Knowledge Center
OTR, regional, local, owner-operator — the money and the life compared.
FreightWaves counted at least 16 trucking companies in bankruptcy court in less than a month. Here's the diesel cash-flow math behind it, who gets hit first, and five ways to keep your truck rolling.
6 min read →
Diesel's national average is still $6.18 a gallon, up more than $2.50 from last year. New supply deals and a dyed-diesel waiver made headlines, but analysts say the relief is too small to matter. Here's what truckers should do now.
4 min read →
Most trucker apps want a monthly payment. TruckingLifeWithShawn.com is free and stays free — truck stops, parking, breakdown help, daily diesel prices and CDL practice tests in one place.
2 min read →
Diesel is up more than 70% in a year, and trucking companies are filing Chapter 11 one after another. Here's what's real, what's rumor, and how to protect your paycheck.
4 min read →
Georgia's 37.3-cent state diesel tax is off from Sept. 29 through Oct. 29, 2026. What it's worth on a fill, why it flips the I-75 top-off, and what to watch on IFTA.
3 min read →
The three ways trucking jobs pay — cents per mile, percentage of the load, and hourly — plus the accessorial pay, per diem, and bonuses stacked on top, and how to compare two offers that look different on paper.
8 min read →
The three lanes of a trucking career — over-the-road, regional, and local — and how each trades pay, miles, and home time, so you can pick the one that fits the life you actually want, not just the biggest headline number.
8 min read →
What a company driver actually takes home — how the paycheck is built from base pay plus accessorials, what gets deducted, what a weekly pay guarantee really promises, and the questions that separate a good W-2 seat from a bad one.
8 min read →
A company driver rents stability; an owner-operator buys a business. The honest comparison — gross versus net, who carries the truck's costs and risk, and the questions to answer before you sign either way.
9 min read →
Health insurance, retirement, PTO — and per diem, the most misunderstood line on a driver's pay. What per diem actually is (a tax reclassification, not extra money), what it costs you, and how to value a benefits package.
9 min read →
A CDL is a starting point, not a ceiling. The main directions a driving career can go — endorsements and specialized freight, dedicated and local seats, owner-operator, and off-the-road roles like trainer, dispatcher, and safety — and how each changes pay and life.
9 min read →
Your settlement is the record of what you earned and what was taken out. A line-by-line guide to earnings, accessorials, deductions, reimbursements, and per diem — and the checks that catch a mistake before it costs you.
9 min read →
Free guide
Shawn’s free guide on what this career really gives you — plus the driver list for career resources as they publish.
