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Looking to jumpstart your trucking business in 2025? Check out the articles that were read the most during the past year and become a more well-rounded truck driver and business owner! Per Diem Tax Deduction Tips for Truck Drivers 5 Ways President Trump Affects Trucking The Complete Guide to Taxes for Owner-Operator Truckers Everything You Need to Know About Chain Laws Self-Driving Trucks: Are Truck Drivers Out of a Job? Important Tax Updates for This Tax Season The Best and Worst States for Outbound Freight Owner-Operator Truck Driver Tax Deductions 1099 vs. W-2 Truck Drivers: What's the Difference? The Top 25 Quick and Easy Meals for Truck Drivers

Being an independent truck driver can be a stressful business. The holiday season can certainly add to that stress, with the desire to spend the holidays at home conflicting with the need to keep your business financially sound. Some shippers will shut down on Christmas and New Years, causing drivers to lose productivity for a whole week, maybe two. However, the holiday season can be a good time to stay on the road and work as much as possible, especially considering the annual slowdown typically occurs in January and February. In fact, ATBS Benchmark data shows contractors run 7% fewer miles in January than in November and December, because there is much less freight available in January. Let’s look at the financial consequences of some choices often made during the holiday season: Ignoring fixed expenses The average daily fixed expenses for owner-operators are $150 per day. Ignoring fixed expenses to take 7-10 days off for each holiday means $1,050 - $1,500 in costs each week that aren’t being offset by any revenue. Deadheading or driving out of route to get home Basic operating costs and fuel can be 75 cents per mile. If you deadhead or drive out of route 1,000 miles you’ve added $750 to your costs, again with no revenue to offset the additional costs. Losing momentum It’s difficult to get back up to speed after the holiday shutdown. It takes time to get into the flow of freight again, which means a reduction in revenue for days or even a week after you’re back at work. Thinking short-term Gift buying and entertaining increase your home costs. Significant time off during the holidays means less revenue to offset your increased financial burden. The freight slowdown in January and February also means limited prospects of digging yourself out of the hole until March or April—right before your taxes are due on April 15th. No one should miss a holiday with their family, but it is important to protect your business as well. Many drivers tend to start heading home a week or two before the holidays—which is the wrong thing to do. Do your best to run as many days as you can right up to the Holiday. Be creative in ways to get home without sacrificing a week or two or deadheading thousands of miles. Many trucks will already be parked for the holiday, so this could be your single best freight opportunity of the year. Let’s look at a few other ways to make this season work to your advantage: Fly instead of drive Considering your fixed and variable costs, if reasonable airfare can be found, it may make more sense to park your truck securely under load and fly home for only a day or two. Fly back and get the load running while everyone else is trying to get a load out of home. Make up missed holiday time in January Even though you may miss one of the holidays with your family by working as much as possible, you can take extra time off in January and make it up to them. Freight is slower then and the additional revenue you generated at the end of the year will make your time off less stressful. Don't be picky Now is not the time to be picky about what loads to haul after Christmas and through the end of February. Plus January and February are always the worst times of the year for freight. Think long-term The only way to offset the inevitable slowdown at the beginning of the year is by planning for it in November and December. Bring in revenue then and you’ll be in a better position to pay your bills come January and February. Tax Day also will be less of a burden. The holidays are a difficult time for everyone in trucking. It’s good to remember that when dealing with others you come in contact with—shippers, receivers, regulation enforcement, etc. A lot of people feel the extra stress, so when dealing with others, applying a little holiday cheer is likely to go a long way. ATBS is here to help you get through the holiday season. And by the way…Happy Holidays!

Life is full of all kinds of unexpected events. Everything could be going great and then one day your truck has an unexpected maintenance issue. Your wife might call and say that the water heater decided to burst and you have water all over the basement floor. It’s because of these uncertainties that we need to make sure we are always prepared. Setting up an emergency fund can help to offset a financial strain. What is an emergency fund? An emergency fund is a liquid amount of cash that you can easily access if some sort of emergency pops up. I am not talking about money you might need to take a last-minute trip to the Caribbean. Getting your emergency fund started. Getting your emergency fund started can be as simple as $100. As long as you are able to meet and exceed your breakeven point each month you can continue to contribute small amounts over a long period of time. As you slowly build your emergency fund you are going to want to make sure you monitor your spending and avoid debt. How big should your emergency fund be? If you talk to any financial professional you will probably get a different answer from all of them on what the perfect amount is. Some people say your emergency fund needs to be as little as $1,000. Personally, I think it’s better to have a few months' worth of household expenses. This will help keep peace of mind in the event something does happen. Where do you put the money? After you have made the choice to start your emergency fund you need to decide where to put the money. The answer is simple. You need to stash it in a high-yielding savings account. A high-yielding savings account isn’t going to make you rich, but it keeps the money easily accessible if you need it in a hurry. It’s also better than just keeping it under your mattress. Wrapping it up. If you follow my advice and set up an emergency fund then you should feel safe the next time an unexpected financial emergency pops up in your life.

