Dean Newell

The modern days of owner-operator drivers may be different from the good old days, when a driver bought his own truck and hired himself out to anyone who needed a load delivered. The expense of equipment, maintenance and fuel has made trucking a hard road for most pure independents. read more >

The act, all 1,300 pages of it, contains many provisions small and large, although the main thrust of the bill is the $305 billion in infrastructure spending and transit development during the next five years. read more >

An American Trucking Associations analysis reported an expected shortage of a record-high 47,500 drivers by the end of 2015, an increase of nearly 10,000 from the year before. The report said driver shortage has been a growing problem since the industry began to recover from the recession in 2011. read more >

A recent study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health revealed that long-haul drivers are twice as likely to smoke or be obese as the average working adult. Drivers also were more likely to have risk factors that could lead to chronic diseases. read more >

J.B. Hunt became the first major transportation company to incorporate hair testing seven years ago. Other companies have since followed suit, despite the additional costs and the fact that results cannot be shared with others in the industry. read more >