Playbook: News

Rob Carpenter Monday, August 25, 2025

FMCSA Extends Paper Medical Certificate Waiver As States Continue Transition

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended its temporary waiver allowing commercial drivers and motor carriers to use paper medical examiner certificates for up to 60 days after issuance, up from the previous 15-day allowance, as state licensing agencies continue transitioning to electronic medical certification systems. The modified waiver addresses ongoing implementation challenges with the National Registry II electronic transmission requirements that took effect June 23, with only 38 states and the District of Columbia currently compliant while 12 states including California, Florida, and New York have yet to implement the new system.

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Rob Carpenter Wednesday, August 6, 2025

What Brazil’s ‘Egg King’ Buying Hillandale Farms Means for US Eggs and Freight

Brazilian entrepreneur Ricardo Faria’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Hillandale Farms continues a troubling pattern of foreign control over critical US food infrastructure. The deal puts one of America’s most transportation-intensive agricultural operations, complete with a 250-trailer fleet serving markets from Maine to the Carolinas, under foreign ownership. Unlike previous high-profile foreign food acquisitions, this major deal has received minimal mainstream attention despite significant implications for supply chains and the 11.27 billion tons of freight moved annually by US trucks.

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Rob Carpenter Monday, August 4, 2025

Motive’s $150M War Chest Signals All-Out Assault on Fleet Tech Dominance

Motive Technologies closed a $150 million funding round led by Kleiner Perkins this week, positioning the AI-powered platform for aggressive expansion beyond its dashcam origins. What started as fleet management in 2015 has evolved into an integrated operations platform spanning driver safety, fuel cards, workforce management, and fraud detection, serving nearly 100,000 customers with AI capabilities that achieve up to 80% collision reductions.

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Rob Carpenter Monday, June 23, 2025

The Ultimate Guide to FMCSA’s June 2025 Rule Rollouts: What Every Fleet Must Know

Starting June 2025, the FMCSA will enforce long-delayed rules on driver medical certification and English proficiency, with direct implications for fleets, intrastate drivers and licensing agencies. From MVR downgrades to out-of-service roadside inspection orders, these rules shift from paper compliance to real-world enforcement. Fleets that fail to adapt may face costly violations or sidelined equipment.

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