Oct 12, 2021 • Community

When and where does parking get filled up faster?

When and where does parking get filled up faster?

As you may know, many truck drivers often rely on the Trucker Path app to find available parking over the road. But when is the best time to pull up to a truck stop?

Our latest user feedback suggested that chain truck stops tend to get filled up faster than independent truck stops, and truck stops on the east coast tend to get filled up earlier than the ones on the east coast at night.

For more details, check out the article by Commercial Carrier Journal.

Tagstruck parking

Worst Roads in America [p]America, land of the free, home of the brave, potholes and faulty bridges. [b][a href="https://app.appsflyer.com/com.sixdays.truckerpath?pid=Social Facebook"]Truck drivers[/a][/b] take to the roads of America each and every day, hauling freight and delivering the things we desire most while others drive to work, visit loved ones or travel for vacation. In honor of National Infrastructure Week here are the worst roads in America ranked by state.[/p] [h2] Worst Roads in America [/h2] [p]Rankings for the worst roads in America are broken down by state and based on the percentage of roads in poor or mediocre condition with data sourced from the Federal Highway Administration.[/p] [ol-2] [li]Connecticut – 73 % (tie)[/li] [li]Illinois – 73 % (tie)[/li] [li]Wisconsin – 71 %[/li] [li]Colorado – 70 % (tie)[/li] [li]Road Island – 70 % (tie)[/li] [li]Oklahoma – 70 % (tie)[/li] [li]California – 68 %[/li] [li]Washington – 67 %[/li] [li]New Jersey – 66 %[/li] [li]Oregon – 65 %[/li] [li]Louisiana – 62 % (tie)[/li] [li]Kansas – 62 % (tie)[/li] [li]South Dakota – 61%[/li] [li]New York – 60 %[/li] [li]Nebraska – 59 %[/li] [li]Pennsylvania – 57 %[/li] [li]Maryland – 55 %[/li] [li]Maine – 53 %[/li] [li]Minnesota – 52 % (tie)[/li] [li]Montana – 52 % (tie)[/li] [li]Arizona – 52 % (tie)[/li] [/ol-2] [h2] Best Roads in America[/h2] [p]These states have the least percentage of roads in poor or mediocre condition, making them the best roads in America.[/p] [ol] [li]Indiana – 17 %[/li] [li]Georgia – 19 %[/li] [li]Nevada – 20 %[/li] [li]Alabama – 25 % (tie)[/li] [li]Utah – 25 % (tie)[/li] [/ol] [h2]States with the Worst Bridge Conditions in America[/h2] [p]Rankings are based on bridges considered structurally deficient or functionally obsolete with data sourced from the Federal Highway Administration. (Hawaii and Alaska excluded)[/p] [ol-2] [li]Road Island – 57 %[/li] [li]Massachusetts – 53 %[/li] [li]Pennsylvania – 42 %[/li] [li]New York – 39 %[/li] [li]New Jersey – 36 %[/li] [li]Connecticut – 35 % (tie)[/li] [li]West Virginia – 35 % (tie)[/li] [li]Maine – 33 % (tie)[/li] [li]Vermont – 33 % (tie)[/li] [li]New Hampshire – 32 %[/li] [li]Kentucky – 31 %[/li] [li]North Carolina – 30.5 %[/li] [li]Louisiana – 29 %[/li] [li]California – 28 %[/li] [li]Michigan – 27.4 %[/li] [li]Missouri – 27.2 %[/li] [li]Maryland – 26.8 %[/li] [li]Virgina – 26 % (tie)[/li] [li]Washington – 26 % (tie)[/li] [li]Iowa – 25.7 %[/li] [/ol-2] [h2]States with the Best Bridges in America[/h2] [p]These states have the least percentage of bridges not considered structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.[/p] [ol] [li]Minnesota – 11.5 %[/li] [li]Arizona – 12 %[/li] [li]Nevada – 13.7 %[/li] [li]Wisconsin – 14 %[/li] [li]Utah – 15 %[/li] [/ol] [button-white href="https://www.transportation.gov/policy-initiatives/grow-america/road-and-bridge-data-state"]Full List Here[/button-white] [h2]Infrastructure Week[/h2] [p]May 15–19 is National Infrastructure Week, a time to educate, plan and generate opportunities to rebuild our nation's roads, bridges and more. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates $3.6 trillion is necessary to raise the standard of infrastructure level. Meanwhile, President Trump has proposed a $1 trillion infrastructure plan with details to be revealed soon says Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao.[/p] [quote]“We’ve been hard at work at this, and so we’ll be releasing principles in about two to three weeks and then the legislative proposal will probably be tackled by the Congress in the third quarter,” Chao said.[/quote] [video id="93AYEnehOa4"] [button-green href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=worstroads2015&utm_campaign=aug"]Try Trucker Path For Free![/button-green]

