News

Cross-border truck traffic between the United States, Canada and Mexico showed mixed results in July, with U.S.-bound Mexican crossings nearly unchanged and southbound Canadian entries falling to their lowest July level in 15 years. The decline comes as escalating tariffs threaten to further disrupt freight flows and equipment utilization across North America. Canadian truck crossings…

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is offering new and renewing members one year of membership for $25 as part of an appreciation promotion for truckers across North America. Discounted OOIDA Membership The promotional rate represents a $20 savings from OOIDA’s regular membership price and is available throughout the month. The association represents owner-operators and independent…

Alabama governor applauds federal efforts to clean up trucking Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is praising a new federal initiative aimed at addressing fraud, illegal operations and safety violations in the commercial trucking industry while pointing to enforcement measures already underway in the state. Alabama’s efforts center on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Motor Carrier Safety…

Northeast port begins $3.2 million upgrade at Maine’s International Marine Terminal Construction is underway at the International Marine Terminal in Portland, Maine, where a $3.2 million project will modernize the facility’s container yard, refrigerated-container storage and terminal access systems. The Maine Port Authority is advancing the project through the federal Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development…

200,000 Railcars Face Retirement — What Comes Next? Roughly 200,000 railcars across North America are approaching the end of their service lives, creating a major replacement challenge for the rail industry over the next several years. Charley Moore, chief commercial officer at TrinityRail, said the retirement cycle is developing at a time when railcar leasing…

Two Brooklyn men have been sentenced to prison after admitting they helped orchestrate staged crashes on New York City highways as part of an insurance fraud scheme. The investigation, which was aided by a viral dashcam video, identified three collisions allegedly used to generate fraudulent insurance payouts totaling more than $80,000. Prison Sentences Follow Guilty…

Pilot’s 2026 Road Warrior Contest Offers $50,000 and Customized Kenworth W990 Pilot has opened nominations for its 2026 Road Warrior contest, an annual program recognizing professional drivers for their safety, professionalism and service. The winner will receive a customized Kenworth W990 transformed by the Diesel Brothers, along with a $50,000 cash prize. The contest is…

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has renewed an exemption allowing Landair Transport LLC, doing business as Covenant Logistics, to operate certain commercial motor vehicles without a qualified CDL holder seated in the front passenger seat during specified training situations. Exemption applies after skills test FMCSA’s final decision renews Covenant Logistics’ exemption from the federal…

78-year-old trucker found dead at Mississippi rest area hours after dying outside his rig A 78-year-old truck driver was found dead outside his tractor-trailer at a rest area along Interstate 55 in Copiah County, Mississippi, on September 3. According to Magnolia State Live, a passerby spotted the driver lying on the ground beside the passenger…

Congress has approved a short-term extension of federal highway authorities, giving lawmakers additional time to negotiate a longer-term surface transportation bill before the current authorization expires Sept. 30. Extension avoids immediate lapse The House approved the measure by a 370-48 vote after returning from its August recess. The legislation extends existing transportation authorities and provides…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to narrow its authority over fuel-efficiency standards for standalone medium- and heavy-duty truck engines, reversing the agency’s prior interpretation of its regulatory power. Existing commercial vehicle fuel-efficiency standards remain in place while NHTSA develops a final rule. NHTSA Reconsiders Engine-Only Authority NHTSA said it has reconsidered whether…

Arizona voters will decide whether the state’s policies on speed cameras and mileage-based taxes should change, potentially affecting how motorists are monitored and how transportation revenue is collected. Speed-camera rules on the ballot One of the measures would address the use of automated speed-enforcement cameras in Arizona. The technology is designed to identify vehicles traveling…

Arizona voters to decide future of speed cameras and mileage taxes Arizona voters will face two transportation-related questions this fall that could affect how traffic laws are enforced and how road use is funded. Proposition 319 would require voter approval for local photo-enforcement programs, including red-light and speed cameras. Proposition 141 would amend the state…

Texas, Pennsylvania lead states in CDL school shutdowns Texas and Pennsylvania had the largest number of brick-and-mortar commercial driver training schools affected by the Department of Transportation’s emergency enforcement action announced Monday. Each state had 13 physical-location schools identified in the agency’s state-by-state breakdown. California followed with 11 affected schools, while Florida had 10 and…

August LMI: Capacity at 40 as Transportation Prices Surge The August Logistics Managers’ Index shows a freight market moving in opposite directions. Transportation capacity remains deep in contraction, with an index reading of 40, while transportation prices climbed to 90. For drivers and carriers, the figures point to a market where demand for available trucks…

Oregon transportation officials are warning drivers to prepare for an estimated five-week closure of all southbound Interstate 5 lanes through Portland’s Rose Quarter beginning Friday, Sept. 11. The closure is expected to create significant congestion on I-5 and surrounding streets. Closure will affect key Portland connections The closure will extend for approximately two miles between…

