Trucking Regulation

FMCSA’s pilot program to pause the 14-hour driving window fails to address the industry’s detention time problem, argue truck safety advocates.

xcerpt: AB5 enforcement trucking leads to a $868K penalty for misclassification in California. Explore the implications for the industry.

As California revokes 17,000 non-domiciled CDLs amid a feud between Governor Newsom and Secretary Duffy, industry experts warn motor carriers to prepare for liability risks and a hit to freight capacity.

Federal regulators plan to survey 60 motor carriers for data on driver work schedules and crash risk that potentially could help inform adjustments to hours-of-service restrictions.

US DOT announced that California revoked thousands of commercial driver’s licenses, accusing the state of illegally issuing them to ineligible foreign drivers.

Lawmakers have introduced a bill to require the EPA to suspend automatic truck engine shutdowns in cold weather to prevent vehicle stranding.

Non-domiciled CDL restrictions placing war refugees into crisis mode, Ukrainian drivers tell FMCSA.

Federal judge halts CARB’s Clean Truck Partnership, impacting OEM compliance.

“The supply-demand balance may retrench in the coming months…”

The State of Freight for October found some reasons to be bullish.

OOIDA wants Congress to eliminate CDL waivers and strengthen training standards, asserting that the trucking industry has a driver overcapacity problem, not a shortage.

A regulatory green light for high-tech roadside safety beacons is seen as a breakthrough for the widespread commercial adoption of autonomous trucking.

Every year, more than three billion tons of hazardous materials crisscross America’s highways. From explosives and flammable liquids to everyday items like batteries and bleach, these shipments are essential to keeping commerce moving. With winter approaching, HAZMAT carriers become more visible on the roads, reflecting seasonal demand. For many fleets, these loads promise higher pay, […]

Republican senators are employing a multi-bill strategy to force enactment of English-only CDL testing and immigration-related licensing restrictions.

New legislation in the Senate would vacate sentences for truck mechanics convicted of tampering with emissions controls and strip EPA’s authority over vehicle pollution rules.

California is losing over $40 million in federal funds after its inspectors failed to enforce the Trump administration’s English language rule for truck drivers.

Senate Republicans introduced a companion bill to codify strict English proficiency standards for truckers, using the legislative tactic to speed up its potential passage.

Trucking companies face a liability risk and a capacity crunch due to FMCSA’s new CDL restrictions.

For most Americans, crossing a state line barely registers. For truck drivers, it can change everything. A carrier hauling freight within a single state might follow one set of safety, insurance, and weight regulations. But the moment that same load crosses a border, an entirely different rulebook applies, one governed by federal agencies and layered […]

New research finds a correlation between truck drivers who violate English-language proficiency rules and bad carrier safety but does not prove a direct cause.

Former law enforcement official Derek Barrs will become the eighth administrator of the nation’s top trucking regulator.

Legislation introduced in Congress could make it more difficult for Mexican and Canadian truckers to get authority to haul to and from the U.S.

Former law enforcement official Derek Barrs is on track to be confirmed by the Senate this week.

Legislation would make the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico “states” for CDL purposes and allow their drivers to avoid foreign-driver restrictions on the mainland.

The California Air Resources Board has pulled back the core of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule.

Truck crash victim advocates are renewing calls for Congress to mandate safety measures like Automatic Emergency Braking after release of their latest report.

Some truckers are rejecting FMCSA’s pilot program to extend the daily driving window, arguing the real problem is corporate-driven unpaid labor.

Interim final rule immediately limits eligibility following multiple fatal crashes in 2025 and scrutiny from the trucking community.

The U.S. government has filed its response to California’s claim that Congress was legally out of line when it yanked waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that permitted various transportation-related emission policies in that state, as the two parties head toward an October 30 court hearing. Last week’s filing by attorneys for the Environment […]

Following a report blaming distracted driving for a fatal crash, the NTSB recommends that trucks be required to come equipped with additional safety systems.

FMCSA has taken initial steps to modernize its complaint database to improve response times and crack down on fraud.