We wanted to take a moment to thank clients for the valuable feedback you've shared with us regarding the new ATBS Hub . Your insights have been instrumental in shaping the user experience, and we are thrilled to announce some exciting new features that have been added based on your suggestions. Here's a brief overview of the enhancements we've made so far: 12/04/24 Updates Added a message center to allow the ATBS team to request documents or information from clients in a streamlined format. Added a link to a brand new process for clients to complete their annual Tax Organizer. 08/20/24 Updates Added resources for ATBS Ride Clients Fixed bugs relating to the mileage tracker and ATBS Ride client data 07/23/24 Updates Improvements for analytics tracking Improvements to per diem notes Improvements to the Open Banking connection Add YTD Savings info and summary info for clients in the Rideshare industry Fix minor bugs and install patches and updates 06/29/24 Updates Updates to tools for clients with business entities. A mileage tracking tool for clients in the rideshare and gig driver industries. Optional Trip Notes: Users can now add an optional note to each trip. CSV Export: Users can easily download a summary of all trips in CSV format for their records. 04/02/24 Updates Added "What If" sections to Profit Plan 02/23/24 Updates The 2023 Personal Tax Organizer is now available to clients as a DocuSign Powerform that clients can launch themselves directly from their client Hub. 02/06/24 Updates Links will now open in the app if it is installed on your device Fixed multi-page navigation on small screen sizes Fixed Per Diem calendar auto-returning to the current month Fixed "Upload File" button not working on first tap in mobile on Safari 01/22/24 Updates Fixed P&L / Balance sheet table scroll Added P&L / Balance sheet download Updated language on the home page  Updated login page language Added the app version number to home page menu 12/21/23 Updates Login Experience The Hub now includes a “keep me logged in” feature so that the user can choose to stay logged in on trusted devices for an extended period of time. Username and Password can be saved. This is dependent upon the OS, device, browser, and user settings/options. Documents Increased file size limits. Access your device’s Camera Roll from directly within the Hub. Share documents/files to the Hub from other apps on your device. For example, share a PDF file in your device’s Email app directly to the ATBS Hub. Improved usability of the cropping tool. Profit & Loss Statements and Balance Sheets Added charts for YTD Miles and YTD Expenses. P&L and Balance Sheet drill-downs now show images of documents sent from any source (app, email, and physical documents). Previously, only documents that originated from the mobile app were displayed in the drill-downs. Fixed bugs related to the display of some P&L information, including Fuel Surcharge Revenue displaying correctly in the YTD Charts and some categories that errored for certain clients. Per Diem Added a “Year” option that allows clients to view/update the per diem for any year. When the “Year” is selected, the Per Diem Summary tile and the Calendar automatically display the selected year. Profit Plan Personal Obligations section added. Tax Updated language on the Quarterly Tax Estimates to make it easier to pay estimates. Added Tax Returns for clients who have multiple Returns in a single year. For example, business entity and personal returns, and married filing single returns for husband and wife. General Fixed numerous back-end items to improve stability, speed, usability, security, reporting, automations, and various other items. We believe these additions will greatly enhance your overall experience with the ATBS Hub and provide solutions to the challenges you've shared with us. We will continue to update this page as new updates continue to be rolled out. Thank you once again for being an integral part of our user community. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we look forward to continuously improving our services to meet your expectations.

2024 is almost over which means it’s time to make sure you have minimized your tax bill for the year. There are many things you can begin doing now to make filing your tax return as easy as possible and reduce the amount you owe. Let’s take a look at a few of the most important tax moves to make before 2024 comes to an end. Whether you’ve been an owner-operator for all of 2024 or just part of 2024, we can help you get those complicated owner-operator taxes filed. Click here! 1. Buy Assets - ONLY if you Need Them If you are in need of a new truck or piece of equipment for your business, it may be worth purchasing it before the year ends. Purchasing equipment for your business could allow you to reduce your tax liability because of the depreciation rules. The tax law allows your business to take an immediate first-year deduction on any asset purchased during the year. This is because any qualified property purchased and placed in service between January 1st, 2024 and December 31, 2024, can be depreciated by 60% of the cost of the property. If the tax law doesn’t change, starting in 2025, the bonus depreciation goes down by an additional 20% each year. This means that in 2025 bonus depreciation will be 40%, 2026 will be 20%, and in 2027 there will be no bonus depreciation. The cost of the depreciated piece of property up to 60%, will be recognized as an expense and lower your taxable income for 2024. But, before you go out and make a big purchase in order to take advantage of the new depreciation rules, there are a few things to consider. This deduction shouldn’t motivate you to purchase things that you might want but won’t help your business make more money. A higher deduction in the present means you will likely have a lower deduction in the future. If your business is growing, this can lead to problems when your business moves into a higher tax bracket. If an asset is sold for more than its adjusted basis*, then tax law states any excess depreciation that was deducted on the prior year's returns (up to the amount of the sale price) is considered taxable income. This means if you end up selling an asset for more than its adjusted basis, tax law requires the IRS to take back the depreciation deduction and the recaptured depreciation profits will be taxed as income. *Adjusted basis is the original purchase price minus any depreciation deduction allowed on that piece of equipment. 2. Calculate your Per Diem Deduction Per diem is the tax deduction that the IRS allows to substantiate ordinary and necessary business expenses paid or incurred while traveling away from home. In simpler terms, it’s a deduction for meals and incidental expenses for the days you are on the road and away from home for a period of time that requires sleep or rest to complete your job duties. This deduction was eliminated for employees, also known as company drivers, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) but remains a deductible business expense for self-employed individuals or owner-operators. As of October 1st, 2024, the per diem rate increased to $80 per full day and $60 per partial day. However, the rate remains the same, $69 per full day and $51.75 per partial day, from January 1st, 2024 through September 30th, 2024. In 2024, the deduction will remain at 80% for the amounts listed above. Taxpayers are required to keep track of their days on the road in order to claim the per diem deduction. ATBS recommends keeping a per diem calendar where you mark an “X” for full days and a “/” on partial days to keep tracking per diem simple. To prove your per diem, you will also need to provide DOT ELD logs with times, dates, and locations. To get a better understanding of per diem, check out our Per Diem Tax Break article . 