Data-driven insights and industry knowledge for trucking and logistics professionals https://spotter.ai/blog en-us 2026-04-23T21:04:53.453Z https://spotter.ai/logo.svg https://spotter.ai Transportation Logistics Trucking Fleet Management TMS The North American heavy-duty truck market just posted its worst Q1 since the pandemic. Sales dropped 13% year-over-year-and the pain isn't isolated. From interest rates to tariffs, pressure is mounting on every side of the supply chain. https://spotter.ai/blog/north-america-truck-sales-slump-13-in-q1-as-market-momentum-slows https://spotter.ai/blog/north-america-truck-sales-slump-13-in-q1-as-market-momentum-slows Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT Truck Sales, Market Trends, North America Class 8 truck orders just hit their lowest point since the early pandemic. With only 7,400-7,600 new trucks ordered in April, the industry is flashing warning lights-from tariffs to financing fatigue, uncertainty is steering the market into neutral. https://spotter.ai/blog/class-8-truck-orders-hit-post-pandemic-low-as-industry-faces-tariff-pressure-and-market-uncertainty https://spotter.ai/blog/class-8-truck-orders-hit-post-pandemic-low-as-industry-faces-tariff-pressure-and-market-uncertainty Sat, 10 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT Class 8 Trucks, Orders, Tariffs, Market Trends A 90-day tariff truce between the U.S. and China is shaking up global logistics. Importers are rushing to capitalize, ocean volumes and container rates are spiking, and the ripple is about to hit U.S. trucking and trailers. Here's what's moving freight in May. https://spotter.ai/blog/tariffs-trailers-tender-rejections-whats-moving-freight-in-may https://spotter.ai/blog/tariffs-trailers-tender-rejections-whats-moving-freight-in-may Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT Freight, Tariffs, Trailers Dry vans are getting crushed, but flatbeds are heating up. With a policy shift toward domestic manufacturing and infrastructure, open deck freight is poised for growth. Here's why flatbed could lead the next freight recovery. https://spotter.ai/blog/why-open-deck-might-be-the-future-under-trump https://spotter.ai/blog/why-open-deck-might-be-the-future-under-trump Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT Flatbed, Open Deck, Freight, Market Trends Retail mix shifts as buyers gain leverage, and prices slide across auction + retail channels. J.D. Power's latest retail market breakdown shows the relative share of 3- to 5-year-old sleeper tractors sold in recent months, and the landscape is shifting. https://spotter.ai/blog/freightliner-holds-ground-as-volatility-grows-across-used-truck-sales https://spotter.ai/blog/freightliner-holds-ground-as-volatility-grows-across-used-truck-sales Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Used Trucks, Freightliner, Market Trends, Auction Pricing ATRI's 2025 driver demographics update reveals who's behind the wheel today, how the workforce is changing, and how fleets should adapt-across age, gender, diversity, and second‑chance hiring. https://spotter.ai/blog/what-the-latest-driver-demographics-report-means-for-fleets https://spotter.ai/blog/what-the-latest-driver-demographics-report-means-for-fleets Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Driver Demographics, ATRI, Recruiting, Owner-Operators, Diversity June trailer orders jumped to ~15,400 units-more than double May and +24% YoY-but analysts see strategic pull-forwards, not a broad recovery. https://spotter.ai/blog/trailer-orders-surge-in-june-but-long-term-weakness-remains https://spotter.ai/blog/trailer-orders-surge-in-june-but-long-term-weakness-remains Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT Trailers, Orders, ACT Research, Market Trends The TMS platform is trusted by 500+ fleets across North America, creating 90% driver retention with proven gains in efficiency and profitability https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-launches-enhanced-tms-platform-delivering-real-time-visibility-and-fleet-efficiency https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-launches-enhanced-tms-platform-delivering-real-time-visibility-and-fleet-efficiency Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT TMS, Fleet Management, AI Technology, Transportation Illinois-based Spotter has been named a 2026 USA Today Top Workplaces winner. The award recognizes Spotter's strong workplace culture, leadership, and employee engagement. https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-named-2026-usa-today-top-workplace-ai-platform-transforms-trucking-industry https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-named-2026-usa-today-top-workplace-ai-platform-transforms-trucking-industry Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Top Workplaces, USA Today, Company Culture, Trucking, AI Technology Spotter Sentinel brings automated hiring, compliance monitoring, scoring, and recruiting tools to the trucking industry. https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-launches-sentinel-to-cut-hiring-costs-and-improve-trucking-safety https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-launches-sentinel-to-cut-hiring-costs-and-improve-trucking-safety Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Sentinel, Trucking Safety, Driver Hiring, Compliance, AI Spotter TMS releases a major round of platform updates focused on improving reliability, streamlining communication, and accelerating issue resolution for fleet operations teams and drivers. https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-tms-releases-major-platform-updates-fleet-reliability-operational-efficiency