Every fall, there is a peak season that hits with fury before the traditional retail peak season. The Midwest transforms as combines sweep across golden fields and trucks line country roads waiting for the corn harvest to finish. For farmers, it’s the culmination of a season’s work. For carriers and drivers, it’s the start of […]

DOT auditors are investigating whether FMCSA is ensuring states are properly testing CDL applicants on their English skills.

Sean McMaster promises speedier highway-project delivery as the new head of FHWA – owner-operators hope that includes projects to help drivers get needed rest.

New legislation has been introduced to protect truck drivers from predatory leasing programs used by carriers to gain an unfair advantage in the freight markets.

DOT has issued an information request to gather data on challenges and potential solutions related to freight-market theft.

Several types of publicly available data recorded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have seemingly vanished from the Department of Transportation’s website.

FMCSA will decide on a rule to exempt specialized drivers from a hazardous materials endorsement – a move opposed by tank-truck companies over safety concerns.

Federal regulators are reviving two pilot programs to see if they can safely give truck drivers more control over their driving time.

TIA is hoping to enact long-sought legislation setting up federal safety standards that brokers and shippers can rely on when hiring motor carriers.

A lawmaker has reintroduced legislation giving DOT enforcement power to require that truck drivers provide food, water, and rest for livestock on long-haul trips.

New legislation turns weigh stations into English proficiency checkpoints.

Legislation approved by lawmakers is aimed at easing the transition into the supply chain for military veterans.

The Trump administration is moving to replace the Biden administration IC rule through a rulemaking process.

The Trump administration has targeted October for a proposal that could lead to required hair testing to screen truck drivers for drugs. 

Federal regulators have delayed until 2026 action on a slate of proposed rules affecting truck drivers and motor carriers.

FMCSA’s new process for challenging crash and inspection data has raised concerns from lobby groups.

The battle over California’s environmental regulations that impact trucking continued right through the end of August.

The major trucking lobbies are unified when it comes to truck parking and freight fraud but remain divided on other key issues.

The Trump administration has shut down work on a three-year project aimed at addressing rape and sexual assault in the trucking industry,

State troopers and others who carried out a CDL licensing fraud are starting to get sentenced.

California Clean Truck Check rule is being challenged by the EPA.

The Trump administration announced Thursday night it is immediately pausing issuing of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

Lawmakers are being pushed to consider loosening weight limits for trucks as Congress begins work on the next highway bill.

FMCSA investigation into last week’s Florida Turnpike crash that killed three people will focus on the driver and his trucking company.

A long list of legal actions over the California-related Clean Truck Partnership just got the federal government into the fray.

The Trump administration wants feedback from technology developers with the goal of getting the public to accept autonomous cars and trucks.

A deal between truck manufacturers and the FTC is the latest blow to the Clean Truck Partnership.

States tell the federal government they want more flexibility in how they can address the truck parking shortage.

The inevitable lawsuit has been filed by engine manufacturers against California over the Clean Truck Partnership.

Federal regulators are working with equipment makers to modify diesel exhaust fuel software to help truckers avoid costly downtime.

New Jersey is the latest state for a battle over independent contractor status.

Trucking regulator Sue Lawless is moving to the private sector to advise transportation clients on safety issues.

The settlement in the biometrics case involving Lytx has been signed off by a judge.

What’s going to happen to the Clean Truck Partnership is a battle that’s spilling out into the open.

A proposal to exempt hazardous materials trucks from mandatory stops at rail crossings draws safety concerns from railroads and unions.

Werner’s year-on-year comps were tough, but it performed better sequentially in the second quarter.

Motor carriers tell regulators that streamlining safety rules will eliminate unnecessary work.

A California Republican has taken action on a regulatory framework that would pave the way for fully autonomous trucks.

The trucking industry finds itself mired in one of the most protracted freight recessions on record, a predicament exacerbated by a flood of capacity that has outstripped demand. This surplus stems from an industry with negligible barriers to entry, where supply can readily overshoot, challenging the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) persistent claim of a perpetual […]

Proposals to limit top truck speeds – initiated by major trucking companies – lacked enough data to justify moving forward, according to regulators.