3. Consider Electing to be Taxed as an S-Corporation Consider setting your business up as an LLC and filing form 2553 to elect to be taxed as an S-Corporation. There are some advantages to filing as an S Corp, as long as you net enough earnings throughout the year. ATBS recommends not making this election unless your net earnings are consistently exceeding $70,000-$75,000 per year. At that point, tax savings will be greater than the costs to set up and run the corporation. As an S-Corp, you can minimize your self-employment tax by paying yourself a reasonable salary and withdrawing additional funds as distributions. Unlike a sole proprietorship, not all income (distributed and undistributed) from an S corporation is subject to self-employment tax. The self-employment tax rate is approximately 15% on all earnings from self-employment activity. Here is an example of how you can lower your self-employment taxable income when set up as an S-corporation. If you earned $60,000 of net income over the year, and pay yourself a reasonable salary of $40,000, you only have to pay self-employment tax on the $40,000. 15% (the self-employment tax rate) of $40,000 is $6,000. This means that you are now only paying $6,000 of self-employment tax rather than $9,000 (15% of $60,000 is $9,000). Paying yourself a salary that is not considered “reasonable” may send a red flag to the IRS that could potentially trigger an audit. 4. Get Caught Up on Quarterly Tax Estimates If you have not been paying your quarterly estimated tax payments, it would be a good idea to make a larger than normal 4th quarter tax payment to try and catch up. This will help pay any existing tax liability due when you file your 2024 tax return. It will also allow you to avoid penalties for not paying enough taxes during the year. The 4th quarter estimated tax payment is due January 15th, 2025. Generally, most taxpayers will avoid a penalty for underpayment of annual tax if they owe less than $1,000 or if they’ve paid at least 90% of the tax due for the current year. However, it’s HIGHLY recommended you pay taxes every quarter. Failing to pay your quarterly estimated taxes can result in additional penalties that vary based on how much you owe. Don’t let yourself get too far behind or it will become more and more difficult to get yourself caught up. ATBS recommends setting aside 25%-30% of your weekly net income for quarterly estimated tax payments. 5. Make an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Contribution Contributions that you make towards a traditional IRA are considered tax deductible with some restrictions. You can contribute up to $7,000 per year across all IRA’s in your name and if you are over the age of 50, you can make an additional $1,000 contribution for a total of $8,000 per year. These contributions have to be made before April 15th, 2025. Additional retirement plans you can contribute to include a simplified employee plan (SEP) or a savings incentive match plan for employees (SIMPLE). A SEP has special rules attached to it, so if you have employees, make sure you understand the contribution rules. If you are the only employee of your company, then you can contribute 25% of your net income from self-employment activity, or $69,000; whichever is less. If you are a single truck owner-operator, or your company has fewer than 10 employees, you can use a SIMPLE IRA. Your annual contributions are capped at $16,000 unless you are 50 and older when it’s increased to $19,500. Find a trusted financial advisor to help you determine which method of investing for retirement is best based on your individual income needs. Additional Tips Max Out Health Savings Account (HSA) A health savings account (HSA) lets you set aside pretax income to cover health care costs that your insurance doesn't pay. You can contribute to an HSA only if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and aren't enrolled in Medicare. For 2024, the maximum contribution amounts are $4,150 for individuals and $8,300 for family coverage. If you're 55 or older, you can add up to $1,000 more as a "catch-up" contribution. HSAs have no use-it-or-lose-it provision. Any funds still in the plan at the end of the year can be rolled over indefinitely. Send Books to an Accountant At the end of the year, one of the best ways to get ready for the upcoming tax season is to send your books to an accountant. This way they can begin getting everything in order early and let you know with plenty of time if they are missing any items. If you wait until later in the tax season, it could mean that your taxes may not get done before the deadline. Prepare 1099’s for Contractors The 1099-NEC form is used to report payments made to independent contractors for services. If you paid someone who is not your employee (W-2), such as a subcontractor, $600 or more for services provided during the year, a Form 1099-NEC needs to be completed. A copy of the 1099-NEC must be provided to the independent contractor and the IRS by January 31st of the year following payment. Avoid Paying Additional Taxes on Health Insurance The 2018 tax year was the last year there would be a penalty for not having health insurance. However, you could still end up owing more in tax because of Marketplace coverage. When you apply for health insurance through the federal or state marketplace or exchange, you need to accurately estimate your total family income for the year. When signing up for marketplace insurance, it is better to slightly overstate your 2025 estimated income than to understate it. If you underestimate your income you may owe back thousands of dollars in taxes. However, if your income is below a certain amount, you may be eligible to receive a subsidy to help you pay your monthly insurance premiums. When you file your taxes, you are required to calculate how much your household income actually turned out to be. If your income is above the amount you estimated, you may have to pay some or all of the subsidized assistance you received back to the marketplace as part of your tax liability. It’s recommended that you talk to a tax professional if you need any help with any of the above items. At ATBS, we specialize in owner-operator truck driver taxes. We can walk you through each scenario above to make sure your 2024 taxes are filed correctly. Give us a call at 866-920-2827 to get started!

During the COVID era, driver turnover rates were at all-time lows for most carriers. Rates were up, fuel costs were down, and owner-operators were making money like never before. There was no need to move when they could work 4 days a week and still make record income. But over the past two and a half years, this stability has faded. Rising costs, shrinking rates, and increased challenges have driven turnover rates back up, creating widespread strain on carriers. In this article, we’ll examine the impact of high turnover on fleets and quantify the costs a carrier faces every time an owner-operator leaves. How Turnover Drains Your Fleet’s Resources 1). Departure Costs Owner-operators rarely leave at the first sign of dissatisfaction. Usually, they go through a phase of disengagement first. As their motivation drops, so does their performance, and this has serious implications for carriers: Performance and Reliability: Disengaged drivers may neglect maintenance, cut corners, or fail to deliver on commitments, harming both operations and morale. Profit and Service Impact: A driver who’s mentally checked out impacts customer service, which hurts satisfaction and, ultimately, revenue. A single disengaged driver can drag down an entire fleet's profitability over time. 2). Lost Experience Experienced owner-operators are invaluable assets. Contractors who know the ins and outs of your business operate efficiently, make quick decisions, and require less oversight. Every departure is a major investment loss—not just in skill, but in accumulated experience. Losing them means losing both expertise and smooth operations, as replacements take time to reach the same level of productivity. 