is here: AI enters the truck driver recruiting process
Her name is “Laine,” and she sounds nice. She responded quickly to that online contact form you sent in, and she seems really interested in
Sales and orders for new trucks continue their decline in August
U.S. sales of new, Class 8 trucks declined for the third consecutive month in August, according to data received from Omdia, formerly Wards Intelligence (omdia.tech.informa.com).
The long, slow recovery of freight rates and volumes continues at glacial pace
The two biggest questions asked of any economic recession are, “How bad will it get?” and “How long will it last?” Those questions are asked
FMCSA proposes 2 pilot programs to study changes to HOS regs
One issue that’s frequently cause for complaint among truck drivers is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. Good news! On Sept.
The spot market offers opportunities for profit — but use caution when accepting loads
Many trucking businesses depend on the spot freight market for the revenues that are their lifeblood. While contracts with familiar, reliable customers can provide steady
Drivers beware: Be on alert for potential hazards on the highway
Hey truck drivers! What’s going on in the space on your left? On your right? Directly behind your vehicle? What about above? Will your truck
Don’t slam the door on the way out: How you leave employment is as important as how you start
Everyone knows that how you start a new trucking job is important. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first
Meet the truck driving preacher: Bill Blackmon ministers to drivers across the nation
Drivers use a variety of methods to help them choose which road to take: Routing software is often built in, or added on, to fleet
July saw Class 8 truck sales at a ‘snail’s pace’; new orders even slower
As far as truck sales go, June was a decent month. In June 2025, more new Class 8 trucks were sold in the U.S. than
Changing times: Is it time to rethink your recruiting strategies?
The demographics of the 3.58 million drivers crucial to the trucking industry is evolving. That’s the conclusion of the July report from the American Transportation
July sees continuation of stagnant freight volumes and rates
When inflation rises without a corresponding increase in the gross domestic product (GDP), economists use the term “stagflation.” The term could also be used to
Check the facts: Regulatory enforcement changes abound in trucking but flip-flops remain legal — for now
The headlines of late have been filled with news of crackdowns on regulations for commercial drivers, specifically truckers, by the Department of Transportation (DOT). One
State of freight: Analysts say trucking conditions to improve slowly, if at all
Tariffs dominated the topics discussed in the “State of Freight: Key Issues in Transportation” webinar hosted in July by FTR Transportation Intelligence. Jonathan Starks, CEO
Breaking the language barrier: Changing regulations mean testing and documentation for carriers
Sean Duffy, U.S. Transportation Secretary, is convinced that English language proficiency (ELP) for commercial vehicle drivers is a matter of safety. “Americans are a lot
Tips for owner-ops: A factor can help keep the cash flowing while you concentrate on trucking
So, you decided to take the plunge and start your own trucking business as an owner-operator. You’ve done all the homework, obtained your authority and
Summer roads, sudden risks: How truckers can stay weather-ready
It’s mid-summer and the weather, in most parts of the North American continent, is predictably sunny and hot. That is why it is vital that