FMCSA

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

Operation Safe Driver Week begins July 13, targeting speeding and unsafe driving behaviors across North America. For fleets, these blitzes can directly impact FMCSA data, ISS scores, and safety ratings, which affect your ability to win freight, retain insurance, and stay on the road. Here’s what to know, what’s coming next, and how to build a clean inspection strategy before it’s too late.

For the first time in decades, the federal government is shifting its attention from policy roundtables to the actual drivers and fleets keeping the country moving.

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.

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.

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.

Freight fraud and cargo theft have reached crisis levels, but recent FMCSA identity verification measures are chipping away at fraudulent registrations. Proactive enforcement and innovative tech solutions are starting to protect our supply chains.

What the 2025 FMCSA rule blitz really changes: a side-by-side breakdown of old rules, new language, and what fleets, drivers and compliance teams need to know. FMCSA dropped 18 proposed and two final rules into the Federal Register. We’re giving you the practical play-by-play.

With 1 in 3 drivers only medically qualified for short-term certification, and FMCSA policy updates arriving next month, fleets must treat driver fitness like the operational risk it is. A house in New Jersey hit by a truck might have been spared. The next one might not.

FMCSA audits shape your safety rating, impact your ability to haul freight and determine if your company stays on the road. In 2025, with scrutiny rising and technology advancing, understanding how these reviews unfold is mission-critical.

Facing a DOT audit in 2025 doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Learn how fleets can stay ready year-round, avoid common audit pitfalls and keep their trucks rolling smoothly without regulatory worries.

With MC numbers disappearing, tougher English proficiency rules hitting drivers, broker transparency tightening and several regulations disappearing, fleets face challenges and opportunities. Here’s your essential guide to navigating trucking’s changing road ahead.

Critics of the reinstatement of English language proficiency out-of-service violations argue that the directive is more political than practical and risks diverting attention from more pressing safety issues on U.S. highways.

State and federal officials are looking at ways to close loopholes and tighten regulations that govern how non-U.S. truck drivers gain the right to operate within the U.S.

With CVSA’s International Roadcheck around the corner, thousands of inspectors will be out in force, and if you’re not ready, your truck could be the one parked roadside with an out-of-service sticker. This guide breaks down what a Level 1 inspection really involves.

OOIDA report challenges driver shortage narrative, argues turnover is the issue

Two new executive orders refocus attention on English language requirements for truck drivers, reviving enforcement protocols that have existed since 1937. Industry voices say training, licensing and real-world risk management are essential priorities beyond language rules.

Arkansas Just Passed a Law That Will Hit Drivers for Not Speaking English — Here’s What You Need to Know If you have drivers running through Arkansas, pay attention: A new bill passed last week that’s going to fine truckers who can’t speak or read English “sufficiently.” HB1745 cleared the state House and Senate unanimously, […]

Federal transportation officials at the Mid-America Trucking Show discussed a deregulatory approach that aligns with the Trump administration’s policy of eliminating 10 regulations for every new one introduced.

The FMCSA is eliminating MC numbers by October 1, 2025, requiring all motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders to operate under a single USDOT number. This change aims to streamline registration, reduce fraud, and improve compliance tracking. While the transition simplifies carrier identification, it raises new challenges for brokers, shippers, and industry professionals accustomed to MC-based vetting. With potential impacts on contracts, insurance, and fraud prevention, fleets must prepare now to ensure a smooth transition. Here’s what the trucking industry needs to know before the deadline arrives.

FMCSA’s Medical Examiner’s Certification Integration rule aims to streamline medical certification by digitizing the process, but delays have pushed full implementation to June 23, 2025. Until then, CDL and CLP holders must continue submitting paper copies of their Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) to state licensing agencies, and motor carriers must verify compliance manually.

Failure to maintain a valid MEC can result in a CDL downgrade, putting drivers’ jobs at risk and exposing fleets to compliance violations. Staying informed and following FMCSA updates is crucial to ensuring a smooth transition when the new system goes live.

Compliance might be about avoiding fines but it’s more about protecting your fleet, securing business, and staying in business. A poor FMCSA safety rating can lead to lost revenue, higher insurance premiums, and even an Unsatisfactory Rating and shutdown. With new Safety Measurement System (SMS) changes ahead, fleets must actively manage their compliance records to avoid increased scrutiny.

Staying ahead of FMCSA regulations is the only way to ensure long-term profitability and operational stability.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Truck Leasing Task Force delivered a scathing report on lease-purchase programs managed by motor carriers in the trucking industry.

Virginia-based Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, is entering 2025 with a revamped growth strategy focused on building out an autonomous hub in Texas while expanding its software footprint in Michigan.

