It seems like a day doesn’t go by without some sort of cybersecurity breach. Land Line Now talks with Ben Wilkens and Joe Ohr of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association about what they're seeing and how you can protect yourself. Also, express lanes are growing in popularity, but they aren’t without their problems. The Colorado DOT has hatched an enforcement plan to keep traffic moving and drivers safe.

0:00 – Fuel prices and freight rate predictions

10:06 – Cybersecurity and protecting yourself

25:00 – Colorado clamps down on express lane abuse

Brokers – some of them are good and helpful, and others are not. We’ll take a look at some of the latest problems. Also, the FTC planned to act on predatory towing fees – but a final rule left the trucking industry in the dark. Then, since 2018, Shell has worked to show truckers how to make their rigs more fuel efficient. We'll learn more about the company's Starship. And brokers have pushed back against a proposed FMCSA rule to require much greater broker transparency..

0:00 – FTC tackles some predatory fees – but not trucking’s

09:46 – Tackling some of the biggest broker problems

24:24 – Shell showing off its latest Starship

39:23 – Brokers push back on transparency proposal

OOIDA’s leadership is taking some time to chat with you about broker transparency, why it’s an issue and what you can do about it. Also, the Federal Trade Commission was set to take action against predatory towing, but somewhere along the way, the agency failed to act. We’ll explain what happened. Then, the back-and-forth on beneficial ownership information and congestion pricing topped the big news of the past week. And OOIDA tour truck driver Marty Ellis has seen some ELD damage – not damage to ELDs but, rather, damage to infrastructure by truckers pressed for time by their ELD.

0:00 – The reason the FTC isn’t going after predatory towing

09:46 – OOIDA fireside chat to break down broker transparency issue

24:24 – Big news week includes the back-and-forth on BOI

39:23 – Being rushed leads to ELD damage

We’re expecting new leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation and big activity regarding regulations over the next few months. Also, the Truck Leasing Task Force recently wrapped up its mission of examining lease-purchase plans. And Truckstop’s Brent Hutto gives an overview of 2024 and a look ahead to the rest of 2025, as well as current market conditions. Then, Texas has just boosted its highway fund by nearly $3 billion dollars – all from an unexpected source – and is making big moves on toll roads.

0:00 – Lease-purchase task force exposes problems with the system

10:06 – What does new DOT leadership mean to you?

25:00 – The market in 2024 and what’s ahead in 2025

39:51 – A Texas-sized boost in highway funding

Truckers have many concerns regarding autonomous trucks – among them, cybersecurity. Also, Bryan Martin of Chrome Shop Mafia offers some advice for the owner of a 2003 Peterbilt 379 about trading in one set of keys for another. Then, the claims process can take a long time, but video footage can speed up that process and save you some money. And what sort of advice would you give four wheelers if you had the chance? One trucker recently offered some in a blog post that’s gone viral.  

0:00 – Autonomous trucks raise cybersecurity concerns

10:06 – The role of sentimentality in choosing a truck

25:00 – How a dashcam could help you with a claim

39:51 – Some advice for the ones with four wheels

Carrier tracking and harassing phone calls from brokers spur many calls to OOIDA every day. We’ll summarize some of the topics involved. Also, driver pay and driver retention have been recurring themes throughout 2024, because their ripple effects extend throughout the industry. And several states are following California’s lead on emission rules – including Oregon, where efforts are underway to delay or stop the regulation.

0:00 – Pay and retention continued to be problems in 2024

10:06 – How to deal with harassment from brokers

25:00 – Oregon lawmaker fights new truck emission rule

Congress avoided a government shutdown, but now has to elect a new speaker and deal with the debt limit. Also, we’re going to look at worker classification in 2024. Then, staying fit while working as a trucker is difficult. That’s why Truckstop published a blog post dedicated to simple exercises. And whether you run interstate or intrastate can have a big impact in terms of the legal issues you might face. Alex Clark of CDL Legal explains.

0:00 – The battle over worker classification continues

10:06 – Some simple ways to stay fit on the road

25:00 – Legal issues often depend on whether you’re interstate or intrastate

39:51 – Congress moves on to the next crisis

A new ATRI report says not only is traffic congestion costly – it took $109 billion from trucking in 2022 alone. Also, it’s doubtful we went long this past year without mentioning emission rules or electric vehicles. We’ll review developments that occurred during 2024. Then, the topic of fraud might sound like a broken record, but being on the ball can make all the difference. And electronic message boards have become a fairly common sight along America’s highways – but sometimes, they don’t work correctly.

0:00 – 2024 was a watershed year for emission rules

10:06 – Study says traffic congestion costs us billions

25:00 – How can you avoid freight fraud?

39:51 – Highway tech doesn’t always work as it should

A federal appeals court made a decision that will reinstate a requirement that small businesses report beneficial ownership information. Also, 2024 brought up several big headlines regarding nuclear verdicts against trucking companies. We’ll review what happened. Then, FMCSA is keeping speed limiters and broker transparency on its radar going into 2025. And we’ll tell you about how delays by a shipper and a receiver, combined with a broker, created some very specific problems for one trucker.

0:00 – Nuclear verdicts blew up in 2024

10:06 – The battle over speed limiters, broker transparency continues

25:00 – What shipper, receiver delays did to one trucker

39:51 – Beneficial ownership information rule back on

Our rundown of 2024’s top trucking stories focuses on an issue that affects every trucker – bathroom access. Also, we present a trucker’s version of the classic holiday poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Then, what are five things you can do to your truck to get the most bang for your buck? Bryan Martin of Chrome Shop Mafia joins us with some advice. And we bring you our trucking versions of classic Christmas carols, most written and all inspired by longtime trucking writer Bill Hudgins.

0:00 – Progress on bathroom access in 2024

10:06 – “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” trucking style

25:00 – Five mods for your truck with the best bang for your buck

39:51 – The Hudgins Holiday Singalong