Oct 27, 2015

Brad James on Trucker Path: The New CB Radio

Brad James, known across the internet as “The Singing Trucker”, spoke to the Trucker Path team about his passion for music, life out on the road, and the benefits of using Trucker Path Pro.

If you’re in need of road trip music, Brad James has got you covered.

In fact, you may have already found yourself singing along to one of his videos on YouTube. Known as “The Singing Trucker,” James has become a viral internet star since posting his first video.

The Trucker Path team sat down with James to talk about his experience in the trucking industry and how he became a YouTube sensation.

“I’ve always loved singing and doing karaoke,” James said. “When I found out there was a way to do karaoke on the iPhone, I was hooked.”

After that, James started creating videos of himself singing to share with friends and four sons while he was out on the road. Once he posted the first one, it took off.

“I posted [the video] on Facebook, and the next day it had gone viral,” James said. “I sat up and I watched it go around the world three times. I didn’t sleep for three days. Three million views, 7.5 million views all in all.”

Facebook and YouTube aren’t the only smartphone apps James uses out on the road. When it comes to navigation, he turns to Trucker Path for help.

“I use Trucker Path when my electronic log goes off and tells me I have an hour left,” James said. “I’ve got to make sure I know where I can stop.”

James said he recommends Trucker Path to friends because it helps him find convenient stops on his route, and it gives him the details he needs.

“Trucker Path comes in handy when I stop and need a ten hour break and when I need to plan ahead,” James said. “When you [tap] the truck stop it tells you how many miles away it is. And I know I can make it to the truck stop and if there’s any parking.”

In addition to getting information about truck stops, James likes to find restaurants he wouldn’t normally know about along his routes.

“It does get old – same food every day,” James said. “I like the fact that when you pull up a truck stop on the app, you can look for the restaurants there. If I am going to a Pilot, it doesn’t just tell me which Pilot restaurant is there. It tells me what the rest across the street is, what the rest down the street is… it tells me what’s in walking distance. It’s nice.”

James said that like Facebook and YouTube, an important part of the Trucker Path experience is contributing to the community.

“Every time I go by the weigh station and it asks me if it were open or closed, it’s just a simple punch of the button,” James said. “Hopefully the guy in front of me told me the right information, and the guy behind me – I’m telling him what I see.”

With the recent popularity of smartphones, James said apps like Trucker Path are picking up where older technology left off.

“Trucker Path is the new CB radio,” James said. “The drivers don’t speak to each other on the CB radios anymore. Cell phones had come out, and we don’t talk to each other as much anymore, and it’s hard to get that information.”

That information can be crucial when out on the road. James said truckers face unique challenges every day that can lead to stressful situations.

“Dealing with automobile drivers and less experienced people, when your truck’s overweight, law enforcement, you name it and we have to deal with it out there,” James said.

As tough as it can be, James said driving has its perks.

“Sometimes you get out on the open road, and driving a truck can be the most peaceful of times,” James said. “Sometimes you just get lost in your own thoughts as you’re driving.”

Check out Brad James on his YouTube channel and on his blog www.brad-james.com.