Autonomous truck maker Aurora Innovation Inc. is suing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration after the agency denied its request for a five-year exemption from the placement of roadside warning devices in favor of cab-mounted warning beacons.

The FMCSA denied Waymo and Aurora’s roadside warning exemption, citing lack of data proving adequate safety of cab-mounted beacons.

The freight broker transparency fight four years in the making is shining a light on tensions between brokers and carriers

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency’s recent fleet fuel study highlighted truck fuel economy gains of 7.77 mpg compared to the national average of 6.9 mpg in 2023.

In this edition: breaking down the FMCSA’s proposed rule on broker transparency and changes again at Roadrunner.

Brandon Wiseman, owner and president of Trucksafe Consulting, discusses updates to the FMCSA’s Clearinghouse Phase II monitoring and enforcement practices.

FMCSA Clearinghouse Phase 2 enforcement may impact about 179,000 CDL holders who are in prohibited status for a drug or alcohol violation.

A recent FMCSA-sponsored study looking at the impacts of pay and working conditions on long-distance truck and bus drivers also calls into question claims of a persistent driver shortage.

On a recent episode of Loaded and Rolling, Matt Leffler, the Armchair Attorney, spoke about the explosion in nuclear verdicts impacting trucking.

Carriers are operating in an environment where every new driver hire could result in a productive driver tenure or a multimillion-dollar negligence lawsuit.

In this edition: CDL training programs get grants, autonomous trucking faces a setback and Motive releases its August economic study.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Thursday removed two ELDs from its registered list.

A New Jersey-based trucking company, cited numerous times for safety violations for both its drivers and equipment, recently filed for Chapter 11.

FreightTech hasn’t solved freight fraud, and regulators can’t figure out who is regulating it. Is there a solution?

In this edition: Breaking down the most recent Armstrong & Associates study and the FMCSA hits a snag.

The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP) Program helps drivers under 21 gain experience in trucking, helps carriers fill seats and helps the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration gather safety and feasibility data on lowering the age requirements for truck drivers in interstate commerce.

Nearly two dozen freight brokers say an Illinois trucking company and its “affiliated carriers” are holding 36 confirmed loads hostage until ransom demands are paid.

The FMCSA recently delayed rulemaking on truck speed limiters, pre-2000 engine ELD mandates and automatic emergency braking systems to 2025.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ordered Monique Trucking to halt operations after declaring the California carrier “an imminent hazard to public safety” following a deadly crash.

ATRI has released a June update to its operational cost of trucking report, which saw significant increases in insurance premiums and truck and trailer payments during 2023.

The FMCSA plans an online survey to determine driver seat belt usage after recent data shows an increase in fatalities from unrestrained drivers.

Descartes MacroPoint FraudGuard evaluates billions of data points related to freight location and shipment status in order to flag potential freight fraud.

Motive, a telematics, technology and fleet management platform, announced new AI-powered products and telematics hardware at the inaugural Vision 24 Motive Innovation Summit.

A California-based less-than-truckload carrier has ceased operations, leaving over 200 truck drivers, warehouse workers and office personnel without jobs or paychecks.

Motor carriers’ insurance rates show little sign of slowing down.

As a freight broker, you are on the front lines of ensuring safe, efficient and compliant transportation of goods.

The National Transportation Institute (NTI) recently released Q4 2023 driver pay data that shows driver earnings continue to climb in spite of the freight market undergoing a correction. Drivers’ base mileage pay brackets saw a shift, with the 40-to-50-cents-per-mile pay bracket falling 5.2% year over year as fleets raised wages to attract and retain drivers. The 50-to-60-cents-per-mile bracket saw a 6.1% y/y increase.

Joining a network of industry professionals provides a tangible sense of security in today’s market. This is especially true in the billing and payment space.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday published a notice in the Federal Register that the state of Florida is seeking an exemption to the CDL testing regulation pertaining to skills testing.

In light of the growing prevalence of cybersecurity breaches, the Biden administration issued a mandate requiring all federal agencies to conduct multifactor authentication as part of the government’s zero trust security strategy.

The Convoy saga has taken another turn as venture-backed freight forwarder Flexport announced Wednesday that it has acquired Convoy’s technology stack for an undisclosed sum. This comes after Convoy, which was valued at $3.8 billion from its final funding round 18 months ago, shuttered operations on Oct. 19.

Confusion erupted on Monday following reports that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was looking to set a 68 mph maximum speed setting for trucks newer than the 2003 model year.

A report published Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) must make its complaint database more transparent and publicly available.

Reliance Partners’ Mark Barlar shares what carriers and drivers should know before they submit their first DataQs request.

There’s no perpetual, industry-wide truck driver shortage. The market quickly corrects any shortage of labor.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Wednesday released parameters on data collection for a new study to determine the impact of detention time on drivers. The Information Collection Request (ICR) was submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval and opened the window for public comments.

