Tips

Getting the right truck insurance for your business can feel like a monumental task. Maybe you’re not quite sure where to start. This section of our blog has articles that feature tips for buying truck insurance and tips for understanding various coverages. Insurance might seem overly complicated and impossible, but we strive to make insurance as easy as possible. That’s why these articles break down various topics into easy-to-understand tips and explanations.

The “Tips” section also includes articles that focus on ways to improve safety at your business. Though you face many risks as a trucking business, there are things you can do to minimize those risks and lessen the chance of something bad happening. The articles take various topics and create manageable steps that you can follow to boost safety at your business. The safer your business is, the fewer claims you may have. And that can help your insurance rates.

So, take some time to check out the topics that appeal to you.

What are hours of service regulations for trucking?

You need to heed the Hours of Service regulations.

Hours of service regulations are designed to keep the roadways safe for all parties, from motorcycles to big rigs, and to help drivers stay healthy and alert. Hours of service rules are defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and must be adhered to in all 50 states. Learning more about these important regulations helps protect your business (new fleet owners and drivers in particular need to fully review hours of service rules) and keeps the roads safe for all.

Read moreWhat are hours of service regulations for trucking?

How to evaluate quotes for truck insurance

It's important to evaluate quotes for truck insurance.

Whether you are in the market for dump truck insurance, tow truck insurance, box truck insurance or any other type of insurance for a commercial vehicle, you need to know how to get truck insurance quotes and then compare them. This will help you make a decision about which insurance you purchase. We’ve got some tips and guidelines for evaluating quotes.

Read moreHow to evaluate quotes for truck insurance

What is the minimum insurance I need to get my truck operating authority?

If you're getting your operating authority, you need to have certain levels of insurance.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), commercial trucking companies must obtain an interstate operating authority number if they meet certain criteria. The interstate operating authority number, also known as an MC number, is in addition to the requirement of obtaining a Department of Transportation (DOT) number.

These criteria include businesses that:

  • Transport people paying a monetary fee or another form of compensation while engaged in interstate commerce. This fee can either be a direct or indirect form of payment.
  • Transport commodities regulated by the federal government and owned by another party in exchange for a direct or implied payment while completing the act of interstate commerce.

Read moreWhat is the minimum insurance I need to get my truck operating authority?

Do I need a CDL to drive this vehicle?

Certain vehicles require the driver to carry a CDL.

You may have a new job that involves driving certain special types of vehicles, or you may be driving vehicles other than standard private passenger vehicles just for personal use. Either way, there are times when you need to drive what are known as commercial vehicles, and those vehicles require you to have an added level of experience, skills, and knowledge. When you are driving those vehicles, you need to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

Read moreDo I need a CDL to drive this vehicle?

Important things to know about drug and alcohol testing for truck drivers

As a truck driver, it's important to be aware of drug and alcohol testing requirements.

There are many protocols and procedures in place that can help to assure the safety of commercial drivers and all other people on the road. One of those categories of procedures involves drug and alcohol testing. Here is what you need to know about that type of testing for commercial drivers.

Read moreImportant things to know about drug and alcohol testing for truck drivers

What is a truck inspection like?

It's important to know how a truck inspection works.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all commercial vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds to undergo an annual truck inspection. This is to ensure that all equipment on the commercial vehicle works as it should to help improve public safety. The DOT conducts inspections at six different levels. An inspection can take place anywhere a qualified DOT official or a police officer from the same state are present. While the inspections might feel nerve-wracking, the good news is that you can do several things to prepare and increase the likelihood of passing.

Read moreWhat is a truck inspection like?

What is the FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)?

The FMCSA has a Pre-Employment Screening Program.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) keeps driver safety records contained within a program it calls the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). The data contains the safety record of each individual commercial driver, industry service provider, and carrier. Anyone with the proper credentials can access the MCMIS website 24 hours a day. This federal program is separate from driver data kept by individual states. Most state governments refer to driver data as a motor vehicle record (MVR). We’re going to explain a bit about the FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program.

Read moreWhat is the FMCSA’s Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)?

Reduce business expenses by comparing insurance quotes for a fleet

There are important things to consider when you get insurance quotes for a fleet.

Do you run a business that is reliant on a fleet of trucks? If so, then you probably know that fleet management can be one of the most expensive costs that your company faces. However, you do have control over your costs. One way that you can lower the costs of managing your business is by comparing insurance quotes for a fleet.

Read moreReduce business expenses by comparing insurance quotes for a fleet

What is a DOT Number and Who Needs One?

Do you need a DOT Number to operate your truck?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires a Department of Transportation (DOT) number for trucks and other carrier vehicles that meet certain criteria. These typically pertain to weight, whether the vehicle carries paying customers, and whether the carrier vehicle routinely crosses state lines. In addition to the federal regulations, 37 of the 50 states require a DOT number. (The FMCSA has a list of the states that require a DOT Number.)

It can be confusing, especially as a new operator, to understand if the regulation pertains to you and whether you need to obtain a DOT number. We hope that the FMCSA regulations below will bring more clarity to this issue for you.

Read moreWhat is a DOT Number and Who Needs One?

5 Safety Tips for Lowboy Trailers

It's important to keep safety in mind when you're driving a lowboy trailer.

If you’re hauling on lowboys, you know that no type of equipment, machinery, or industrial vehicle you haul is ever quite the same. You’re naturally a problem solver. Every day, you have to put your knowledge of synthetic webbing, winches, ratchets, friction mats and more to work so that you can make sure every load safely reaches its destination. You recognize that it’s not only the cargo at stake – it’s also the safety of everyone on the road and your business’s reputation.

So, here are 5 safety lowboy trailer safety tips that can be vital to protecting your cargo loads and your business.

Read more5 Safety Tips for Lowboy Trailers