This financial advisor turned trucker means business [p]For Canadian Stacy Hill, his third turn as a trucker may well be his most satisfying. “If you look at the capital cost of buying your own truck and trailer, and you know what you’re doing, I don’t know of any business that offers a greater potential return on investment than trucking.”[/p] [images src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2015/08/stacy-hill.jpg" alt="Cost of parking" width="200px" align="left" ] [quote]If you’re not using Trucker Path you’re wasting time and money.[/quote] [p]Stacy knows a little something about ROI. He was a financial advisor from 1991 to 2000 – and in 2001, he started specializing in Reverse Takeovers. Which, by the way, is what? “A reverse takeover is when a private company uses the stock market to raise capital. My partners and I did this before there was such a thing as Kickstarter, and one thing I learned about the public markets: The better your product’s story is, the sharper the knives that come-out from the wolves and the crooks.”[/p] [p][b]A good deal goes bad[/b][/p] [p]Which is exactly what happened to the last company Stacy worked with. “A group of stock manipulators ran the company’s stock up and down – taking profits on the rise, then selling short to profit on the drops – until they’d bled the company dry. I’d personally raised $2 million for this company from family and friends, so I felt obligated to try and keep the company afloat by shouldering the financial load for as long as I could.” Which eventually drove him into bankruptcy, and very likely caused his heart issues in 2012n – and possibly his cancer in 2014.[/p] [p]You’d think a series of setbacks like that would leave Stacy bitter and defeated. You’d be wrong. “I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, I’m exactly where the Lord wants me to be. To me, there is nothing less stressful than driving. And by making what I do as efficient as possible, I reduce my stress even more.” That’s where Trucker Path comes in.[/p] [p][b]“I only used it about four times today!”[/b][/p] [p]“I use Trucker Path multiple times every day. If I’m in a busy area and it’s getting time to stop, I’ll call the nearest truck stop and find-out if there’s a wait time on the showers. If they’re busy, I’ll just go to the next one.[/p] [p]“Whenever I make a longer stop, I’ll get out of the truck and take a 30-minute power walk with my five-pound hand weights. With all the gyrations I make, I probably look crazy. But anybody who says they can’t fit exercise into their daily routine is just being inefficient with their time.”[/p] [p][b]Calculating fuel costs in advance[/b][/p] [p]“I created an Excel spreadsheet that lists and subtracts fuel taxes for every state I drive through. So when I’m planning my day, I use Trucker Path to look-up fuel prices at the truck stops in the states I’ll pass through. Then I’ll calculate my [i]real[/i] fuel cost at every potential stop – and plan where to refuel accordingly. I’m saving hundreds of dollars in fuel costs every month, using Trucker Path and my spreadsheet.” And here’s the real kicker: Stacy isn’t even an Owner Operator.[/p] [p]“That was one headache I didn’t want.”[/p] [p]“I could have bought my own truck, but with my financial resources at the time, it would’ve had to been an old used one. I didn’t want that. Besides, I was still able to work my way out of bankruptcy two years ago, and now my wife and I even have credit again.” Needless to say, his decision to become a company driver was a blessing for the man who owns the company. “Yeah,” Stacy says, with a smile, “you could say the boss has a good understanding of value!”[/p] [p][b]Mixing business and pleasure[/b][/p] [p]“Granted,” Stacy admits “truck driving may not be the best paying profession in the world,” but he’s clearly enjoying himself – on and off the road. “Another thing I love about Trucker Path is the Available Parking feature for Truck Stops and Rest Areas. Of course, I rarely ever park in truck stops. They’re too noisy. Besides, I like to find rest areas located next to big, cut-grass fields.”[/p] [p]Stacy carries his golf clubs in the truck with him, and when he doesn’t have time to play one of his favorite courses along a route, “I’ll just pull out my clubs, and pound a Shag Bag full of balls.” Asked which part of his game is strongest, Stacy says, “I’m best at the short game.” Something tells us he’s also pretty adapt at the long haul.[/p] [br] [p][i]SUMMARY: Our profile of a Company Driver who uses Trucker Path to save time and money every day on the road.[/i][/p]

