As federal driving-hour limits tick down, drivers often spend the final stretch of their day not hauling freight, but hunting for a legal place to stop. The problem is so common that it’s become baked into the culture of over-the-road trucking. Drivers swap tips in Facebook groups, memorize hidden parking spots and learn which truck … More The “Airbnb” Model Is Coming for Truck Parking
This week, I covered a story in Bazetta Township, Ohio, where the Township Trustees agreed to a 9.2 percent increase in their health insurance plans for their employees – and counted it a win. “We’ll take the 9.2 rate increase gladly,” said Trustee Chairman Michael Hovis. “One insurance company wouldn’t even quote us.” Hovis told … More In This Market, a 9% Increase Is a Win
AI is good at many things – I’ve written about that before – but now I want to talk about business language, and how AI, through word salad and other nonsensical techniques, is making communication worse than it was before our computer overlords arrived. Having spent 20+ years in mass communication, I know a little … More Optimized to Oblivion: My Resume vs the Machines
In 1904, Amanda Helen Kallio, a 16-year-old from Finland, boarded the Saxonia, a Cunard Line steamship, sailing from Liverpool to Boston. She was traveling with her 11-year-old brother Isaac and planned to join her father, Isaac Kallio, in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. Local history pages published by Case Western Reserve record that “most Finns came to … More Game Theory on the High Seas: The 1904 Steerage Rate War, the Prisoner’s Dilemma and why I live in Ohio
This week, a new data center was announced here in Trumbull County, Ohio, to support AI technology’s massive computing needs. This is at a time when many people in the area still haven’t developed a solid feel for how AI will deploy in their lives – on their personal phones, in their jobs, or in … More AI and the future of …well, everything.
The scent of lavender and the buzz of neighbors filled the air this weekend at the Second Annual Honeymoon Lavender Festival, a celebration of pollinators, nature, and neighborhood revitalization hosted by Trek Coffee House on Mahoning Avenue. Levi Binsley-Smith, owner of Trek and longtime Youngstown enthusiast, sees the festival as more than just a gathering—it’s … More Honey, Lavender and the Coffee Shop Making a Stand on the West Side
Hybrid and fully electric vehicles have been around for years, and medium and light duty trucks are rolling out. Applying that same tech to heavy duty commercial trucks is a challenge, however. Check it out in my latest article for Transport Topics.
Many of the people I interviewed for this story agree – the current markets are unsettled, weird, unprecedented (insert your favorite adjective here) – and that means businesses are closely evaluating purchases. Many truck fleets look to different leasing models to help manage costs; at the end of the day, regardless of how strange the … More Truck Leasing in a Weird Economy
View this story in full on TransportTopics.com Cybersecurity fascinates me, so when I was offered this story to write, I jumped on the chance. Fleets and trucking companies historically haven’t worried too much about cybersecurity. In some instances, it has been looked upon like insurance. “It’s the best comparison out there: No one wants it … More Trucking Must Stay a Step Ahead in Battling Digital Theft
View this story in full on TransportTopics.com The goal in fleet maintenance is to reduce downtime: a mile traveled for maintenance is a mile that doesn’t generate revenue for the fleet. For many companies, the aim is to bring miles traveled for maintenance to zero, maximizing uptime for the fleet operator.
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