Announcement for all carriers, owner-operators, relief workers and volunteers:

As our neighbors in Oklahoma continue disaster response efforts, we'd like to highlight the Highway to Help charitable hauling program available NOW on uShip.com.

Highway to Help connects people directly with carriers that can move large shipments for FREE or low cost-- everything from debris removal, to supply logistics, to pet transport.

RELIEF EFFORT VOLUNTEERS, WORKERS, AND VICTIMS: 
TO LIST YOUR CHARITABLE SHIPMENT NOW, CLICK HERE. Select "Charitable Shipment" in the listing process. 

TO VOLUNTEER TO HAUL CHARITABLE SHIPMENTS:
TO VIEW AVAILABLE SHIPMENTS, CLICK HERE. Select Oklahoma in the Destination filter. You'll see this badge on all charitable shipments: 

For immediate assistance with aid logistics, or inquiries about uShip or Highway to Help, contact Meredith at 800-698-7447 x8613 or email meredithc@uship.com.

uShip's Highway to Help program offers free or low-cost shipping services for disaster relief, animal adoptions, charitable causes and special events. 

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that getting into trucking – just like with any new business – is going to cost you some money. Obtaining the right insurance is one of those hard costs you need to anticipate. Operating without commercial truck insurance is not an option. You must provide the appropriate commercial insurance to operate legally in the U.S. and Canada.

When doing any sort of interstate or intrastate commercial hauling, the law requires a minimum $1,000,000 in general liability insurance. About two years ago the federal requirement for cargo insurance was dropped, but that does not mean you don’t need it. Every shipper or broker you haul for will require you to have cargo insurance to cover their load. I have $150,000 in cargo insurance coverage and that will generally cover most freight I carry. When that is not enough coverage, I purchase spot insurance to fill the gap between my coverage and that required by the shipper.

Based on what I experienced going through the process, here are some answers to questions I had along the way. Hope this is helpful:

Once you’ve completed all the necessary forms and before you are granted your Operating Authority privileges, you will need to have your commercial insurance in place. There will be a processing/waiting period. You won’t be issued your MC number or be able to legally operate without it. So it’s not something you can wait on or let go for a while. It will be checked at scales, and you will need it for setting up carrier packages, especially if you’re an independent owner-operator just breaking into the game.

Once issued, your levels of insurance are tied to your MC number on the FMCSA web site. Each carrier has a company snap shot on the FMCSA site  – and this information is public knowledge at any time. This will include any claims, violations, out of service notifications – anything that transpires during your operation over time. Regardless of what you are hauling – it’s based on the MC number, not on the freight.

How is it monitored after I get it?

There are several carrier authority and compliance monitoring services in the market. These are tied to the FMCSA data base, so if your insurance lapses or there’s a claim, it gets reported and it will appear in connection with your MC number. Good examples are SaferWatch and CarrierWatch.

So, what are some factors that will impact your insurance rates?

Cargo: While your insurance is tied to your MC number, the levels of insurance you require will be based on what you are hauling. For me, if you look at my MC number, you’ll see the various commodities where I’m covered. This includes heavy haul and vehicles, ag and farm equipment, lumber, steel, etc. – and these all impact my rates. In other words, hauling watermelons will have a more favorable rate than if you haul something more risky, like gasoline or another hazardous material.

CDL Duration: If you’ve just got your CDL, expect that your rates will be much higher than that of a driver who’s had his or her CDL for 30 years. And if you have a couple trucks, it’s smart to have an experienced driver with a CDL to keep your rates down.

Deductible: Just like with health or car insurance, the higher deductible the lower the monthly premium. This is different for each person, so there’s no hard and fast rule on how to handle it, but the same principal applies and can have a material effect on your monthly expenses.

Equipment Value: The type and total value of your equipment, including your tractor and trailer(s), will definitely impact what you pay each month. Also the particular type of hauling you do will impact your rates. It’s the same principle behind car insurance – getting coverage on a 2000 Honda Accord will run a lot less than a 2013 BMW 5 Series. Insurance for off-road vehicles is generally more than on-road vehicles.

