Edwin Horton

How he researches

Rules come from the rule. Federal requirements are read in the Code of Federal Regulations and the Federal Register, not summarized from other websites. Each one is cited to its section, so you can check it yourself.

Numbers come with a publisher and a year. Cost per mile, turnover, pay and market figures come from named sources such as ATRI, ATA, BLS, EIA and government agencies. When a figure comes from trade coverage of a report rather than the report itself, the page says so. When sources disagree, the page says that too.

Every fact has a check date. Facts live in one source file with the link and the date they were last checked, and each appears on the page with a source tag you can open.

Examples are labeled. Worked numbers, sample fleets and sample weeks are marked as examples, so they're never mistaken for results.

Prices come from the seller. Software, service and partner prices are quoted from each company's own current page, with the date checked, or left out.

What he covers

• Starting a carrier: authority, costs, business plans, filings and the first year.
• Growing: when to add a truck, where freight comes from, marketing a small carrier, buying a company.
• People: recruiting, driver files, testing, owner-operator leases, pay and retention.
• Systems and safety: maintenance, compliance records, software, safety plans and rule changes.
• Money: cost per mile, benchmarks, taxes and the warning signs in a fleet's numbers.

Each playbook is written for an owner making a real decision this week, with the rule, the number and the next step in one place.

The calculators follow the same approach: each one shows its formula, labels its starting values as examples, and keeps your numbers in your own browser. When a rule or rate changes, the tool and the playbooks that use it are updated together, and the check date on the source changes with them.

Corrections

If you find an error, an outdated figure or a rule that has changed, tell us through the contact page. Pages are corrected and their update date changed. Our editorial policy explains the process in full.

What he doesn't do

The playbooks explain rules and options in plain words; they aren't legal, tax, accounting or HR advice, and they say so where a decision needs a professional. They never invent testimonials, results or credentials.