What is lane density? This is a term you may or may not have heard in the course of doing business as a trucker. But as you’re about to see, it’s very important in determining whether you are profitable or not. This applies to a single truck operation or multiple unit dispatch.

The misconception of load planning for a majority of small motor carriers is, 'the best load is always the highest-paying load out of an area.' However, only considering the highest-paying load without looking at other factors is like purchasing a lottery ticket: winning is possible, but not likely.

We all know that as motor carriers our objective is continually to haul at capacity with reasonable rates creating a reasonable profit. The trick in being able to accomplish this goal is summed up in two words “Customer Service.”

And for Customer Service, we must first define, “Who are our customers?” For the small trucking company, this means anyone who contracts with you to haul freight; including brokers, shippers, 3PLs, etc. For the purpose of this article, when it refers to shippers, just keep that list in mind.

But what is customer service?

Your most important plan is not how you’ll purchase your next tractor or trailer, or house, or investments. It’s your income tax plan. Yet most truckers spend more time planning the next two days off than learning how to get their taxes under control.
 

For the trucking industry, this has been a harsh year. With the mortgage and housing collapse, the price of fuel increasing at unprecedented rates, and now Wall Street coming apart at the seams, we’re all afraid to travel around the next corner. It seems as one area starts to stabilize, another vital one begins to unravel.