3). Increased Overhead When an operator leaves, your overhead costs—rent, salaries, utilities—don’t go down. They remain fixed, but with fewer operators to generate revenue and absorb those expenses. As turnover rises, so does the impact of fixed costs on profitability. If the remaining operators—or any replacements you bring in—can’t bring in enough revenue to make up for the one who left, your profit margins take a hit. Each departure stretches resources thinner, and with fewer operators available, the impact of high trailer-to-tractor ratios becomes even more serious. Now, with limited drivers to handle each load, every gap is felt harder, and every missed opportunity or delayed shipment adds up to a higher overall cost of turnover. 4). Missed Opportunities Every operator who leaves doesn’t just take their revenue with them—they take potential profits, business relationships, and future opportunities. For example, if an operator is grossing $15,000 a month for his carrier, and the carrier has a 7% pretax margin, their departure means around $1,050 in lost monthly profit for the company. And that’s just one driver. Multiply this across every lost driver, and the cost quickly adds up. Each operator you lose also means fewer drivers to handle critical loads, creating gaps that leave customers waiting—or, worse, drive them straight to your competitors. 5). Replacement and Training Costs Recruiting, training, and onboarding a new driver is no small task. Recruitment costs alone include advertisements, exams, and processing applications. Training is equally resource-intensive, requiring orientation materials, trainers, and lost production time. Add to this the higher safety, cargo claims, and customer service costs that come with new drivers, and it’s clear that every new hire represents a significant financial investment. Even once trained, new operators may be restricted from handling your most valued customers and, with fewer miles, may not meet the contribution level of a proven operator for some time. High turnover forces you to invest continually in replacement and training—a costly cycle that can only be broken by keeping experienced drivers engaged and satisfied. Industry-Wide Impact: A Billion-Dollar Problem So, what’s the potential owner-operator turnover cost to the industry? Not only is there a cost to the carriers, but owner-operators who switch carriers incur costs that are often difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. The numbers often look like this: Cost to Carriers Estimated Number of Leased OO’s: 100,000 Estimated Average Turnover in 2020: 95% Estimated Cost of a new OO: $10,000 -------------------------------------------------------------- Estimated Total Cost of OO Turnover: $950 Million Cost to Owner-Operators 3 weeks of revenue NOT made while switching: $9,000 3 weeks of tractor and insurance payments: $4,500 (Minus expense for variable costs that didn’t happen like fuel, maintenance): - $3,100 Cost to get up to speed at the new carrier: $5,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total out-of-pocket cost to switch after one year: $14,350 Multiply $14,350 by 95,000 turned-over owner-operators, combined with the $950 million burden on carriers, reveals an industry-wide issue costing over $2 billion annually. How ATBS Can Help Your Fleet Curb Turnover and Protect Profits At ATBS, we specialize in tackling the root causes of turnover by helping owner-operators succeed, which in turn makes them more likely to stay with you. With over 200 fleets already benefiting from our services, we know that strong retention strategies work. Our resources help owner-operators manage their finances, improve their business decisions, and prepare for tax season— all at no cost to the fleet. With services like unlimited business consulting, driver coaching, monthly profit and loss statements, and tax preparation, ATBS empowers owner-operators to stay financially secure, engaged, and loyal to their carriers. Partnering with ATBS means building a fleet of satisfied, stable operators, reducing the high costs of turnover, and focusing on growth instead of replacement. Want to learn more about how a partnership with ATBS can help you with owner-operator turnover? Click here for a Fleet Success Story or click here to learn more about starting a partnership with us.

What does the recent election mean for your small business and trucking in general? If investors are any indication, the election means good things. While the overall stock market was up 3% the day after the election, trucking stocks were up 10% - three times more than the overall market. This means the betting people are betting on good things for trucking ahead. Here are a few reasons, based on history, that the Trump presidency will be great for trucking. Tariffs While tariffs are a broad complex issue, the overall sentiment is that in the short term it will drive up shipping as demand for overseas goods is pulled forward before the price goes up when tariffs are implemented. The long-term intent of tariffs is to pull more manufacturing and goods onshore in the US. This would certainly drive more shipping in the US. Oil “Drill Baby Drill” has been the Trump administration’s motto. Increased oil supply will mean lower oil costs resulting in reduced diesel prices. During the last Trump administration the DOE national average fuel price was $2.80, and it bottomed out under $2.00. This should mean significant reductions in your single biggest expense, fuel, which has averaged $3.77 during the past 4 years! Increased domestic production also means more freight and supplies need to be moved to grow that production, as well as needing to move all the new oil produced. Reduced Regulation During Trump’s last administration, he had a policy that for every new regulation proposed, two old regulations must be eliminated. Less regulation helps increase commerce resulting in more freight. And all indications are that his new administration will be even more aggressive at reducing regulations. Taxes The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) from the prior Trump administration greatly reduced taxes in many areas. For small business owners specifically, the Qualified Business Income Deduction (QBID) reduced taxes by thousands of dollars, as did increasing the Standard Deduction. Accelerated depreciation methods also reduced taxes and enticed investment and purchasing of capital goods which increased transportation. Many of the specific deductions enacted under the TCJA are set to expire in 2025. It is likely the Trump administration will extend them or make them permanent. Independent Contractor vs. Employee Attack It’s no secret that Democratic administrations would like everyone to be an employee as they are beholden to Labor Unions who can’t organize Independent Contractors. There has been great fear that the Biden administration would enact national regulation under the Pro Act or other means to resemble California’s AB5 anti-contractor law. During Trump’s last presidency he quickly unwound all the damage done to the Owner Operator business model during eight years of the Obama administration. It is easy to anticipate the same from Trump in this administration. So the bottom line is that after nearly three years of a very difficult trucking market, we expect things to turn around quickly as we enter a new era in 2025!