Aug 10, 2015

Want to boost your business? Join the Truckloads community [p]Imagine an online trucking marketplace with no monthly fees. Where reputable Brokers, Shippers and Carriers can connect, with confidence, through either their computers or their smartphones. And where everyone has access to the kind of reliable information that builds trust among everyone involved. Those are just a few ways the developers of Trucker Path are taking the traditional Load Board concept to a whole new level.[/p] [quote]Our new platform does what Load Boards should have been doing for years.[/quote] [p][b]Free for now. Android & Desktop[/b][/p] [p]During the public beta-testing period of its Truckloads App, participants will be charged no monthly fees. For carriers who remain in the community after the beta stage, monthly fees will be $20 – with per-transaction fees of $25 split between carriers and brokers or shippers.[/p] [p]Brokers and shippers will typically connect to Truckloads through our desktop interface, while the App (currently available only in Android version) is intended primarily for Carriers.[/p] [p][b]Trucker Path Truckloads is now in public beta testing[/b][/p] [p]In addition to bringing together truckers, brokers and logistics companies, Truckloads serves B2B companies and the commercial freight companies. On the driver’s side, the marketplace becomes part of the familiar Trucker Path App experience – giving truckers a single place to conduct all of their business, without having to use a laptop to search multiple websites.[/p] [p]This is your chance to get in on the ground floor.[/p] [p]With more than 300,000 trucks in our system (nearly 20 % of all class 8 truckers in the U.S.),we’ve already built a community to rival any freight matching service anywhere – and it’s grown, on average by more than 20 % per month over the past six months. With our official June 30 public beta test launch, you have the chance to become one of the Truckloads community’s earliest members. All you have to do is request an Invite to join.[/p] [p][b]Why do you want to join?[/b][/p] [p]With Truckloads, we’re creating a marketplace where, for instance, brokers and shippers can access background info on the carrier that’s published by the government. Information we’ve integrated into our database through partnerships with Saferwatch, Scoop Monkey and Transcredit – and ranges from drivers’ CSA scores to their safety ratings and insurance coverage.[/p] [p]Naturally, that same kind of information will be available on [i]all[/i] members of our community – enabling carriers to research brokers and shippers before offering their services, while saving everyone a tremendous amount of time and effort in due diligence and handling.[/p] [p][b]We’ve made the playing field level for everyone[/b][/p] [p]The Truckloads platform’s unique assurance that all freight partners “play fair” is our online Ratings system – which is much like the Seller ratings found on eBay. So when you do your job right, your personal rating gets better and better. Imagine how that could improve your prospects for more, and better, opportunities![/p] [p][b]A few details on the system[/b][/p] [p]To make a shipment, customers can simply open Trucker Path’s web-based client in their browsers, then fill-in a few details (such as pick-up date & time, origin and destination – along with contact and payment information). Or Trucker Path can integrate with shippers’ Transportation Management Systems to pass load information seamlessly to the Truckloads platform.[/p] [p]Truckers can use the Truckloads app to scan the areas around their current locations for new truckloads (or view them in a list),then instantly make offers on available loads. This triggers negotiations between drivers and shippers – during which, customers can see truckers’ FMCSA information and ratings. After both parties reach agreements, they receive all relevant information about each other, and about the freight.[/p] [p][b]Transparent rates and real-time tracking[/b][/p] [p]Brokers and Shippers will appreciate Truckloads’ transparent rates and real-time tracking of shipments. Carriers will love the Trucker Path FastPay feature, which guarantees settlement for approved shippers within 48 hours of deliveries. Two more reasons why Trucker Path already has a significant group of early adopters, including a number of billion dollar companies.[/p] [p][b]Additional advantages for brokers & shippers[/b][/p] [ul] [li]Book trucks faster[/li] [li]Simple workflow for booking, scheduling and searching[/li] [li]Increase savings by reducing dispatcher work[/li] [li]Free real-time freight tracking[/li] [li]Manage all of your shipment activity, contacts, deliveries and paperwork in one place[/li] [li]FastPay[/li] [/ul] [p]All of which means you’ll increase your productivity and profits by reaching more carriers in less time, while spending less time and effort on negotiations and booking.[/p] [p][b]Additional advantages for carriers[/b][/p] [ul] [li]Find and book freight faster with no, or less, dispatcher work[/li] [li]Fast payment and claims resolution[/li] [li]Reduce empty miles, easy backhaul[/li] [li]And you can do it all on your smartphone![/li] [/ul] [p]With Truckloads, you’ll increase your profits by reaching more shippers & brokers, and spending less time on negotiations & booking.[/p] [p][b]Truckloads is a win-win for everyone[/b][/p] [p]And after all, isn’t that why you’re in this business? So if you’re looking for more and better opportunities for your business, [a href="https://truckerpath.com/truckloads/"]request an invite[/a] to join the industry’s fastest-growing marketplace for quality brokers, shippers and carriers.[/p] [br][p][i]SUMMARY: The developers of Trucker Path – the best App for truckers – are expanding its features. The app already helps truckers find parking at truck stops, rest areas and overnight parking lots. What’s more, it helps truckers find open weigh stations and nearby TRANSFLO. With the Truckloads platform, brokers, shippers and carriers can all increase profits and save time.[/i][/p]