https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-tms-releases-major-platform-updates-fleet-reliability-operational-efficiency Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT TMS, Fleet Management, Platform Updates, Driver App, Trucking The Cost of Fragmented Systems - Every day, fleet managers face a familiar list of frustrations, including surprise breakdowns that throw schedules off track, dispatch confusion that leads to missed deliveries, payroll errors that frustrate drivers, and the always-dreaded issue of driver turnover. https://spotter.ai/blog/why-every-fleet-needs-transportation-management-system-2026 https://spotter.ai/blog/why-every-fleet-needs-transportation-management-system-2026 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT TMS, Fleet Management, Transportation, AI Technology, Cost Reduction Sentinel, one of our newest platforms from Spotter AI, is making major waves across the trucking and logistics industry. Over the past month, Sentinel has been featured prominently in leading industry publications. https://spotter.ai/blog/sentinel-gains-coverage-leading-trucking-logistics-publications https://spotter.ai/blog/sentinel-gains-coverage-leading-trucking-logistics-publications Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Sentinel, Media Coverage, Trucking News, AI Technology, Driver Hiring Replacing a single truck driver can cost a fleet $15,000 or more, and with industry turnover rates hovering around 90% annually, it's no wonder fleets are scrambling to keep their best people. Here's how AI-powered tools are changing that. https://spotter.ai/blog/role-ai-driver-retention-keeping-best-people-road https://spotter.ai/blog/role-ai-driver-retention-keeping-best-people-road Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Driver Retention, AI Technology, Fleet Management, Spotter TMS, Driver Wellness The automated hiring, compliance monitoring, scoring, and recruiting platform for motor carriers has released new updates, including improved driver application forms and driver employment verification features. https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-expands-sentinel-platform-ai-powered-hiring-verification-compliance-solutions https://spotter.ai/blog/spotter-ai-expands-sentinel-platform-ai-powered-hiring-verification-compliance-solutions Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Sentinel, AI Hiring, Driver Verification, Compliance, Trucking Safety A bobtail truck is a semi-truck tractor driving without a trailer attached. Learn what bobtail means in trucking, why it is more dangerous than driving with a trailer, and what every fleet manager needs to know about bobtail operations and insurance. https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-a-bobtail-truck-definition-trucking-explained https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-a-bobtail-truck-definition-trucking-explained Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bobtail Truck, Trucking Basics, Fleet Safety, CDL Drivers, Trucking Terms GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the maximum total weight a vehicle is rated to safely carry, including its own weight, passengers, cargo, and fuel. Learn how GVWR affects truck classes, DOT compliance, driver licensing, and fleet operations. https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-gvwr-gross-vehicle-weight-rating-explained https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-gvwr-gross-vehicle-weight-rating-explained Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT GVWR, Trucking Compliance, Commercial Vehicles, Fleet Management, DOT Regulations A complete DOT inspection checklist covering all 7 levels of roadside inspection, what inspectors look for, how to prepare your fleet, and how to improve your CSA score. https://spotter.ai/blog/dot-inspection-checklist-complete-guide-truck-drivers https://spotter.ai/blog/dot-inspection-checklist-complete-guide-truck-drivers Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT DOT Inspection, DOT Compliance, Fleet Safety, CSA Score, FMCSA Everything trucking companies and CDL drivers need to know about ELDs - what they are, who needs one, how they work, ELD mandate exemptions, and how to choose the right ELD device for your fleet. https://spotter.ai/blog/eld-trucking-electronic-logging-device-complete-guide https://spotter.ai/blog/eld-trucking-electronic-logging-device-complete-guide Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT ELD, Electronic Logs, Hours of Service, DOT Compliance, Fleet Management, CDL Drivers LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight is a shipping method where multiple shippers share space on a single truck. Learn how LTL works, how it compares to FTL, LTL pricing factors, and when to use LTL vs full truckload. https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-ltl-freight-less-than-truckload-guide https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-ltl-freight-less-than-truckload-guide Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT LTL, Less Than Truckload, Freight Shipping, Trucking Basics, Logistics Telematics is the technology that combines GPS tracking, vehicle diagnostics, and wireless communication to give fleets real-time visibility into their trucks, drivers, and operations. Learn how telematics works, what data it captures, and how it improves fleet safety and efficiency. https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-telematics-fleet-management-guide https://spotter.ai/blog/what-is-telematics-fleet-management-guide Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Telematics, Fleet Management, GPS Tracking, Fleet Technology, Trucking Software