As a truck driver, it’s important to stay up to date on what’s going on in the industry. It’s also important you are getting your news from reliable sources that are honest, transparent, and report the news in depth. If you have been in the trucking industry for a while, you probably already have a place where you like to get your news. However, if you are new to the industry or just looking for more options, you may not know where to start. Let us help you out with our list of sources to get your trucking industry news. Overdrive Overdrive Magazine was started back in 1961. They are devoted to covering and supporting the businesses of owner-operator truck drivers. You can receive news from Overdrive on their website, their newsletter, any form of social media, and you can subscribe to a hard copy of the magazine for free. The website is sorted into many categories including News, Blogs, Life, Custom Rigs, Equipment, Business, Regulations, and Gear. ATBS partners with Overdrive to help educate owner-operators through the Partners in Business program. Each year ATBS and Overdrive produce a Partners in Business Manual and host seminars at the Great American Trucking Show. CCJ Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) is another business publication for the trucking industry and fleet professionals. They focus on providing business solutions for those responsible for running trucking companies and maintaining equipment. Like Overdrive, CCJ offers a website, a newsletter, and a free subscription to a hard copy of their magazine. The categories included on the CCJ website are News, Equipment, Business, Tech, Products, Blogs, Reviews, and the Tech Toolbox. CCJ also has their Top 250. This is a list of the top 250 trucking companies in America. Within this ranking, you can sort the companies by revenue, number of trucks and drivers, types of haul, geographic region, etc. Both Overdrive and CCJ are published by Randall Reilly. Land Line The first issue of Land Line Magazine was launched in 1975 after OOIDA needed its own way of communicating news to professional truck drivers. Today, Land Line continues to serve its original purpose of bringing solutions to owner-operators. Land Line’s website is simply broken out into News, Opinion, Podcasts, and Archives. The News section is divided into specific news by state. The Opinion section is called Tandem Thoughts and goes into Land Line’s opinion on certain relevant topics. Land Line also has a Podcast called Land Line Now that is hosted by Mark H. Reddig. You can hear Land Line Now on iTunes, Stitcher, Bullhorn, and Sirius XM Channel 146. Lastly, Land Line keeps an archive of their old magazines that you can look at by simply downloading the PDF. Transport Topics Transport Topics shows all aspects of the business of trucking. They want to deliver two things to their readers: clarity to make good decisions and confidence to engage with colleagues. The website categories include Government, Business, Technology, Equipment, Safety, Fuel, Logistics and even Autonomous. They also rank the Top 100 For-Hire and Private Companies and the Top 50 Global Freight and Logistics companies. Transport Topics provides many ways for you to listen to their news as well. They have a podcast called RoadSigns that is broken up into seasons. The latest season of the podcast is all about Aerodynamics and Fuel Economy. They also have Daily Briefings which is a quick rundown of all the news that you need from the day. Lastly, they have a show on Sirius XM hosted by Dan Ronan. The show initially airs on Saturday from 1 - 3 PM ET but it reruns on Saturday night, Sunday afternoon, and Sunday night. 10-4 Magazine 10-4 Magazine has been around since 1993. They have a physical magazine that is released each month but the magazine can also be viewed digitally on the website. Each of the articles within the magazine is displayed on the website and you can also call to see what locations you can pick up a physical copy of the magazine for free. On the website, you can look at archived articles that are sorted by category. The website also includes a list of Truck Shows & Events, a Gallery of old magazine covers & centerfolds, and an Entertainment section with Truckertoons and Words to live by. FreightWaves FreightWaves is a news source for the entire freight transportation industry, not just trucking. However, there is plenty of information on trucking and how the trucking industry ties into the freight industry as a whole. FreightWaves focuses on economics and the technological side of the freight transportation industry. The website includes news about freight markets, finance, risk & compliance, insights, innovation and partner content. You can also filter your search into specific modes of transportation including air cargo, container, maritime, railroad, and trucking. Like many of the other industry news sources, FreightWaves has a show on SiriusXM. Their show is on Saturdays from 3 - 5 PM ET on Road Dog Trucking Radio. They also post their own insightful video content called FreightWaves NOW, which is directly on the website. Lastly, there is a variety of podcasts that they host from shows, to deep-dive conversations, to daily mini podcasts that go into the top headlines for the day. TheTrucker.com TheTrucker.com publishes daily news articles covering the nation, business, jobs, equipment and technology, legislation, and regulations. Their mission is to provide the latest and most comprehensive news affecting the trucking industry with their award-winning journalism and news coverage that is informative, objective, and engaging. The Trucker newspaper has been proudly serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. Fleet Owner Fleet Owner is a trucking news source specifically for executives and managers of trucking fleets that operate five or more vehicles. Their main focus is on information about operations, vehicle maintenance, industry regulations, and information-management technology. On top of this, they also report on the latest trends in hybrid technologies, diesel fuel economy, trucking safety, jobs, and employment. Fleet Owner’s website is broken out into a variety of categories including News, Equipment, Safety, Fleet Management, Running Green, and more. They also have a collection of webinars that you can listen to and white papers that you can download. You can make sure you don't miss out on Fleet Owner's content by subscribing to their newsletter or checking out the digital version of their magazine month to month. If you are looking for information specifically to help manage your fleet, this is a great resource. Truckers News Truckers News ’ mission is to be the number one lifestyle magazine for over-the-road truckers. Like Overdrive and CCJ, Truckers News is published by Randall Reilly. They don’t have a physical or a digital magazine but all of the content can be easily accessed on the website and you can also subscribe to their newsletter. The website has content that is organized into Trucks, News, Features, Fun, Health, What’s Hot, Videos, Jobs, She Drives, and Gear. Truckers News separates itself from other trucking industry news sources with the inclusion of the Fun and Health content. These articles and videos aren’t necessarily just for truckers but it's included because its entertainment and topics that truckers would probably find interesting. It’s easy to tell that Truckers News is not just focused on the technical and business side of trucking but also on how to make life better for truckers on the road. Heavy Duty Trucking Heavy Duty Trucking magazine began in the early 1900s by documenting the rapid changes that were happening in the business of moving goods around America. Today, their magazine reaches more than 115,000 executives at commercial truck fleets and over 4,000 truck and trailer dealership managers. Heavy Duty Trucking’s online offerings can be found at truckinginfo.com . Here, they provide daily news on trucking equipment, fleet management, safety, and ELDs, just to name a few. The news is delivered through newsletters, webinars, HDT’s Headline News, blogs, videos, whitepapers, and more. The blog itself is even broken out into seven sections which range from All That’s Trucking, to Trucker Tech, to Trailer Talk. Heavy Duty Trucking magazine and truckinginfo.com is an extensive source of trucking news that has important information for anybody in the industry. Bonus: Rate and Lane Information For trucking industry news specifically about freight rates, two recommendations we have are Truckstop.com and DAT . Both provide information about freight rates and trends. Truckstop.com provides information about the amount of available loads per segment, the average posted rate/mile, the amount of loads moved, and more. DAT shows spot rates for each segment and fuel price trends for the week, month, and year. DAT also has a blog, and a newsletter, that gives information about all things trucking and freight. Do you know where to get your trucking industry news? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to use a combination of these resources for your trucking industry news. It may also be beneficial to receive information through a variety of different mediums. Reading articles, listening to radio or podcasts, and watching videos from all of these resources might be the best way for you to feel like you are up to date on all things trucking. These are by no means the only places that are reliable for you to get your trucking industry news. However, these are reputable places that get the ATBS stamp of approval with their years of experience in accurate and in-depth reporting.

