As a micro or small freight carrier, landing a massive freight hauling contract with a large manufacturer or a dedicated run for a mega retailer’s distribution center might seem like you’ve hit the gold mine, but it’s not necessarily the case.

If you're rolling through ol' Virginia on I-85 this week, come get some free swag and say hello to your friends at Getloaded! We'll be just off the interstate at Davis Travel Center in Warfield, VA this Wednesday (5/9) and Thursday (5/10) for Driver Appreciation Day!

As an over-the-road truck driver, you automatically have to be a specialist in long distance relationships.

As a new addition to the Getloaded blogosphere, we're introducing Buck Black of TruckerTherapy.com. He's a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with truckers and their families. This week, he offers tips on how to cope with of one of the biggest stressors of life on the road: long distance relationships.

Great things are happening at Getloaded! For your load and truck searching pleasure, we have made a bunch of helpful site enhancements!

Believe it or not, you're on a team. A big, big team.

Think of your team as a combination of all the people, companies, and organizations required to help your freight trucking service run smoothly. Many owner/managers think only the employees who are working for them are members of their trucking teams. But you know better...

The U.S. Senate recently passed a two-year $109 billion transportation bill that will help fund more parking for freight haulers, cuts red tape, and prevents federal highway funds from going towards privatized highway projects.

However, the bill upheld a federal law that prohibits the sale of food and fuel at interstate rest areas.

With diesel hitting the $4 per gallon mark nationally, freight haulers are feeling the pinch more than ever. For independent owner-operators, however, the feeling is more like a unbreakable headlock.

For some small trucking companies, the tipping point has come and gone and they already closed up shop. For others, the break-even point is getting closer and closer.

The images from the recent tornado strikes in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area were scary. But if you are a trucker, some of the images were especially worrisome – specifically the photos of the devastation at freight shipper Schneider National's Dallas Operations Center.

Trucker health is a hot topic in the freight hauling industry these days. We all know the trucking industry is the heartbeat of America's economy, but how does working in the industry affect your own heart?

Here's a scary thought: Current statistics show people in over-the-road professions now have an average life expectancy of less than 60 years, according to the Healthy Trucking Association of America (HTAA).

The diesel bears want you to keep your eyes open! A new round of fraudulent U.S. Department of Transportation letters dated March 16, 2012 are starting to circulate among motor carriers.

The letters appear to be from the "U.S. Department of Transportation Procurement Office" and are signed by a fictitious name of "Julie Weynel – Senior Procurement Officer." The letters are attempting to obtain banking information from targeted freight trucking companies.