Jul 07, 2015

What makes Apps4Truckers’ Tim Spence a Trucker Path fan? [p]Tim Spence has either been a trucker, or working in trucking, since 1986 – and like a lot of folks, he came to the industry through his father. “I was in Shreveport when the oil industry went sour, and he offered to teach me how to drive. You could say he taught me the Old School way,” Tim says with a chuckle. “Just take the wheel while the truck is rolling, and learn how to shift later.[/p] [h2]His favorite “benefit” may be something you’ve never even considered[/h2] [p]“These days, I’m mostly just driving this seat” – behind the desk in his Selma, Alabama home office, where he manages the Apps4Truckers website and produces a regular podcast with the same name. Tim recently hosted a segment featuring Trucker Path’s own Maria Melnyk, and agreed to spend a few minutes off the air sharing his thoughts with us.[/p] [p][b]Tim’s first impressions of Trucker Path? “Astounded”[/b][/p] [p]“When I interviewed Maria, I downloaded Trucker Path right before we started recording – so I could give her my first impressions live, on the air. What astounded me was the level of user participation I saw. Maria and I talked about how often people check-in to report whether or not Weigh Stations they’d passed were open. And when I started reading user reviews of restaurants, they were all pretty much up to date.”[/p] [p][b]We’ve lost something in the trucking community[/b][/p] [p]Like a lot of veterans from his generation, Tim has seen the industry change in ways he doesn’t always like. “I talk pretty often with older drivers about how we’ve lost a sense of community among truckers. You walk into a truck stop these days, everyone’s sitting by themselves and nobody’s talking. And yes, I’m guilty of doing the same thing myself. When I’m on the road, I’ll walk into a truck stop, and I might not say a word to anybody but the cashier.[/p] [p][b]Trucker Path is one way we’re getting it back[/b][/p] [p]“The beauty of Trucker Path is, it’s taking the very devices that stopped all that conversation, and it’s giving users a real sense of community. With the Trucker Path App, you can actually feel like you’re not alone out there – because there are a lot of people contributing helpful information every day. In that sense, I’d like to think it’s encouraging better social habits.[/p] [p][b]Dragging our industry into the 21st century?[/b][/p] [p]Tim sees another potential long-term benefit from Trucker Path: Helping the industry broaden its appeal to younger people through technology – an area where trucking is notoriously behind the curve.[/p] [p]“The other day,” Tim says with an eye-roll, “I met someone from a company that’s still sending its drivers messages recorded on cassette.” That may be extreme example, Tim notes, but it’s hardly unheard-of for an industry that just isn’t taking full advantage of technology to recruit younger people.[/p] [p][b]We couldn’t have said it better ourselves[/b][/p] [p]Which indirectly points to the ultimate benefit Tim sees in Trucker Path – “And to me, this is absolute gold: By inviting helpful user contributions,” Tim says, “Trucker Path encourages genuine camaraderie between drivers. It’s giving people the opportunity to Pay It Forward to others on the road every day.”[/p] [p]And at the end of the day, what greater good can an App do than help you while you’re helping others?[/p] [br][p][i]SUMMARY: Our profile of trucker app expert Tim Spence, who particularly appreciates Trucker Path’s user review feature for helping truckers help one another by sharing information on the best truck stop restaurant – and identify whether Weigh Stations along their routes are open or closed.[/i][/p]

Jul 20, 2015