Colorado’s Jeff Hurd introduced legislation to further relax truck driver hours of service rules and ELD requirements for livestock carriers.

Oregon isn’t enforcing its copycat Advanced Clean Trucks rule, but it just tied itself closer to what California is doing.

A panel at a WEX forum sees EV technology as moving ahead rapidly despite the loss of U.S. government support.

The Department of Transportation is updating a national freight strategy that expects freight tonnage to grow 50% by 2050.

A new bill aims to compel FMCSA to accept positive hair drug tests in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a move supported by major carriers but opposed by owner-operators.

Economic and safety concerns attributed to non-North American motor carriers operating in the U.S. may be misguided, according to federal data.

Trucking companies and drivers responding to the deadly flood in Central Texas are temporarily exempt from work-hour rules.

After getting boxed out of a key tax break in One Big Beautiful Bill, small-business truck drivers are refocusing on legislation giving them overtime protection.

New immigration restrictions could curb driver availability, trigger a massive capacity crunch, and pull the trucking industry out of The Great Freight Recession. The Trump administration’s English Language Proficiency (ELP) mandate, effective June 2025, is already limiting the 3.5 million driver pool, particularly impacting immigrants, who according to the BLS account for at least 20% […]

Virginia truck drivers that need a skill performance certificate will benefit from a more streamlined evaluation process.

Dallas-based CloudTrucks tells regulators it can improve its driver hiring if allowed to be unhindered from a federal requirement.

The Western States Trucking Association has taken steps against the Clean Truck Partnership.

CarriersEdge launched an English Language Proficiency Assessment in June 2025 to help trucking carriers comply with U.S. regulations under 49 CFR §391.11(b)(2). The tool evaluates drivers’ language skills for roadside inspections, using audio-visual cues.

The Trump administration has launched a sweeping package of initiatives affecting trucking that includes investigating fraudulent CDLs, money for parking, and work-hour flexibility.

The English Language Proficiency (ELP) rule, now in effect, could significantly reduce trucking capacity. For a decade, large truckload carriers have embraced regulations like the ELD mandate and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse to limit market capacity, but effects were typically short-lived. The ELP mandate, enforced by a DOT Executive Order, requires commercial drivers to demonstrate […]

Regulators are giving thousands of truck drivers relief from work-hour rules to prevent fireworks shows around the country from fizzling out.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is intensifying enforcement of English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards, signaling major operational changes for the trucking industry. As of today, June 25, 2025, drivers who fail to meet these requirements face immediate grounding, potentially straining trucking capacity, increasing tender rejections, and driving up national truckload rates. FreightWaves estimates […]

Justice Department press release describes violations of several FMCSA rules by Shaquan Jelks; magistrate order on detention spells out some of the details.

New legislation would mandate that all truck drivers be tested for proficiency in speaking and reading English before being allowed on the road.

DOT’s proposed new enforcement policy could result in a disincentive to investigate motor carrier violations, according to accident victim advocates.

Legislation signed by President Trump impacting California’s clean truck rules immediately brought a lawsuit from the state.

A new enforcement policy proposed by DOT raises the question of whether the trucking industry will become less safe or will be better able to comply with regulations.

Applicants for CDL grants may have an easier time now that Biden-era DEI and climate change requirements have been stripped out of the approval process.

The death of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule in California dealt a blow to zero-emission vehicles in drayage, but Long Beach remains committed.

Improving how truck driver registrations are vetted and collecting better crash data are among FMCSA’s FY26 priorities, according to a new detailed budget request.

House legislation would ban hauling horses across state lines in livestock trailers designed for smaller animals.

Sweeping regulatory changes aimed at slashing trucking industry red tape are raising red flags from industry experts and safety advocates.

Recent identity verification changes by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are having a major impact on the number of newly minted operating authorities, according to research from CarrierOK.

The government is cleaning up motor carrier safety regulations to ensure consistency and improve clarity for the trucking industry.