Driver tips: Maximize your take home pay by minimizing advances, transaction fees
Everyone appreciates receiving a paycheck at the end of the pay period. Of course, many of us must deal with various deductions subtracted from the
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
It’s time to rethink your recruiting strategies: Today’s truck drivers are younger and more ethnically diverse
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
Buying before the storm: Class 8 truck shoppers anticipate higher equipment costs
U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks in June topped 20,000 for the first time in 2025, according to data received from Omdia (formerly Wards
June 2025 freight volumes and rates still impacted by overcapacity and tariffs
Hopes for a turnaround in the trucking industry were dashed in June, as the long-awaited rebalancing between freight demand and truck capacity remained stubbornly out
DOT, FMCSA plan to improve working conditions for drivers
“We’re not done yet.” That was the message of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy on June 27 when he announced several initiatives his Department
Owning the Wheel: Knowing cost and revenue per mile and utilization percentage helps drive profits
To many truck owners, “utilization” is almost a foreign word. Yet it’s a word that’s heard often in management meetings at well-run carriers. It often
Mindful driving: What truckers should know to avoid dangerous distractions
At 70 miles per hour, you travel nearly 105 feet every second. Focus your eyes on something other than the road ahead – say, a
Interviewing for a new driving job? Be sure to ask the recruiter the right questions
Here’s a true story from my past life as a driver recruiter. “I won’t drive a (insert truck brand here),” said the new employee. “If
North American freight markets marked by uncertainty, curtailing decision-making
Making business decisions is hard. It’s even harder when the direction of the economy is unclear. “We’re kind of in this fog of war. Everybody’s
Same song, another verse: Freight rates, economic uncertainty and tariffs continue to depress New Class 8 truck sales
Carriers continued to take delivery of Class 8 trucks at a strong pace in May, according to data received from Wards Intelligence. Orders for future
Expected upturn in freight rates is ‘a day late and a dollar short’ for most
“Instability.” “Turbulence.” “Uncertainty.” “Seesaw freight demand.” All these are terms used by various economic forecasters to describe the freight market for May 2025. Also, note
USDOT working to remove ‘red tape’ from trucking regs
Most professional drivers would agree that the trucking industry is subject to too many rules and regulations. While many mandates are designed to improve safety
CSA under (re)construction: Will proposed changes more accurately reflect a carrier’s crash risk?
In 1980, there were about 18,000 motor carriers in the U.S. The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 removed the cumbersome process of becoming a motor
Know the market: These tips can help independent drivers and small trucking companies thrive
Do you know how much you’ll be paid for your work today? How about tomorrow? The answers to these questions can be easy for people
Trucker to tourist: Drivers can make the most of their time off on the road
Truck drivers are paid tourists, so the joke goes. There are few jobs that take you all over the continent AND pay you for the
Don’t mess around with the Clearinghouse: Skipping a test can result in disqualification
The creation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse was a watershed moment for trucking. But to fully appreciate the
April sales of new Class 8 trucks remain strong even as new orders plummet
In a market fraught with uncertainty, U.S. sales of both new and used Class 8 trucks remained strong in April, while orders for future purchase
Economic uncertainty, tariff threats continue to depress freight rates
Read just about any economic forecast lately and one word pops out: Uncertainty. The good news is that inflation seems to be under control; it
The DOT can enforce English language proficiency — but not kindness and understanding
The trucking world was wildly enthusiastic about President Donald Trump’s April 28, 2025, Executive Order mandating that truck drivers be proficient in speaking and writing
Drivers: Buying a truck means buying a business — make it pay
Is this a good time to buy a truck and start my own business? Lots of truck drivers dream of buying a truck and starting