Latest Money News
Fresh trucking stories explained through rates, fuel, tolls, fines, insurance, downtime, repairs, and cash flow.
Dry Van Spot Rates Are Up 66 Cents a Mile - That’s $1,320 More on 2,000 Miles
Dry van linehaul spot rates are about 66 cents per mile higher than a year ago. On 2,000 loaded miles, that works out to roughly $1,320 more gross revenue - as shrinking truck capacity gives carriers more negotiating power.
One Company Walks Away From Truck Crash Case - Another Faces $604 Million
Two Texas truck-crash cases produced very different results. One shipper escaped liability after a court found it did not control the carrier or driver, while freight broker C.H. Robinson is fighting a $604 million verdict in a separate case. The big money lesson: the more control a company has over a truck and driver, the more financial risk it may take on.
Buying a $40,000 Dry Van? New Import Tariffs Could Add $3,604
New preliminary duties on Mexican-made dry-van trailers could add an estimated $3,604 in import costs to a trailer valued at $40,000. Here is what owner-operators need to understand.
Trucker Spills Load of Live Chickens on I-80 Ramp in Lake Station, Flees Scene
A semi crash scattered hundreds of live chickens across an Indiana interstate ramp, but the driver was nowhere to be found.
Truckers face sales pitches after roadside inspections, industry experts warn
A roadside inspection may be over, but the sales campaign can begin almost immediately. Compliance companies are monitoring carrier records, identifying worried truckers and turning public safety data into urgent pitches for paid help.
Weigh Stations Can Cost Truckers Up To $2,000 A Year. Here’s How To Cut The Damage
Those roadside scales may look like a simple delay for truckers, but there’s a much bigger money story behind them. From road damage and overweight fines to bypass systems and weigh-in-motion technology, weigh stations reveal who really pays when freight gets too heavy.
"Toll Dodger" Truck Driver Walks Free After $22,000 Ohio Turnpike Bill - But Nearly Lost His Rig
An Illinois owner-operator accused of dodging nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike tolls avoided jail and kept his Freightliner after paying $21,991 in restitution plus towing fees. Prosecutors had charged Moath Musamih with felony grand theft and sought to seize the truck, but the case was dropped after full payment. The case is a warning that modern toll systems can track unpaid trips for years.
Two Stolen Trailers Loaded with $1.3 Million in Copper and Data Center Equipment Recovered Near Chicago
Authorities recovered two stolen semi-trailers loaded with more than $1.3 million in copper wire and data center infrastructure equipment at an Illinois truck yard, showing why high-value freight tied to the AI boom is becoming a bigger target.
World Cup Fever Is Devouring Reefer Capacity - And Host Cities Are Paying Up To $5.75 Per Mile
Reefer rates into U.S. World Cup host cities are rising faster than the rest of the freight market, with DAT data showing event demand pushing refrigerated capacity into tighter, higher-paying lanes.
Illinois Tollway Wants 30% Truck Toll Increase. Here’s What It Could Cost Carriers
Illinois Tollway is proposing a 30% commercial vehicle toll increase starting in 2027. For carriers running Chicago-area freight, the real question is whether higher tolls can be passed into rates or quietly taken out of profit.
Driver Staffing Problems And Aging Trucks Surface As Michigan City Withholds $100,000 From Waste Hauler
The city of Westland, Michigan withheld $100,000 from Priority Waste after weeks of missed yard waste pickups and service delays. The dispute shows how driver staffing, aging trucks, route problems, and public complaints can turn a local garbage pickup issue into a city contract and trucking money problem.
A Wrong Turn In Vermont Can Now Cost Truckers $20,000
Vermont is raising penalties for trucks that enter Smugglers’ Notch on Route 108, with fines reaching $10,000 for getting stuck and $20,000 if the truck substantially blocks traffic. The new law takes effect July 1, turning one wrong turn into a five-figure carrier bill.