How we research and update our guides
Last updated October 2026
A truck is the biggest purchase most carriers ever make, so every number here has to earn its place. These are the rules each guide and tool follows.
Sources, in order of trust
- The rule itself. Tax figures come from the IRS and the Internal Revenue Code. Safety and paperwork rules come from FMCSA and the Code of Federal Regulations. State programs come from the state agency that runs them.
- Published data with a stated method. Industry cost studies, used-truck price reports and government datasets, quoted with the period they cover.
- Published terms. Lender, lessor, dealer, auction and manufacturer pages, quoted as what that company says, on the date we checked.
- Single listings are used only as single examples and are labeled that way, never as an average.
Every statistic carries its source and the date we checked it. If we cannot find a dated source for a number, we leave the number out and say so.
Examples are labeled
Any made-up load, week, price or deal is marked EXAMPLE. Default values in our calculators are examples too: you replace them with your own numbers, and no default is ever a rate offer.
Finance, tax and contract pages
These pages explain how things generally work and carry a note that they are not financial, tax or legal advice. We do not tell readers which loan to sign or what to deduct; we show the math and the questions to ask a lender or tax professional.
How lists are built
Lists of brands, programs or companies are built from public criteria we state on the page, such as what a maker sells in the US today. No company pays to be included or ranked. Partner offers sit apart from the editorial content, carry a disclosure and appear only where a page is about that need; see our disclosure page.
Updates
Each guide shows the month it was last updated. Prices, rates, tax figures and lists are checked at least once a year, and the price index more often. When a law or a figure changes, we update the page and the date.
Who writes
Guides and tools are written by Fernandez for the RigCaptain dispatch desk. We never invent credentials, reviews or customer results.
Corrections
Found a mistake or an out-of-date figure? Send it through the contact page and pick "A correction to a guide". We check it against the source and fix confirmed errors promptly.