Who should I talk to about getting insurance?

There are commercial insurance agents who specialize in trucking and can help you get set up. My advice is to use them vs. trying to research it all yourself. These agents know how the trucking insurance world works. One such company is Transinsurers. Progressive is another company for short haul and intrastate. You can also get spot cargo insurance at Freight Guard.

Marc, what are your tips for saving me money in the process?

My biggest tip is to shop around. Don't just go with the first company that offers you a rate. See what else is out there and work with the agent to make sure you're not overpaying for stuff you don't need. And once you get a policy, be diligent about it to make sure you're getting the very best rate.

I also came across 6 cost-saving suggestions from Overdrive Magazine. Click into the article for more details on each item in the list: 

Mind the deductible.

Keep credit history clean.

Include aftermarket items in stated value.

Account for safety.

Compare rates.

Update business information.

In the next post we’re going to talk about the next step in the process: Calculating Cost Per Mile.  

If you missed Part 1 of our awesome interview with Jonny Fritz, check it out here. In a way, Jonny Fritz is to country music as uShip is to freight: he brings something new to a traditional industry, is a guaranteed source of ideas and innovation in the space— and for lack of a better word, he's just a bit weird (in the way that fine folks usually are, but rarely want to admit). That's a good thing, of course.

Both Fritz's music and his experiences on the road make him a great match with the uShip community that drives this blog— no pun intended. After all, we're music folks here at uShip. Our SXSW party is approaching legendary status. And take a stroll through the office on any given day and you're bound to hear a good number of songs you like, and a few you don't. (Just ask our friend Nick Hermandorfer.)

One thing we can all agree on, however, is Jonny Fritz's new album Dad Country. Stream the album here. It's great. Killer guitar, fiddle, organ, and piano arrangements round out Jonny's one-of-a-kind voice and harmonies throughout the record.

Read on to hear Jonny's tales of the Wild West, phantom big-rig trucks with x-ray high beams, the true gospel of Chevrolet, and a world where motorcycles never stop running.

uShip:  Since you’ve been on the road, is there a particular city you think is the wildest?

JF:  We went into Juarez like a week ago. That was pretty wild. we were playing in El Paso which was great. Man, El Paso is awesome. The people there are the salt of the earth. It was just an amazing town. We were parked right next to the border, and I was like, “Oh man, I got my passport. Josh, you got your passport?”  And he said, “Yeah, I got my passport.” So I said, “Before we have our show, why don’t we just run over to Juarez and get a taco and get a REAL Mexican Coke and come on back?” And he said, “All right man, let’s do it.” So we went over there and it was fun as hell. We kind of just ran a couple blocks into the city and got a couple tacos and came right back. As we were leaving, night fell and we were like— oh no— we’re in Juarez at night, it’s time to get out of here, let’s get back to the show. We went back the next day and spent a couple hours walking around the market and stuff. It was fun, man. I had such a good time down there. I would have loved to stay. That whole West Texas zone there – El Paso, Las Cruces, New Mexico— that whole area is just cool. I’ve got a real magnetic pull to that area.

uShip:  The pull of the Wild West, right?

JF:  Hell yeah it is. There ain’t no doubt about that. It is as wild as it ever was out there. But I think El Paso deserves a better wrap than it’s had. El Paso was like— I cannot wait to get back there, San Antonio as well. We played San Antonio and had such a good time. I had no idea. All you ever hear is, “Go to Austin, go to Austin.” And that’s where we would always go because that’s where the shows are, but I was like, “Why don’t we play in San Antonio? It’s like a great city. And damn, I loved it. I kind of prefer playing places like that because they don’t get music as much. So when you do play for them they’re happy as hell that you’re coming to their town.

uShip:  And people forget that they're both big cities. When you play these shows in San Antonio and El Paso, for example, do you have a feel for the audience is or what they do? Do you see trucks in the parking lot and stuff like that?

Side note: Jonny Fritz has the best swag in the biz. That lighter is also a semi-truck and trailer.