May 16, 2017 • Community

How to start your own trucking company [p]If you're looking through articles on how to start a trucking company, chances are that you want to work for yourself. If you have been a trucker for a while and looking to get off the road whilst still staying in the industry, then it's a good idea to start your own business. You can hire drivers, buy trucks and start earning more money! In this article, we will take you through some of the key things to consider when starting your own company.[/p] <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #1 : Get your license![/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]Whether you're looking to manage drivers or be a driver yourself, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires you to hold a number of licenses before starting your company. Most importantly, you would need to obtain your required trucking authority, which gives you permission to operate trucks over 10,000 gross vehicle weight across different states. Besides the US DOT Number, you would require multiple operating authorities depending on your life of business. [/p] <h2></h2> [p][b]List of necessary documents:[/b][/p] <h2></h2> <table> <tr> <td>Commercial Driver's License (CDL)</td> <td>Drivers of commercial vehicles are required to obtain a CDL. Costs for a CDL can range from $3000 upwards depending on the state, classes and exams.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>US DOT Number</td> <td>The FMCSA uses a trucking company's DOT number when conducting investigations, inspections, etc. There is no charge for a DOT number application. First-time applicants apply through the Unified Registration System on the FMCSA website. Applications through URS take roughly 20 - 25 business days, subject to further requirements.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Motor Carrier Operating Authority (MC number)</td> <td>You will need to obtain an MC in addition to a DOT Number if you plan to: <ol> <li>Transport passengers in interstate commerce (for a fee or other compensation, whether direct or indirect)</li> <li>Transport federally-regulated commodities owned by others or arranging for their transport, (for a fee or other compensation, in interstate commerce)</li> </ol> In addition, you may need to apply for multiple operating authorities depending on your business. It costs $300 for each MC number. </td> </tr> <tr> <td>BOC - 3 filing</td> <td>This is done by the process agent that you appoint; the BOC - 3 filing must be included for all states that you will be taking loads in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>International Registration Plan (IRP) credentials and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) decal</td> <td>If you plan on operating across different states and your vehicles are over 26,000 pounds in weight, then you will need IRP credentials & ITA decals for your trucks. It will generally take between 3-5 days to process both credentials separately. The registration fee for both vary according to state but has a rough average of $1500 - $2000. </td> </tr> </table> <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #2: Legality issues[/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]The FMSCA requires you to have a process agent who will represent you in every state that you travel and work in. Once you find your desired process agent, have them fill in the BOC-3 form (click here Form BOC-3 - Designation of Agents for Service of Process).[/p] [p]When filing in the paperwork, you also need to determine the type of business you want to register your company as. Many factors such as tax filings and legal responsibility may play an important role in the future as your business grows, so It is best to talk to an accountant and lawyer about which type suits your needs best. [/p] [p][b]Step #3 Getting Insured[/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]FMSCA states that you need to have the right papers and insurance before you are given authority to operate. Some of the insurance covers include Public Liability Insurance including freight and passenger insurance, cargo insurance, etc. The exact documents will depend on the type of registration.[/p] <table> <tr> <td>BMC-91 or BMC-91X</td> <td>Public liability insurance (bodily injury/property damage/environmental restoration)</td> <td>The following categories: <ul> <li>Motor Carrier</li> <li>Freight Forwarder (Note: Non-vehicle operating freight forwarders may seek waiver of this requirement.) </li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td><ul> <li>Freight:--$750,000 - $5,000,000, depending on commodities transported; $300,000 for non-hazardous freight moved only in vehicles weighing under 10,001 lbs.</li> <li>Passengers:--$5,000,000; $1,500,000 for registrants operating only vehicles with seating capacity of 15 or fewer passengers.</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>BMC-34 or BMC-83</td> <td> <ul> <li>Cargo insurance--$5,000 per vehicle</li> <li>$10,000 per occurrence</li> </ul> </td> <td> <ul> <li>Household Goods Motor Carrier </li> <li>Household Goods Freight Forwarder </li> <ul> </td> <tr> <td>BMC-84 or BMC-85</td> <td> <ul> <li>Surety Bond amount is $75,000</li> <li>Trust Fund Agreement is $75,000</li> </ul> </td> <td> <ul> <li>Freight Forwarder</li> <li>Broker of Freight</li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td>BOC-3</td> <td>Service of Process Agents</td> <td>All Authorities</td> </tr> <tr> <td>MCS-90</td> <td>Endorsement for Motor Carrier</td> <td></td> </tr> </table> <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #4 Time to get a truck[/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]You can choose to lease or buy a truck depending on your financial situation. If you have financial capital and are looking to start a small fleet, getting your trucks from the same dealer might get you a decent discount. You can also consider buying a second-hand truck; however keep in mind that the average cost to repair a truck is $15,000 annually according to ATRI and the number may be higher for second-hand trucks depending on the quality.[/p] [p]Leasing can also be an option, paying monthly in the short term with a single down-payment at the beginning. However, you do not build equity with your payments and at the end of the term, you will own nothing unless you agree on a right to purchase.[/p] [p]Picking the right truck can make the difference between success and failure. Make sure to do your research and if possible, speak to other truck drivers who have become operators for advice.[/p] <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #5 Get your equipment right[/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]Choosing the type of freight your drivers carry can have a huge impact on how your company grows and earns. There are many equipment models for you to choose from, with flatbed and dry van neing the most common. (Yet to be completed).[/p] [img src="https://truckerpath.com/uploads/2021/09/Flatbed-or-Dryvan.jpg" alt=""] <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #6 Track your finances[/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]It's important that you set up a system to track your company's income and expenses. As clients within the payment industry often pay weeks or months after a delivery is complete, it may be difficult to track if you are also planning to transport loads and on the road. Here are several tips to keep in mind when starting out - [/p] <ol> <li>Pay clear attention to how and when your clients will pay you.</li> <li>Hire an accountant or use an easy book-keeping softare to track your expenses.</li> <li>Keep your business and personal transatons/bank accounts separate.</li> <li>Keep records of all invoices, receipts and expenses.</li> </ol> <h2></h2> [p][b]Step #7 Time to pick up some loads! [/b][/p] <h2></h2> [p]All set? Now it's time to get your trucks sorted, hire some drivers and start making money! Luckily you don't need to look far as our Truckloads platform will help you out. With more than 200K+ daily loads from certified carriers, it is a great way to find a value-for-money load; and we have included tools that will help you choose better. Download the app now on the Apple Store or Google Play Store and start searching for FREE loads![/p]

Sep 29, 2021 • Community

PSA: Navigation Service Outage Update

Aug 31, 2021 • PSA