If we had to pick one load that perfectly combines mileage, revenue, and overall quality, the winner would be:
Ochlocknee, GA → Vineland, NJ
- 939 miles
- $4,900 revenue
- $5.22 per mile
That’s the type of load that makes dispatchers walk a little taller and drivers answer the phone on the first ring.
Let’s check in on the professional freight pessimists.
According to Facebook:
- Freight is dead.
- Trucking is dead.
- Brokers are dead.
- Spot market is dead.
- The economy is dead.
- Everybody should panic.
Meanwhile, in the real world:
- Mobile, AL → New York paid $5,500
- East Point, GA → Denver paid $5,500
- Lacombe, LA → Delaware paid $5,100
- El Paso, TX → Jacksonville, FL paid $5,100
- Tulsa, OK → South Florida paid $5,000
Strange behavior for a dead market.
At this point, the freight recession resembles one of those movie villains that gets killed in every sequel and somehow keeps coming back.
The lesson remains exactly the same.
The difference between a struggling truck and a profitable truck is rarely the market itself.
It’s positioning.
It’s planning.
It’s relationships.
It’s patience.
Anybody can haul freight.
Not everybody can wait for the right freight.
The market continues rewarding operators who stay disciplined, stay flexible, and avoid emotional decisions.
The drivers chasing every load are staying busy.
The drivers chasing strategy are making money.
The first week of June looked considerably healthier than the internet wanted it to.
No, we’re not back to the insanity of 2021.
No, brokers aren’t throwing money around.
No, every load isn’t a winner.
But if you’re running a quality operation, maintaining service, and staying in productive freight lanes, there is still plenty of opportunity available.
The market isn’t amazing.
The market isn’t terrible.
The market is simply rewarding competence.
Which is bad news for people whose entire business strategy consists of opening DAT and praying.
See you next week.
Stay loaded.
Stay profitable.
And remember:
Hope is not a dispatch strategy.
Our Safety Department is not just a department that processes your logs and sends out non-compliance letters. The goal of the Safety department is to ensure that all of the people associated with Voyager Nation, Inc follow safe practices to increase the safety of our fleet in order to minimize the risk of injury, death, and property damage for the benefit of us all. In addition, the Safety department also ensures that we follow and meet all of the standards, rules, and regulations outlined by the DOT. The Voyager Nation, Inc Safety department accomplishes these goals in three ways. The first is through orientation. We put our contractors through an orientation program to help you understand our procedures and to help answer any safety related questions you may have. Secondly we monitor your safety related documents to ensure that you are not only following the DOT rules but understand those rules as they relate to you. Safety is dedicated to minimizing your risk by education; teaching you to avoid major hazards and to prepare you for emergencies in the event of an accident. It is important to understand that we cannot eliminate all of the dangerous risks from our lives but we can reduce them by following safe practices. Keeping yourself (and the general public) safe should always be your first priority. Learn to live safe practices, do not drive when you are fatigued or when you are out of hours, do not speed, always inspect your equipment (and any equipment you pull), make sure your tires are properly inflated (again on your tractor and on chassis) the actions you take just may well save your life. Remember, it is the responsibility of us all to to protect the public (as well as ourselves), against any consequence of failure or harm. We must always be vigilant against negligence and ALWAYS do our best to follow safe driving practices. The Voyager Nation, Inc Safety Department is here to help you in any area of concern.
Aside from good communication between driver and dispatcher, drivers must truly have a good understanding of the hours of service and their own available hours along with understanding their own driving habits. Trip planning is an essential responsibility of a driver. OTR drivers must be able to estimate, calculate and more importantly execute the trip plan in order to be efficient. A proper understanding increases the driver’s profitability. Poor trip planning can increase a driver’s stress, frustration and may lead to unsafe behaviors because they feel rushed all the time. Drivers who are good at trip planning know when to say no and then can relay to their dispatchers what they can complete in a smooth safe trip. This will help dispatchers find loads more effectively and keep drivers happy and safe.
There are plenty of tools out there on the internet for those who are not as capable of planning their dispatched loads (ex. Trucker Path Trip planning). However, if you can utilize just a few of the following suggestions you will increase your efficiency and profitability.
- Understand your own hours of service availability.