JF:  So, one time we were playing in Houston. And I can’t remember where it was—some hole-in-the-wall bar— and I had just done an interview with someone at Sirius XM on Outlaw Country. Man, it was so cool. We were playing there and four burly dudes come in. These gnarled truckers come in there and they come up to me and point and say, “There he is!” And I was like, “Uhhh, what?” They came up to me and said, “Are you Johnny Corndawg?” And I was like, “Yeah, I think so. I’m pretty sure that’s who I am.”  “We just heard you. We were on the road and we heard you on Sirius XM. They said you were playing Houston tonight and we found your damn show!” And they said, “When are you playing cause we gotta get back on the road!” So I was like, “Right now then!” So, I put on a show just for those guys. It was a team of flip-seat drivers I guess, and they were like “F this, lets pull over.” That was like the coolest thing. I just thought, “Oh man, this actually worked!” These people are listening to this music and they’re ready for something. I’ve always wanted some way to show that.

uShip:  That’s the best story I could’ve ever hoped for. Okay— I want to know about this album cover for Down On The Bikini Line, your first album. It’s pretty much the best thing I’ve ever seen and I want to know who drew it. And who decided on this aesthetic with the babe, and you, and the storm?

JB:  It was an idea I had about a truck that has x-ray vision. The truck headlights can see through women’s clothes. One of my best friends, Mike Gaughan – I recommend you check out everything he’s made because he’s one of the greatest artists I’ve ever seen. It’s a watercolor painting. It’s a huge like 18”x24” painting and it’s just beautiful. He’s incredible. I told him, “Maybe we should do a girl standing in the road and you can see through her clothes.” And he said, “Yeah sure.” He took and nailed it. He popped it right out. I love it so much.

uShip:  I noticed the truck on that cover is actually a Peterbilt. Do you have a favorite truck make or model?

JB:  I like them all. I drove a Freightliner Sprinter (http://www.freightlinersprinterusa.com/) right now so I’ve grown to really see a lot of Freightliners and I love those ones. I have a couple International pickups (http://tinyurl.com/aagtrxj), but no, I really love ‘em all. I really do. It’s rare that I meet a truck I don’t like.

uShip:  So, pickups. Chevy versus Dodge – what side are you on?

JB:  Chevy/Ford. It’s just an ongoing battle of man isn’t it? You’re either on one side or the other. My next door neighbor growing up was a trash truck man and he runs a trash trailer. He’s one of the first guys that taught me how to drive these trucks. He was such a Chevy man and he has a fleet of 15 30-year-old Chevy pickups. He was just so funny about it. Everybody up on the hill in Esmont, VA, where I’m from, they’re either on the Ford side or the Chevy side. I decided to write a song about him personifying Chevy as God. I was like, “Here you go, sonny, here’s a little more proof.” It was ammunition for him to use against all these Ford lovers.

uShip:  Tires, Muscle and Pride, baby!

JB:  That’s right!

uShip:  You’re a motorcycle fan as well, right? Do you have any motorcycle tips for the uShip community?

uShip:  Yeah. It’s great. Well, it’s great until it’s not. And then it sucks. I don’t know really any pro tips. The best way to keep a motorcycle running is to not shut it off. I’m pretty clear on that. Like, when I was riding the thing I was always on it. It never sat for more than eight hours, really. It was constantly underneath me and constantly running. It ran really well. And you know, when you’re on the road with something it’s pretty cool. You know exactly when to break and you can feel it because you are physically on it. So you know it kind of breaks my heart when people store motorcycles and don’t ride them.

uShip:  It’s like keeping a dog all penned up or something.

JF:  Yeah, exactly.

uShip:  Who in the band makes you laugh the most? Who is the funniest guy to be on tour with?

JF:  Josh Hedley. He’s the funniest guy that I can think of.

Jonny Fritz’ latest album Dad Country was released on digital, CD and vinyl formats on April 16. Pick up a copy at a store near you, through Jonny’s website, or online at iTunes or Amazon.