Blog

Understanding Freight Trends in TruckingThe trucking industry is responsible for carrying over 70% of the nation’s freight from place to place, which means almost every industry depends on freight companies to keep them running. However, just like every other...

Home Time for Truckers: What You Need to KnowHome time is something every trucker looks at when deciding on a company to drive for. But first, what does home time mean in trucking? Unlike a traditional job, the weeks are not always broken up into workdays and days...

How to Improve Gas Mileage as a Flatbed Truck DriverMost drivers on the road pay attention to the fuel efficiency of their vehicles. With the average price of regular fuel around $3.80 and diesel sitting around $4.35 as of August 2023, reducing fuel consumption is...

The Smith System: 5 Keys to Drive SafeIn today’s climate where delivering freight quickly takes priority, it’s more important than ever that truck drivers are keeping safety at the top of their mind. From the moment you take your place behind the wheel to when you’re...

The Best Trucking Apps for DriversA smartphone is one of the most important tools a driver can have on hand. Mobile devices can be used to stay in touch with friends and family, navigate routes, be used as entertainment on breaks, and more. There are tens of thousands...

Truck Driver Orientation: What You'll Need to KnowOnce you've passed the interview process with a trucking company, you'll be invited to their orientation program. Congratulations! Here, you'll be receiving further training to determine if you're ready to start...

Top 5 Time Management Tips for TruckersIn a career as solitary as truck driving, you won’t have someone to tell you when to work, when to stop, and when to rest for the night. You’re trusted to schedule and keep track of your own hours, as long as you’re within the...

Should You Become a Driver Trainer?After driving solo for a while, you might be looking to learn something new and rewarding to take your truck driving career to the next level. Fortunately, many companies, including Melton, have opportunities for you – the most...

Questions to Ask a Trucking RecruiterThere are hundreds of trucking companies out there looking for drivers like you, all with different policies, cultures, and more. If you’re just beginning your job search, it can seem daunting to know how to get the right...

Preventing Sun Damage as a Truck Driver Truck driving is a difficult job – hauling a huge trailer while dealing with potentially hazardous weather, other drivers on the road, and long hours is tricky enough. However, there are some risks that come with the job that...

What is Tarp Pay? Any truck driver knows that fair compensation is extremely important in the industry. Truck driving is both a difficult and important job, so drivers should be paid fairly for the time and work they put in to keeping the U.S. moving. That’s why tarp...

Owner Operators vs Company DriversThere are two types of truck drivers that are often discussed in the industry: owner operators and company drivers. But what do these terms mean, and what’s the difference between owner operators and company drivers? We’ve explained...

What Should Experienced Drivers Look for In a Company?Before we get started, let’s first answer a couple of commonly asked questions: What is an experienced driver? How many years is an experienced driver? What is the difference between an experienced driver and an...

How to Back Up in a Semi TrailerBacking up is a skill that both new and veteran truck drivers must continually focus and practice on.. Flatbed trucks require skill and training to maneuver, and there are many things to remember when backing a 53’ trailer into a...

How Can a Truck Driver Eat Healthier?There are many reasons why it can be difficult to manage a healthy diet as an OTR truck driver. With limited time for cooking and eating, lack of space in a cab for kitchen appliances and food storage, the convenience of grabbing a...

Should You Drive with a Pet Rider?Driving across the U.S. all by yourself can be an isolating experience without someone to keep you company. Keeping in touch with family and friends is easier than ever today with new technology, but nothing beats having a loved one...

A Guide to CDL Training for Veterans  Wondering how many truckers are veterans? Or what percentage of truckers are veterans? According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, over 10% of employed veterans are directly employed in the transportation industry...

Stay Organized as a Truck Driver  Any OTR driver will tell you that the cab of a semi-truck wasn’t engineered to be spacious and luxurious. While drivers do have access to almost everything they’d need to be self-sufficient on the road, it has to all fit into a...

Melton's Quest for Quality As the transportation industry develops and shifts, businesses continue to face ever-changing demands and expectations of consumers, employees, and industry partners alike. Attributes such as customer service, performance, and speed are more...

Sustainability in Trucking  Even though heavy-duty vehicles make up just 5% of the vehicles on the road, they are responsible for over 25% of CO2 emissions. This doesn’t come as a surprise – large trucks need a lot of fuel to operate, and semitrucks transport...

How to Become a Truck Driver  How do I get started as a trucker? Is truck driving worth the money? If you want to get into the world of trucking, these are few of many questions you’re likely asking yourself. There are plenty of articles out there about the pros...

Social Media for Truck Drivers  Social media has taken the world by storm in the last several years. It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have any social media presence these days, and people around the world are staying connected in ways that were previously...

Best Restaurants for Truck DriversWhen you’re out on the road for weeks at a time, it can be a challenge to find a place to stop for a satisfying meal. Options are usually limited to the closest truck stop, and revisiting the same chain spots over and over can get...

Self-Driving Semis: Exciting or Terrifying?  Predicting the future is impossible…except if the future is already here! Autonomous trucks that can drive across long stretches of highways without a single human input seems like a distant dream. However, several...

The Best Truck Stops in the USAfter a long day of driving across the country, the one thing on a truck driver’s mind is finding a place to rest. However, not all truck stops of America are created equal! Some could be as small as a convenience store, and others could...

Layover vs Detention Pay  When it comes to truck driving, time spent on the road is money. Most drivers are paid by the mile versus hourly, which means if you’re not driving, you’re not making money. Delays are often unpredictable – traffic, weather, supply chain...

Is Truck Driving a Good Career for Women?  Nowadays, women compose more of the trucking workforce than ever before – but that number still sits between 8 and 10%. In the midst of the driver shortage that has worsened over the past few years, recruiting women CDL...

How Do I Get a CDL License?The first step to starting a career in trucking is obtaining a Class A commercial driver’s license by completing CDL training. There are numerous schools and training programs to choose from, it can seem a little overwhelming at first. Not...

Top 10 Reasons Gen-Z Should be Truck DriversIt’s no secret that truck drivers may not have the best reputation. Decades of misleading stereotypes have disregarded the importance of drivers to our economy and life as we know it. The industry is changing every day, and...

OTR vs Regional vs Local Truck DrivingThe process of becoming a truck driver can be an adventure. Some jump headfirst into driving, and others join trucking later in life for a change in career. No matter what your reason is for becoming a driver, you must all have...