Bobtail insurance is essential coverage for truck drivers operating without a trailer. Discover 7 powerful benefits, costs, and expert tips to protect your trucking business today.
If you're an owner-operator, you've probably heard the term "bobtail insurance" thrown around. You might even have a policy you believe protects you. But here's the harsh reality: many truckers are shocked when their bobtail insurance denies their claim. Understanding why this happens could save you from financial devastation.
Is It Time to Break Up With Trucking? Let’s Talk.
You love trucking. Trucking loves you.
Well… trucking likes you.
Okay… trucking tolerates you most days. ????
But lately, it’s been acting up:
Fuel prices ghost you like a bad ex
Brokers treat you like the side piece
DOT shows up whenever they feel like ruining your day
Parking spots disappear faster than free BBQ at a truck stop
Your back cracks louder than your Peterbilt engine
If you’re a truck driver or own a commercial trucking business, you’ve probably heard of DOT inspections. But what do they really involve? Who sets the rules? And how can you prepare so your truck — and your business — stays on the road?
This guide breaks down the DOT inspection checklist, explains the FMCSA Out-of-Service (OOS) Criteria, and walks you through the Level 1 inspection procedure step by step.
Owner operators in the trucking industry are facing an unprecedented convergence of challenges in 2025, with depressed freight rates that barely cover operating costs following the post-pandemic market correction, insurance premiums that have exploded by 30-50% due to "nuclear verdicts" in accident litigation, and an increasingly complex regulatory environment that includes ELD mandates, emissions standards, and potential changes to independent contractor classification rules. While capacity is leaving the market as small operators go out of business, creating a potential future rate rebound, many are questioning whether they can survive long enough to see that recovery or whether the barriers to re-entry will prove too high. The combination of economic pressure, technological disruption from digital freight platforms and looming automation, compliance costs, and fuel expenses has created what industry observers describe as a fundamentally different downturn—one that may accelerate the consolidation of trucking into larger corporate fleets and make the truly independent owner operator an increasingly rare figure in American commerce.
