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ICYMI
The carriers still standing through rate swings and legal surprises aren't necessarily the biggest or best-resourced. They're the ones who caught the gaps before a crisis forced the lesson.
This past month, our writer Shefali Kapadia spoke with Jerad Dennis, VP of brokerage at TA Services, about the risk of chasing high-priced loads and how structural changes in the market should change the way carriers think. She also spoke with Emanuel Galimidi, a personal injury attorney, about the insurance and legal gaps that quietly expose small carriers long before an incident turns into a crisis. Both pieces are worth a few minutes of your time.
— Bianca Prieto, editor
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Rate discipline beats rate chasing
Expert: Jerad Dennis, VP of brokerage, TA Services
Fewer trucks are available right now than in recent years. Not because freight demand exploded, but because many smaller carriers exited during the last downturn and haven't come back. That tighter supply is what's pushing rates up. The temptation when rates are good is to take every high-paying load that comes along.
Dennis says that's the trap. A rate that looks great on paper can turn unprofitable once you factor in what it costs in fuel and time to reposition your truck for the next load. His advice: keep a base of contract freight for stability, use the spot market selectively when the numbers actually work and treat this period as a chance to build relationships with brokers and shippers. When rates soften again, and they will, those relationships are what carry you through.
Your dashcam is your best defense
Expert: Emanuel Galimidi, personal injury and wrongful death attorney, Galimidi Law
Small carriers make three mistakes before a legal crisis hits: they wait too long to call an attorney, they let dashcam and EDR data record over before preserving it and they rely on inconsistent hiring practices that become liability on the stand.
The biggest coverage gap is straightforward: running at the $1 million federal minimum leaves any carrier exposed to a serious injury or fatality case, period. The quiet one is the pollution exclusion. A diesel spill on the shoulder isn't covered under standard auto liability, and cleanup runs six figures fast. Galimidi's advice: treat every new hire as if they'll be in a wreck before their first paycheck, and treat compliance documentation as an ongoing habit, not a crash response.
Don’t miss this
Small carriers will never out-pay the mega-fleets, and Dusty Cushard, director of training at Missouri Trucking School, says that's not actually the problem. Culture, transparency about what the job really looks like and reliable equipment matter more. Retention is recruiting. → Small carriers can win the driver recruiting game
Jamie Hagen, president of Hell Bent Xpress in South Dakota, has one rule for surviving market swings: plan for the down before it arrives. Build a war chest, pay yourself a moderate salary and cut losing bets fast. "Don't stay invested too long in a bad idea." → The survival rules every small fleet owner needs
You’re all caught up!
That's the best of what we published this month. Got someone at your company who would make a great Inside Lane Q&A? We want to hear about it. Hit reply and introduce yourself.
