John Gallagher

Based in Washington, D.C., John specializes in regulation and legislation affecting all sectors of freight transportation. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. He graduated from Florida State University majoring in English and business.
Mar - 2026 -
04 March
John Gallagher

Lawmaker pushes for ICE coordination in CDL crackdowns

Josh Brecheen advocated for a national expansion of a program that empowers local law enforcement to assist ICE in removing non-citizen truck drivers from the road.

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03 March
John Gallagher

Feds signal pivot on East Coast shipping speed rules

The Trump administration want to deregulate speed restriction rules aimed at avoiding whale strikes by adopting technology-based avoidance measures.

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John Gallagher

DOT warns motor carriers on RTD noncompliance

Widespread procedural lapses in the return-to-duty process could threaten clearances issued to truck drivers and other transportation operators, according to DOT.

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02 March
John Gallagher

Feds offering truck drivers $600 to pre-test pilot programs

The FMCSA is seeking 18 commercial drivers to help pre-test more flexible sleeper berth splits and a new 14-hour “window pause” before these pilot programs roll out nationwide.

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Feb - 2026 -
27 February
John Gallagher

FMCSA spotlights trucking’s multi-million dollar insurance gap

Regulators warn Congress that stagnant 1985 insurance minimums now cover less than 1.5% of median “nuclear” verdicts leaving a consolidated trucking fleet exposed.

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26 February
John Gallagher

Feds renew Wilson Logistics waiver, launch training data inquiry

Regulators are looking into allegations that Wilson Logistics may have submitted false data in a CDL training exemption request.

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24 February
John Gallagher

Trump honors young truck crash victim in SOTU

During his state of the union speech, President Trump urged passing of “Dalilah Law” barring states from issuing CDLs to illegal aliens.

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John Gallagher

Legislation to kill double brokering hits Senate floor

A bipartisan effort to restore FMCSA’s authority over freight scammers has advanced in the Senate.

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23 February
John Gallagher

New DOT rules put states on hook for truck parking

States must now complete comprehensive truck parking assessments or face the loss of federal funds under new DOT mandates.

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20 February
John Gallagher

Feds to axe multi-language testing for truckers

FMCSA will be taking more action against foreign drivers and fraudulent carriers, including tighter test restrictions and securing the carrier registration process.

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19 February
John Gallagher

FMCSA finalizes changes to reduce burdens on truckers

The FMCSA has made changes to a slate of technical rules affecting drivers and carriers, including ditching spare fuses and embracing digital inspection reports.

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John Gallagher

FMCSA issues mandatory non-domiciled CDL directives

New federal guidelines enforce strict 48-hour document deadlines – including weekends – to purge unvetted foreign drivers.

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18 February
John Gallagher

Feds target sham CDL trainers in multi-state sting

DOT is purging over 550 “CDL mills” from the national registry after investigators exposed widespread violations and fraudulent training practices.

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17 February
John Gallagher

Feds expand non-domiciled CDL crackdown to Illinois

The FMCSA has warned Illinois to fix its non-domiciled CDL program or face decertification and the loss of up to $128.6 million in federal highway funds.

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John Gallagher

Chicago steals crown for worst freight bottleneck

Average truck speeds have dropped to 33.2 mph among the country’s most congested locations, with Chicago’s western suburbs taking the top spot from northern New Jersey.

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16 February
John Gallagher

National gas cap could slash truckers’ diesel bills

New legislation would cap state fuel taxes at 50 cents per gallon by leveraging federal highway funds.

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13 February
John Gallagher

Congress looks to fight ‘chameleon carrier’ trucking networks

New legislation proposes using AI-powered screening to detect fraudulent carriers that change identities to evade safety regulations.

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12 February
John Gallagher

Trump EPA ends basis for heavy-duty truck emissions rules

The EPA has rescinded a landmark Obama-era policy that removes the agency’s authority to enforce greenhouse gas standards and electric vehicle quotas for trucks.

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11 February
John Gallagher

FMCSA finalizes new era for non-domiciled CDLs

FMCSA has finalized strict new non-domiciled CDL standards, initiating a five-year staggered phase-out for an estimated 200,000 drivers affected by the new rule.

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10 February
John Gallagher

New CBP vessel rule targets high-risk exports

CBP is shifting to mandatory pre-departure electronic filing for U.S. cargo exports to close security gaps and streamline maritime trade.

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