With an outstanding selection of clean, well-maintained trucks from the Walmart fleet as well as Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks available for bid this October 13, it's no wonder IronPlanet staff are thinking about roads. And gas. And weather. And since we are an online auction, we think about technology and how our buyers use it.

Mobile apps have made huge inroads into our everyday lives, and that extends to how work is done. Out on the road, drivers rely on their cell phones to book and bid on loads, check the weather, find gas prices and traffic conditions, and do paperwork. Many apps also help improve drivers' quality of life by connecting them with family and friends as well as streaming audio and video.

Here are five apps for professional truckers, gathered from comments on trucking websites. IronPlanet does NOT receive kickbacks for the apps mentioned in this list. If you have a favorite app, please share your knowledge in the comments below! 

And be sure to review IronPlanet's outstanding selection of trucks, equipment, and more in the in October 13 auction.

 When the shipping container trend makes news in magazines like Sunset, you know it's hit mainstream status. IronPlanet might have missed the decorative concrete craze, but we're all over this one. The October 13 auction features airtight, watertight containers that are affordable and ready to be repurposed into a shed, tiki bar, playhouse - the list is long.

If your imagination needs a little push, check these projects made from shipping containers. Some are super high-end: stacked, wired, plumbed, and designed into stylish residences with the help of commercial architects and a generous budget:

They definitely went big.

The Yard at Mission Rock in San Francisco near the ballpark is hipster-cool. The container bar sits in a complex that also features a stationery food truck, stands with coffee; ice cream, beer and wine.

The best part about containers, other than when they're tricked out and serving drinks, is that they're: a) available; b) affordable; and c) versatile. Got a notion to build a stand-alone office or deck? Need a place to store your in-law or millennial? Look no further than IronPlanet's October 13 auction featuring shipping containers eager to be repurposed into something beautiful and functional. 

Some of you might still be thinking, "IronPlanet, I am skeptical." We understand that, but we say take a look at the following large, medium, and small ways people are thinking outside the container, so to speak. Bet you'll be inspired to go big.

Many times a part necessary for aircraft maintenance is readily available . . . except when it isn't. In that event, parts can be made to order when and if the labor and/or tooling is available. The process can translate to costly time on the ground for the craft and anxious pilots and passengers. Now traceable parts are available to purchase online at IronPlanet.

GovPlanet Enters Third Year with DLA Contract Extension, the Launch of GovPlanet EU and New Solutions

Second anniversary of its launch and third year as an expanded solutions platform that reaches buyers around the world from online auctions in the U.S. and Europe.

“Our growth both geographically and through our product offerings underscores the success of GovPlanet in just two short years,” said Jeff Holmes, senior vice president, Government Solutions and Auction Management, IronPlanet. “Since launching in November 2014 and selling the very first Humvee in a public auction with more than 100,000 attendees online that day, to where we are today selling construction equipment, trucks, pump and power gear, and other surplus items with remaining useful life to our 1.5 million registered users around the world is truly rewarding.

GovPlanet Enters Third Year with DLA Contract Extension

GovPlanet to Exhibit at Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 3 - 5, 2016 in Washington DC

NATIONAL EDITION

GovPlanet, an IronPlanet marketplace dedicated to selling used government equipment for federal, state and municipal entities, celebrates the second anniversary of its launch and enters its third year as an expanded solutions platform that reaches buyers around the world from online auctions in the U.S. and Europe.

“Our growth both geographically and through our product offerings underscores the success of GovPlanet in just two short years,” said Jeff Holmes, senior vice president, Government Solutions and Auction Management, IronPlanet. “Since launching in November 2014 and selling the very first Humvee in a public auction with more than 100,000 attendees online that day, to where we are today selling construction equipment, trucks, pump and power gear, and other surplus items with remaining useful life to our 1.5 million registered users around the world is truly rewarding."

Government Fleet Top News

So you're thinking of selling the old Cat crawler tractor. You could take pictures, email all the people you know, put an ad in the paper and online, field phone calls, be available to show it, negotiate a deal, then hang around the day the truck is supposed to come and take it away. 

Or, with one call, you could use the power of technology to gain top dollar for your item. Just tell the people at IronPlanet that you're ready to sell, then let the professionals take care of all the details for you, from evaluating and photographing the item to spreading the word far and wide via our extensive email lists and the interwebs.

IronPlanet will be in Kissimmee, Florida from February 13-17, 2017, and we are animals when it comes to selling your equipment for the highest price. Last year's event broke records:

• More than 1,100 registered bidders onsite;
• Online attendees topped 100,000 people from 175 countries;
• Equipment received bids from buyers in 48 countries;
• More than 2,350 items sold for $93.8 million in gross merchandise volume.

All you need to do is give us a call to get the ball rolling. Operators are standing by.

Red pins indicate bidders, blue pins indicate winning bidders in IronPlanet's September auctions.

GovPlanet to Exhibit at Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 3 - 5, 2016 in Washington DC

PLEASANTON, Calif. – GovPlanet, an IronPlanet^® marketplace dedicated to selling used government equipment for federal, state and municipal entities, celebrates the second anniversary of its launch and enters its third year as an expanded solutions platform that reaches buyers around the world from online auctions in the U.S. and Europe.

“Our growth both geographically and through our product offerings underscores the success of GovPlanet in just two short years,” said Jeff Holmes, senior vice president, Government Solutions and Auction Management, IronPlanet. “Since launching in November 2014 and selling the very first Humvee in a public auction with more than 100,000 attendees online that day, to where we are today selling construction equipment, trucks, pump and power gear, and other surplus items with remaining useful life to our 1.5 million registered users around the world is truly rewarding.

Introducing IronPlanet's Bigger Search Experience

Prepare to have more options, better viewability, and a search that's tuned in to your specific needs with new features in IronPlanet's marketplace. We're releasing IronPlanet's updated look and improved searches so you can find the equipment you need quickly. 

Search Results That Are Easier to Read

In response to customer feedback, we're updating our site to make buying even easier. Previously, search results were shown in a grid layout. We learned that losing your place is a common problem with long, vertical columns of text, so we made reading search results easier by replacing the grid format with a more eye-pleasing list display.

Easy pickings and a smooth disposal process. High profits. Worldwide, clandestine markets. It sounds like a pitch for joining a drug cartel, but these are some of the reasons heavy machinery is frequently stolen by small-time thieves as well as more sophisticated crime operations.

Equipment is stolen for the simple reason that the reward for the thief is greater than the risk taken. Small pieces like tractors are easily boosted, and heavy equipment has little security, either on the piece itself or in the place it's parked. There's also the time lapse: when a car is stolen, it's realized within hours or even minutes of the theft. When a dozer is parked on a Friday night, it's idle for the weekend. Its disappearance may not be discovered for days or even weeks, creating a big window of time for its disposal.

Since 2001, The National Equipment Register (NER) and National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has published an annual report on equipment theft in the United States. The findings are based primarily on data the NICB drew from the National Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) database of more than 10,000 construction and farm equipment thefts, and information reported to ISO ClaimSearch.® We've condensed some of the information in the following infographic, but you can download the complete report by going to this website - it's concise and well laid-out.