As the weather starts to cool off, and everyone is about to be consumed with pumpkin-spice flavored everything, owner-operators should have something else on their mind: Winterizing their truck. Actively taking steps to prepare your truck for winter is crucial for keeping your costs down, and staying safe in the cold winter months. Follow these guidelines and get your truck ready - winter is just around the corner! Step One: Prepare an Emergency Kit Getting stranded in adverse weather conditions is far more likely in the winter months. Make sure you have adequate survival supplies in your truck, including: Extra blankets First aid kit Flashlight and extra batteries Canned food and bottled water Gloves Scarves Hats Snow boots Snow shovel Flares Radio Extra coolant, washer fluid, engine oil Extra fuel filter and fuel filter wrench Tire chains Step Two: Check The Battery The best time to check the age and condition of your battery is just before winter settles in. Freezing temperatures drain battery life quickly. If the battery is close to the typical 48-72-month life cycle, then it’s best to replace it. If not, inspect the battery to make sure it is securely mounted and that all connections are tightened and clean. Perform a load test, and check on the alternator and starter as well. Inspect the electrical wiring for any damage or frays, and make sure there are no loose or exposed wires. Step Three: Check the Fuel Filter and Water Separator Check to be sure the fuel filter is in good condition, and replace it if necessary. To reduce the risk of damage to the engine, monitor the water separator on a daily basis. Water is a common contaminant in diesel fuel and can shorten an engine’s life. If a large amount of water has been collected, it should be drained. Most separators are not self-cleaning, so you’ll need to locate the separator, near the fuel filter, and turn the drain valve to empty the water. This is especially important during the winter months because condensation forms on the inside of a warm fuel tank as the outside temperature cools. Step Four: Use Fuel Additives Diesel fuel contains paraffin, a wax, which crystallizes at freezing temperatures. This causes water in the fuel to emulsify and the fuel becomes slushy and gel-like. The fuel cannot pass through the fuel filter and the problem only gets worse when temperatures continue to drop. This gelling of fuel can lead to rough vehicle operation and in some cases, engine failure. To avoid this, check the cetane rating of the fuel at the pump - the higher the better, and add anti-gel fuel additives at each fill-up to enhance performance. Check your owner’s manual for specific additive guidelines and always follow mixing procedures exactly, or you risk damaging your fuel system. Read more : Diesel Winterization . Step Five: Inspect the Cooling System Proper maintenance of the cooling system is a major part of winterizing. Anything that’s worn, damaged, or cracked is only going to get worse as the temperature drops. Perform a comprehensive inspection of the entire system, including the radiator, inspecting the hoses for any bulges, and checking hose clamps to ensure they are secure and not damaged. You should have a coolant test conducted to be sure that your coolant is at an optimum freeze point. Checking the additive levels to determine if the coolant needs to be changed or adjusted should become part of your regular maintenance plan. Last, it’s critical that you use the proper coolant for your truck, and never use aerosol ether starting fluid. Step Six: Keep the Engine Warm Diesel engines require a higher cylinder temperature than gasoline vehicles, which means that they are considerably more difficult to start in cold weather. If you travel or live in a cold climate, you may want to consider installing an electric block heater to keep the engine warm while it’s turned off. Make sure that the block heater cord will accommodate a three-prong plug and ensure it is securely held in place. Step Seven: Inspect the Air Dryer The air dryer, installed between the compressor and wet tank, collects and removes contaminants from the air before they enter the brake system. This prevents water from freezing in the brake lines. It’s important to inspect the air dryer to ensure that it is functioning properly and to also replace the filter if necessary. Make sure to drain the air reservoirs periodically. Failing to maintain your air dryer can lead to extremely dangerous malfunctioning brakes. Step Eight: Prepare the Windshield When snow and ice accumulate on the windshield, it makes driving difficult and dangerous. Just before winter hits, inspect your windshield wipers and replace them if needed. Make sure your windshield wiper fluid is filled and that you have switched to a cold temperature blend. Keep extra bottles of washer fluid in your truck in case you run out unexpectedly. Step Nine: Check the Tires Your tires must be in good shape to navigate through the snowy and icy roads ahead. Inspect your tires thoroughly and make sure they are inflated to the proper pressure rating. Find out which states require chains, and make sure you have the correct size and number of chains in your truck at all times. Inspect the chains for worn, twisted, or damaged links and replace them when needed. Read more : Winter Tire Tips . Finally, know your limits. Do-it-yourself maintenance is often very cost effective, however, you can easily get in over your head if you aren’t a mechanic. Don’t compromise safety, which can cause serious damage to the vehicle and put you and others at risk. When in doubt, make an appointment with a trusted mechanic and leave it to the professionals. Stay safe out there this winter!

Two of the biggest costs in the trucking industry are fuel and tires. They are some of the expenses that eat into your profits more than anything else, and so any time that you can improve either of them, your company will be better for it. Fortunately, if you take the time to make sure that your tires are wearing properly, then you will also improve your fuel economy at the same time. Here are some tips that will help you to save time, money, fuel, and tire life. Ensure Proper Tire Inflation This is a no-brainer. Just about every truck driver out there knows that an underinflated tire is wearing out faster, and is downright dangerous to use. The reason it is the first item on our list is that so many drivers don’t seem to pay attention to their tires or make sure that they are properly inflated. When you are inspected , you want to make sure that your rig is in top shape so you aren’t wasting time doing costly repairs, or wasting money with fines. But did you know that there are thousands of trucks on the road that are running on underinflated tires? Some even on flat tires? Properly inflated tires will ensure the least amount of drag when you are traveling. Less drag leads to better fuel economy. Use the Right Tires Generally speaking, you likely haul the same loads every trip, or at least something very similar. So you know what kind of tires you need for your truck and trailer. But when was