The romance of the open road turns sour.

Truckload carriers face daunting obstacles in their efforts to keep freight moving profitably.

The image is embedded in the American psyche: The independent trucker, master of his (or her) own fate on the open road, ready for adventure. But for many truckload (TL) drivers and companies, the only adventure these days lies in keeping their rigs moving and making a modest profit.

Despite the image of independence, the truckload market has always been a tough, competitive business. In the two decades since Congress began dismantling trucking regulation, a few fo