Proposed rulemaking on automatic emergency braking (AEB) introduced in June by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is getting more pushback from a coalition of state law enforcement officials and brake manufacturers that argue more dialogue is needed before moving forward.

Owner-operators Toni and Chris Murphy of New Egypt, New Jersey, said it’s been hard to fight back against an invisible tech-savvy fraudster who stole their trucking company’s identity.

“Poor CSA scores can lead to warning letters from the FMCSA, more inspections, higher insurance rates and negative publicity,” said J. J. Keller & Associate Inc.’s Josh Lovan.

After experiencing two years of record growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacksonville, Florida-based Surge Transportation, a digital freight brokerage, sought to find a buyer and slashed its rates nearly a year before it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday.

Reliance Partners’ VP of risk services breaks down what motor carriers need to know about FMCSA safety ratings.

The first meeting of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF) discussed and drafted recommendations on Tuesday regarding limiting or eliminating the power a trucking company has over lease purchase agreements with drivers.

In this edition: The FMCSA has issued final guidance on the broker and agent divide and there are big doings in the West Coast labor talks.

A proposal by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to alter and expand reporting categories for crashes is drawing criticism from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which argues the FMCSA should take stronger action to protect driver safety records.

“When appropriately managed, your records not only show who your drivers and employees are, but also that they are trained, qualified, properly taxed and work within the limits of the law,” said Daren Hansen of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. broke down what businesses need to know about the MCS-150, its common challenges and how to stay compliant.

SONAR ocean container booking data suggests that the predicted freight rebound in the second half of 2023 may be increasingly unlikely. Import and ocean container booking data is typically used as a leading indicator for future truckload volumes, as containers are offloaded in ports and transferred into intermodal or truckload orders.

FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson discusses efforts underway to make the trucking industry more diverse.

Trucking safety advocates are at odds with corporate-backed attempts at implementing a roadside safety exemption for autonomous trucks. For those unaware, current regulations require drivers to use three emergency reflective triangles, or at least six fusees or three liquid-burning road flares, if they stop on the road for reasons other than traffic.

“If there comes a time when you have a crash and attorneys or law enforcement start digging into your records and find falsifications, it’s all going to come to the surface,” said Brian Runnels, vice president of safety at Reliance Partners.

Settling multiple distractions surrounding TuSimple was Cheng Lu’s priority when he returned as CEO in November.

Industry insiders are accusing some ELD vendors of exploiting flaws in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s technical specifications to let trucking companies and their drivers skirt hours-of-service rules.

Federal guidance from 2019 suggested driverless trucks could skip electronic logging devices. Will that hold up?

Even with multiple investigations to close, TuSimple has three years worth of money to run its autonomous trucking business.

Inside this edition: The battle over broker transparency might finally be over; carrier retention helps in the long term; and the claim for TravelCenters of America gets another player. 

The ELD mandate put more pressure on truck drivers’ workdays and may have pushed its most-tenured employees out. 

Do you know what’s on your PSP record? Reliance Partners’ Mark Barlar shares insight into the story it tells about a driver, how it informs hiring decisions and what drivers can do about it.

While recruiters are always searching for skilled truck drivers — using sign-on bonuses and paying incentives to attract drivers to come work for their trucking companies — there’s little mention of who pays if the driver dies while under a load.

Adhering to regulations alone is complex in itself, but is it enough for a strong safety program? J. J. Keller & Associates, industry experts in safety and compliance guidance, don’t think so.

The former safety manager of two California trucking companies was sentenced to three years of probation for his role in an illegal cargo tank repair conspiracy.

Caminantes Trucking implicada en 11 accidentes, 2 de ellos mortales, en un periodo de 2 años

The U.S. Postal Service is canceling its mail contract with a California-based trucking company with a history of safety violations and drivers who were involved in two fatal crashes in the past two years.

Inside this edition: Money can’t fix a people problem; FMCSA announces new oversight plan; and Forward Air adds to its family.

Seat Belt Usage Awareness

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has shuttered two related Texas carriers for numerous violations.

A former Department of Transportation employee in South Texas has been charged with bribery and extortion against a local trucking company.

El jurado considera que Lower Huron Chemical & Supply Co. no cumplió con las normas del DOT en el incidente de 2018

A Michigan jury has awarded $7.7 million to a man who was seriously injured in 2018 when the wheel came loose from a box truck heading in the opposite direction, jumped the median and crashed into the front of his vehicle.

Each year carriers must pay their Unified Carrier Registration fees, and failure to do so could result in significant penalties, including suspension of vehicle registrations.

Lone Star Dedicated of Haslet, Texas, will be closing its doors in October with nearly 90 company drivers losing their jobs hauling refrigerated food nationwide.