the last time you looked at tire technology? It changes all the time as different rubbers are being discovered, and new ways of making the tires are being incorporated. The tires you have been using for the last five years are likely not the top of the line anymore. For instance, you might benefit by switching to a low rolling resistance tire . These tires have less tread on them, and therefore they have less drag. As we know less drag leads to better fuel economy. However, if you don’t make sure you have proper inflation, your investment in these tires will be negated. Maintain Your Truck You know the basics of maintenance, and you would never let something under the hood go without repairs. So why do many drivers ignore their trailers? Did you know that if you aren’t properly aligned, you could be losing 2% in your fuel economy? Let’s think about that for a minute. Suppose you get 8 mpg on average. But you aren’t properly aligned. This means your fuel economy is 2% lower than it could be (add 2% and we get 8.16 mpg). It doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up. If you drive 50,000 miles per year, you are currently burning through 6,250 gallons of diesel every year. This costs you $18,750 (at $3 per gallon). A 2% improvement in fuel economy means that you save 123 gallons of diesel or $369 per year. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you drive more, that number goes higher; if the price of fuel goes up, that number goes higher. Obviously, if you have a severe alignment issue, then you are experiencing even more than a 2% loss in fuel economy. Slow It Down The key to making a living is to get to your destination quickly so that you can turn around and get to the next destination quickly. But did you know that every mile per hour over 55 can result in a 2% reduction in fuel economy? That means going 55 mph, instead of 65mph, you get 20% better mpg. Of course, that means you spend more time on the road. More hours driving, or spend more on fuel (and subsequently more on tires that wear out faster). Which do you prefer? Wrapping It Up Improving your fuel economy is tricky since there are a lot of variables. If you do just one, you probably won’t see much of an improvement. However, if you take into account all of these tips, you could see your miles per gallon improve by 25% or more. Wouldn’t we all like to work the same amount, but be 25% more efficient? Originally published on TeamRunSmart.com

Addressing Misconceptions The trucking industry, long dominated by men, is seeing a steady rise in female participation. Despite this, stereotypes about women in trucking persist. These misconceptions not only perpetuate gender bias but also hinder progress toward a more inclusive workforce. In this post, we’ll break down some of the most common stereotypes surrounding women in trucking and provide evidence to counter them. 1. “Women Aren’t Strong Enough for Trucking” There’s a belief that trucking is a highly physical job requiring significant strength and that women aren’t suited for it. However, this stereotype is outdated. Reality Check: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, trucking is more about endurance, skill, and focus than physical strength. With technological advancements in trucks, such as power steering, automated transmissions, and hydraulic lifts, physical exertion has been greatly reduced. Women, just like men, undergo the same rigorous training and certifications, ensuring they are fully capable of performing the job safely and effectively. 2. “Women Can’t Handle the Long Hours or Isolation” It’s often assumed that the long, solitary hours of trucking are unsuitable for women, based on outdated notions of gender roles. Reality Check: A 2023 survey conducted by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) found that many female truckers enjoy the independence that comes with the job. Data from the American Trucking Association (ATA) also shows that women in trucking report similar job satisfaction levels to their male counterparts. While the job can be challenging, many female drivers embrace flexible schedules and opportunities for long-distance travel. 3. “Women Aren’t Interested in Trucking” There’s a misconception that women simply don’t consider trucking as a viable career path. Reality Check: Women make up approximately 8% of all truck drivers in the U.S., a figure that has been steadily rising, according to the American Trucking Association. In Canada, the percentage of female truck drivers rose to 3.5% in 2022, with initiatives underway to attract more women to the profession. Programs led by organizations like Women In Trucking are focused on increasing female recruitment, providing mentorship, and breaking down the barriers that may prevent women from entering the industry. 4. “It’s Not Safe for Women to Be on the Road” Safety concerns are often cited as a reason why women might avoid trucking. Some believe women are more vulnerable on the road, which reinforces this stereotype. Reality Check: Safety is a priority for all truck drivers, regardless of gender. Many companies have implemented specific safety protocols for female drivers, including GPS tracking, secure parking areas, and better communication tools. In fact, according to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), female truck drivers are statistically safer than their male counterparts, with fewer accident reports and safety violations. 5. “Female Truckers Won’t Be Taken Seriously” The notion that female truckers aren’t respected or taken seriously in the industry is another stereotype that persists. Reality Check: As the number of women in trucking grows, so does the recognition of their contributions. A survey conducted by Stay Metrics in 2021 found that the majority of female drivers reported positive relationships with their male colleagues and felt respected in the workplace. Additionally, women are moving into leadership positions within the industry, further dispelling the idea that they don’t belong in trucking. Moving Toward a More Inclusive Industry The stereotypes surrounding women in trucking are not supported by the facts. As more women enter the field, these misconceptions are being debunked, helping to foster a more diverse and inclusive trucking workforce. The industry is evolving, with women proving that they are not only capable but excelling in all areas of trucking—from driving to leadership. With continued support and recognition, the future of women in trucking looks bright. Additional Facts (to encourage women planning to pursue a career in trucking): The Women In Trucking Association estimates that women now make up 13.7% of all workers in the transportation and warehousing sectors, showing the growing female presence in trucking-related industries. Trucking companies are increasingly focusing on gender diversity, with many implementing recruitment campaigns specifically targeting women. Don’t be afraid to ask recruiters questions about their companies if you’re at all concerned about how diverse their staff is, and if there are inclusion goals they have set.