- When planning a trip calculate all the time needed for the following
- Know your Start Time/ Know your End Time
- Pre-trip/post-trip
- 30 minute rest breaks between 6.5 -8 hours into your day
- 10 hour rest breaks
- How much drive time will I need – increase by 2 hours to give yourself a buffer.
- Plan your fuel stops – how much fuel and when
- Allow a minimum of 2 hours for loading and unloading
- Know the area you are traveling
- Weather
- Is this a city delivery with traffic and limited parking
- Construction ( can always look up on the web)
- Will they allow you to stay on premises (you can always call ahead of time)
Drivers will always be responsible for knowing their own hours and making sure they arrive on time at the shipper and receiver. Good driving habits and trip planning practices will always keep drivers legal and profitable.
2019 Trailer Fleet getting a makeover! It’s all about the attention to detail that keeps the Voyager family moving in the right direction. Providing our leased owner operators with safe, reliable and presentable equipment is our business model.
When it comes to your equipment breaking down it can cost you everything. Failing to establish a preventative maintenance schedule can cost you your lively hood. Waiting to complete those repairs and allowing them to stack up will increase your odds for a more serious breakdown, can range in severity to requiring months of downtime to just being put out of service during a roadside inspection. Now you have to be reactive and pay out of pocket for towing your equipment to the next qualified shop or having to call for roadside assistance, which we all know is highway robbery. Now Owner Operators are paying twice as much and could essentially cost you every dime you have made for the week or even the month. So now you’re working for free, worrying whether you have the money to cover the repairs. Some companies, like Voyager Nation, Inc. offer a maintenance fund were owner operators voluntarily contribute a percentage of their weekly pay and if that’s the case you may actually be in a better position than most. Other Owner Operators, after paying out their expenses barely have enough to simply put money away into a savings account for that maintenance rainy day. These costs however, can be reduce by simply establishing a regular preventative maintenance schedule. Preventative maintenance and being proactive as required by the FMCSR Part 396 can reduce the cost of maintenance by reducing the needs of emergency breakdowns, identifying current, upcoming issues and correcting them on a time table you have established, thusly, reducing your down time and maintenance costs.
Voyager Nation is a forward thinking company that is truly committed to the success of all Owner Operators. We firmly believe communication is key to the success of all true partnerships. So, we listened to the voices of Voyager Nation Owner Operators and provided a much requested savings program. The funds are contractor escrowing for the potential of mechanical failure. Creating a strong foundation that will empower and support the success of others is our mission. We will continue to listen and ensure we create strong pillars that will support the success of all affiliated partners.
Voyager Nation successfully hosted its first industry informational seminar.
Voyager nation is dedicated to the success of every owner operator in the industry. We stand by our belief by offering a free Seminar to all up and coming Owner Operators. Our intention is to coach and address unanswered questions pertaining to what it takes to be a successful owner operator.
If you are interested in participating in this event! Please call us to register and reserve your seat.
Package #1
This package is for the owner operator who has a truck and trailer.
- Pay is 85% (OTR)
- Cost of insurance $175/week.
- Plates & registration available.
- IFTA available.
- No forced dispatch.
- All permits are available.
- Fuel card available.
- Direct deposit.
- QuickPay available.***
- Massive Fuel Discounts.
- Discounted Repairs.***
Package #2
- Pay is 75% (OTR)
- Cost of insurance $0.00.
- Plates & registration available.
- IFTA available.
- No forced dispatch.
- All permits are available.
- Fuel card.
- No cost for trailer rent.
- Direct deposit.
- Massive Fuel Discounts.
- Discounted Repairs.***
Trucker reviews
Our company is grateful for the reviews from truckers who rely on our services. These testimonials reflect the trust and satisfaction of the men and women who navigate the open road. Their feedback motivates us to maintain the high standards that define our partnership with the backbone of our nation's logistics.
I was about to give up driving truck when a friend referred us to Voyager Nation where we found a place where we are respected and valued and we have the pleasure to have a great dispatcher her name is Cristi she goes above and beyond to help us no matter night or day shes there we had our issues like everyone else but I am grateful to work with a great team and want to thank everyone in Voyager Nation
Jurga Muralis
Good company with good, honest people working here. Takes care of drivers and makes sure that everyone is happy!
Subscribe to receive our
Free newsletter
Proud members of
Ready to join our team of successful Owner Operators?
Fill out an online application or call (855) 839-5067 with any questions.