Whether on the highway or the high seas, Melissa Metcalfe sails along
Always use caution when answering a “help wanted” ad. That’s the advice of trucking veteran Melissa Metcalfe, who found such an ad years ago on
Cliff Abbott
- About Cliff Abbott
- Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
Posts by Cliff Abbott
With a nearly life-long desire to drive a truck, Jeremy Ward is now ‘living the dream’
GLADWIN, Mich. — The phrase “living the dream” is usually spoken as a whimsical answer to the question, “How are you?” In the case of
WIT’s July member of the month offers encouragement to fellow drivers, women interested in trucking
JOPLIN, Mo. — “We live in a beautiful country, and trucking is a great way to see it.” Those words might sound like a recruiting
Hakuna matata: U.S. Army veteran, owner-operator has ‘no worries’ attitude, dedicates her truck to her sister
When a graphic artist decides to buy her own tractor, you’d expect the paint job to be interesting. That’s certainly true of Carla Brown’s lime
June sees rise in Class 8 truck production, but sales still lag behind
June U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks rose 42.7% over dismal May sales figures but didn’t come close to matching June 2019 numbers. According
House subcommittee approves huge 2021 budget increase for FMCSA, other agencies
WASHINGTON — The House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee passed its version of the U.S. budget for 2021 on July
Family tradition: TJ Kounkel is a third-generation trucker with award-winning Peterbilt
MERRILL, Iowa — Farming and trucking are two professions that often run in families. TJ Kounkel’s family has a tradition of both. In addition to
Factoring can keep owner-operators’ cash flowing in uncertain times
One of the most difficult things about owning and operating a small trucking business is cash flow. Company drivers and owner-operators who are leased to
Freight volumes, rates climbing back up, but progress is moving slowly
As expected, May freight level reports were mixed, with some showing improvement over April and some remaining near April’s dismal levels. The American Trucking Associations
Mexico-based carriers can still operate in United States under USMCA
For years after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994, the trucking industry in the U.S. worried about
Mayday, mayday! A tale of two sides of a dispute over spot rates
Frustration over spot freight rates bottoming out due to the COVID-19 pandemic drew more than 100 small-business owner-operators to Washington, D.C., for a “May Day”
Finally flexible: Carriers, drivers applaud HOS revisions
Long-awaited revisions to the hours of service (HOS) regulations were released on May 14 to mixed reviews. The changes, published in the Federal Register on
Latest amendment to INVEST Act would strip $2 million liability insurance requirement
Those interested in repairing our country’s infrastructure were dismayed to learn that an amendment to the INVEST in America Act being considered in the House
Julie Mills achieves success with safety and education skills
If life had turned out differently, Julie Mills might be happily teaching third graders in Cumberland County, New Jersey. As many truck drivers can attest,
Verdicts against trucking companies show dramatic increase of 51.7% annually, study shows
In the nine-year period between 2010 and 2018, jury verdict awards against trucking companies grew at a rate of 51.7% per year. That’s a lot,
Watch for expiration dates, quality when buying DEF, says API
The list of ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted trucking is a long one, but there’s one impact in particular that drivers should
At the Truck Stop: Quality, integrity are bywords of McKinney family’s 14-truck business
LEXINGTON, Ala. — David McKinney’s 2016 Peterbilt Pride and Class 389, affectionately named “Part Time,” was a white Fitzgerald Glider kit when purchased. “It looked
A peek into the future: Autonomous trucks are coming, but drivers will still be needed
When it comes to autonomous vehicles, we’re in Level 3, almost to Level 4. That’s according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) “J3016 Levels
INVEST in America Act amendment to increase minimum carrier insurance passes House committee
WASHINGTON — Truckers who applauded the long-overdue infrastructure bill now making its way through Congress were blindsided by a proposed amendment that would increase their
TIA CEO Robert Voltmann out as of Sept. 30; Doug Clark takes lead as interim CEO
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Personnel changes are taking place at Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) as long-term president and CEO Robert Voltmann announces he is leaving the