The weather is beginning to get a little cooler across the United States and some of the higher elevations are beginning to see snow. That means it’s time to freshen up on the chain laws in the states that you regularly run. Alabama The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Alaska You are not permitted to use chains from May 1 through September 15 when north of 60 North Latitude. You are not permitted to use chains from April 15 through September 30 when south of 60 North Latitude. If you are operating a vehicle on Sterling Highway, you are not permitted to use chains from May 1 through September 15. You will need to obtain a special permit from the Department of Administration if you would like to use chains in one of these prohibited zones. Arizona The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Arkansas The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. California California does not require trucks to carry chains during any specified time period. When the weather hits, though, it takes at least eight chains for a standard tractor-trailer configuration to comply with the regulations. During the winter months, there might be traction chain controls in the mountain areas. When these are established you will see signs posted along the highway. These signs will also include the type of requirement, which will include one of the following: R1 - Chains, traction devices or snow tires are required on the drive axle of all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles. R2 - Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels. R3 - Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions. Colorado From September 1 through May 31, all trucks must carry sufficient chains on I-70 when traveling between mile marker 259 outside Golden, CO and mile marker 133 in Dotsero, CO. If you get stopped and do not have chains on your truck, the fine is $50 plus a surcharge of $16. If you do not put chains on your truck when the law is in effect, the fine is $500 plus a $78 surcharge. If you do not put chains on and you end up blocking the highway, then the fine will increase to $1,000 plus a $156 surcharge. Colorado has two different types of chain laws: Level 1 - Single-axle combination commercial vehicles must chain up. Trucks must have all four drive tires in chains. When level 1 is in effect, all other commercial vehicles must have snow tires or chains. Level 2 - When level 2 is in effect, all commercial vehicles are required to chain up the four drive tires. Connecticut Chains are permitted during hazardous weather from November 15 through April 30. The chains can not be damaging to the highway’s surface. Delaware You are permitted to use chains on highways from October 15 through April 15. State officials can restrict travel on highways during emergency situations. Georgia At any time the Georgia Department of Transportation may close or limit access to certain highways during inclement weather. If this occurs, signage will be placed to inform drivers that chains are required in order to proceed. For commercial vehicles, chains must be placed on the outermost drive tires. Idaho Officials with the Idaho Department of Transportation can determine that it is unsafe to drive over Lookout Pass and Fourth of July Pass on I-90, and Lolo Pass on Highway 12. If it is deemed unsafe, then you will be required to chain up a minimum of one tire on each drive axle and one axle at or near the rear. Illinois The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Indiana The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Iowa The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Kansas The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Kentucky No person shall use on a highway not covered with ice a vehicle with a chained wheel unless the wheel rests upon an ice-shoe at least 6 inches wide. When chains are used on rubber-tired vehicles, the cross chains shall be not more than three-fourths (3/4) of an inch in thickness or diameter, and shall be spaced not more than ten inches apart, around the circumference of the tires. Louisiana The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Maine Vehicles cannot have tires with metal studs, wires, spikes or other metal protruding from the tire tread from May 1 through October 1. Other than that the use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Maryland The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Massachusetts Massachusetts prohibits the use of studded tires and chains between May 1 and November 1 without a permit. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Michigan The use of chains is allowed for safety when snow, ice, or other condition are present. If chains are used, they must not come in direct contact with the roads surface. Minnesota The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Mississippi The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Missouri No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any road or highway of this state between the first day of April and the first day of November while the motor vehicle is equipped with tires containing metal or carbide studs. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Montana You are permitted to use chains on highways from October 1 through May 1. If the Montana Department of Transportation determines that highways are too dangerous for travel, they may establish the following recommendations on traction devices: Chains or other approved traction devices recommended for drive wheels Chains or other approved traction devices required for drive wheels Chains required for driver wheels Nebraska The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways from November 1 to April 1. Nevada It is unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle, whether it is an emergency vehicle or otherwise, without traction devices, tire chains or snow tires upon any street or highway, under icy or snowy conditions, when the highway is marked or posted with signs for the requirement of traction devices, chains or snow tires. If a highway is marked or posted with signs requiring the use of traction devices, tire chains or snow tires, a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles must be equipped with: Traction devices, tire chains or snow tires if it has a gross weight or combined gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less. Tire chains if it has a gross weight or combined gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds. New Hampshire The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. New Jersey The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. New Mexico The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. New York The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. North Carolina The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. North Dakota North Dakota also allows metal studs within 1/16 inch beyond tread from October 15 through April 15. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Ohio The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways from November 1 to April 15. Oklahoma The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Oregon Oregon’s law applies to all highways in the state. Signs will tell you when you are required to carry chains and when you are required to use them. You will need to have six chains on hand to comply in Oregon. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Pennsylvania The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Rhode Island The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. South Carolina The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. South Dakota The South Dakota DOT has the authority to restrict travel on roads. Signs will alert you to these restrictions. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Tennessee The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways from October 1 to April 15 . Texas The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Utah When any designated highway is so restricted no vehicle shall be allowed or permitted the use of the highway, during the period between October 1 and April 30, or when conditions warrant due to adverse, or hazardous weather or roadway conditions, as determined by the Utah Department of Transportation, unless: An operator of a commercial vehicle with four or more drive wheels, other than a bus, shall affix tire chains to at least four of the drive wheel tires. Vermont Vermont has a traffic committee that will decide if use of chains will be required. The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Vehicles with semitrailers or trailers that have a tandem-drive axle towing a trailer shall have chains: On two tires on each side of the primary drive axle, or if both axles of the vehicle are powered by the drive line, one tire on each side of each drive axle; and On one tire of the front axle and one tire on one of the rear axles of the trailer. Virginia The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Washington Any commercial vehicle over 10,000 lbs. Gross vehicle weight rating should carry chains from November 1 to April 1 when driving on one of the following routes: Blewett Pass SR-97 between MP 145 and Milepost 185 Chinook Pass SR-410 Enumclaw (MP 25) to SR-12 (MP 342) Cle Elum to Teanaway SR-970 Cle Elum (MP 0) to Teanaway (MP 10) Gibbons Creek to Intersection of Cliffs Rd. SR-14 Gibbons Creek (MP 18) to Intersection of Cliffs Rd. (MP 108) Mt. Baker Highway (Ellensburg to Selah) SR-542 (MP22) to (MP 57) I-82 from Ellensburg (MP 3) to Selah (MP 26) Newhalem to Winthrop SR-20 Newhalem (MP 120) to Winthrop (MP 192) Omak to Nespelem SR-155 Omak (MP 79) to Nespelem (MP 45) Satus Pass SR-97 Columbia River (MP 00) to Toppenish (MP 59) Sherman Pass SR-20 Tonasket (MP 262) to Kettle Falls (MP 342) Snoqualmie Pass I-90 North Bend (MP 32) and Ellensburg (MP 101) Stevens Pass SR-2 Dryden (MP 108) to Index (MP 36) White Pass SR-12 Packwood (MP 135) to Naches (MP 187) West Virginia The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Wisconsin The use of tire chains are allowed when required for safety during a time of snow, ice, or another condition that might cause slippery highways. Wyoming When the chain law is in effect due to snow, ice or other conditions, travel on a highway may be restricted to use only by motor vehicles utilizing adequate snow tires or tire chains. There are two levels. Level 1: When conditions are hazardous, travel can be restricted to vehicles equipped with tire chains, vehicles with adequate snow tires, or all-wheel-drive vehicles. Level 2: When conditions are extremely hazardous, travel can be restricted to vehicles equipped with tire chains or all-wheel-drive vehicles equipped with adequate mud and snow or all-weather-rated tires. The operator of a commercial vehicle shall affix tire chains to at least two (2) of the drive wheels of the vehicle at opposite ends of the same drive axle when the vehicle is required to utilize tire chains under this subsection. Any driver that is in violation will face a fine of no more than $250. If the violation results in the closure of all lanes in one or both directions of a highway, you will face a fine of no more than $750. Image Source - https://www.flickr.com/photos/toddmccann/