Dean SmallwoodDean Smallwood is managing editor of Commercial Carrier Journal and Overdrive. He has more than two decades of journalism experience, with more than half of that spent covering the transportation industry. Daytime Phone: 800-633-5953, ext. 1039BusinessMisdirected public apologies?After reading last week’s coverage of an appearance by Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam at a sports banquet, it might appear that the embattled executive is more interested in publicly clearing the air with football fans than he is with the customers who finance his livelihood. While that’s likely not the case, public comments […]May 13, 2013BusinessRock ’n’ roll truckin’My brother and I grew up loving rock music, and last week we celebrated his birthday by going to see the Black Keys in concert on my dime. I’ve never really needed an excuse to go to a great show, but my brother’s birthday was as good a reason as any, and the Keys blew […]May 6, 2013BusinessRebooting SmokeyOver the years, there’s been a fair number of film franchises that for whatever reason have grown stale and out of date, and sometimes it seems that both movie fans and Hollywood notice this at the same time. Over the years, for whatever reason, Superman, Batman, Star Trek, James Bond, Spider-Man (OK, that last one […]April 22, 2013BusinessDogs and delivery vansAs far as I know, my dog really doesn’t have any issues with 18-wheelers – admittedly, since we live in a neighborhood where you don’t see a lot of tractor-trailers rolling through, his experience with them is rather limited. But on the rare occasion that, say, a household goods moving truck rolls through or a […]April 15, 2013BusinessTraffic jams and timeOn Sunday, my family and I were returning from a quick weekend getaway, and even though we weren’t speeding or driving recklessly, we kinda sorta needed to get back home at a certain time to keep a prearranged appointment. As luck seemingly always has it, we hit a major traffic jam on the interstate – […]April 8, 2013BusinessCovering MATS: Then and nowThe lid’s slammed shut on another Mid-America Trucking Show, one of the industry’s busiest annual events for transportation journalists. There’s a plethora of companies that choose the next-to-the-last week in March to announce their latest products, business trends, technological advances – pretty much anything that’s worth announcing. It’s a busy time for us reporter-types, and […]March 25, 2013BusinessBack to driving school? Not in this lifetimeI live about an hour away from the CCJ offices, so I get to see lots of other drivers and the things they do – both driving-related and not necessarily pertaining to the act of keeping their vehicles safely under control. I’ve seen it all: Lipstick being applied while the female driver’s eyes were fixated […]March 18, 2013BusinessDOT learning how to play politicsThe threat of automatic federal budget cuts – the “sequester” we keep hearing about – allegedly was supposed to motivate lawmakers to put their differences aside and do their jobs. However, the sequester – which is really an odd word to enter our frequently used lexicon – is now in effect, and little if anything […]March 11, 2013BusinessFive years and several expensive gallons agoTimes change quickly, don’t they? It doesn’t seem like that many years ago that Tivo came into our house for the first time, and I still can remember my family’s “oohs” and “ahhs” when the satellite dude that installed it gave us his quick tutorial. Today, the black recorder box is an old phenomenon seemingly […]March 4, 2013BusinessNice guys finish firstLast year when I was invited to pay a visit to Boyd Bros. Transportation’s terminal in Birmingham, Ala., little did I know that I would be present for the announcement that would lead to the company being named the 2013 CCJ Innovator of the Year. The annual award recognizes trucking operations that demonstrate true innovation […]February 25, 2013Previous PagePage 4 of 148Next PageTop StoriesBusinessSurge of cargo theft is 'hitting us like lightning,' experts sayThe rise of cargo theft has become a significant issue for the logistics industry, with the scale and scope skyrocketing at an alarming level.MaintenanceGet dinged during Roadcheck? Know your rightsRegulationsSenate okays aging diesel fleet renewal grants, rebatesTest DrivesThe biggest and most power powerful 'green' engine I've ever drivenFeatured SponsorMaster Tech Recruitment and Retention