Oil prices continue to climb as violence flares in Iran war Brent crude prices have moved sharply higher as the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran continues, adding another cost concern for the trucking industry. Brent, the international oil benchmark, has traded above $100 a barrel in recent sessions after beginning the conflict…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to narrow its authority over fuel-efficiency standards for standalone medium- and heavy-duty truck engines, reversing an Obama-era policy that extended federal oversight beyond complete vehicles. The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association welcomed the review, while existing fuel-efficiency requirements remain in place during the rulemaking process. NHTSA Reconsiders…

Used truck sales rise 10.6% as freight and equipment markets show signs of improvement Used truck sales increased in July, according to ACT Research, providing another indication that activity in the commercial vehicle market is beginning to strengthen. ACT reported sales of 26,100 used trucks in July, up 10.6% from 23,600 units during the same…

Backers of Colorado’s Restore Our Roads coalition have agreed to withdraw Initiative 175 from the 2026 ballot after reaching a tentative funding agreement with Attorney General Phil Weiser and Democratic lawmakers. The framework would direct as much as $120 million toward road repairs without using the state General Fund. Ballot Measure to Be Withdrawn Initiative…

Thieves stole more than 1,500 cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon and non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee beer in two separate thefts from the same distribution center in Montclair, California, prompting Pabst Brewing Co. to offer a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the recovery of the cargo. Two thefts reported at Montclair warehouse Montclair…

Arizona voters are expected to decide whether the state continues using automated speed enforcement and whether mileage-based taxes become part of its transportation funding system. The proposals could affect how roadway activity is monitored and how drivers are charged for using public highways. Automated enforcement could go before voters The proposed changes would place the…

Hundreds of new truck parking spaces coming to I-70 in Missouri A $33 million Missouri project will add hundreds of truck parking spaces along Interstate 70, giving drivers more room to stop on one of the state’s busiest freight corridors. The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Improve I-70: Truck Parking project will expand and modernize rest…

Rail Freight Forecast: Coal Volumes Set for a Modest Q4 Uptick Coal remains in a long-term decline as a U.S. rail commodity, but recent data and a new forecast point to a limited rebound in shipments later this year. Telegraph’s Freight Market Intelligence group is projecting less than 1% year-over-year growth in national coal carloads…

$10.75 million in suspected methamphetamine found in leek shipment at Texas border bridge U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 395 packages of suspected methamphetamine from a tractor-trailer arriving in Texas from Mexico, according to the agency. The commercial vehicle entered the United States through the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility after traveling from Reynosa,…

FMCSA Broker Transparency Proposal Moves to White House Review The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent its supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking on broker transparency to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review, advancing a proposal that has faced multiple delays. Proposal Enters Final Internal Review FMCSA submitted the rulemaking to…

Upcoming long Labor Day weekend prime time for cargo thieves The upcoming Labor Day weekend may offer a break for many truck drivers, but the extended holiday period also creates added cargo-security concerns. Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 7, and changes to receiving hours could leave trailers waiting for delivery or sitting unattended for…

Backers of Colorado’s Restore Our Roads campaign plan to withdraw Initiative 175 from the state’s 2026 ballot after reaching a funding agreement with state leaders that would direct additional money to road and bridge repairs. Ballot measure to be withdrawn Initiative 175 was a proposed constitutional amendment that would have required Colorado to dedicate substantially…

Feds arrest two, seize firearms and big rig during raid at Arizona trucking school Federal authorities arrested two Mexican nationals and seized multiple firearms and a tractor-trailer during a search at a truck driving school in Nogales, Arizona, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations executed a federal search warrant…

NHTSA Moves to Narrow Authority Over Standalone Truck Engine Efficiency Rules The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to limit its authority to regulate the fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty truck engines separately from the vehicles in which they are installed. The agency’s interpretive rule reverses an Obama-era policy and leaves current commercial…

Thieves stole two truckloads of Pabst Blue Ribbon and non-alcoholic Old Milwaukee beer from a Southern California distribution warehouse in two separate incidents on the same day, according to police. The stolen beer was valued at approximately $70,000. More Than 1,500 Cases Stolen About 34,000 cans of beer—more than 1,500 cases—were taken from the warehouse…

The Missouri Department of Transportation has begun a $33 million project to expand and modernize truck parking along Interstate 70, adding 255 spaces at public rest areas and improving existing facilities. Project to expand I-70 truck parking MoDOT began construction Wednesday on its “Improve I-70: Truck Parking” project. The work is intended to increase parking…

DHS sweeps 200 CDL schools as DMV employees, motor carriers targeted over unqualified drivers Federal authorities have launched a broad investigation into commercial driver’s license fraud, targeting CDL training schools, third-party skills testers, motor carriers, employers and suspected corruption within state motor vehicle agencies. The effort brings together the Department of Homeland Security, the Department…

Inside Grupo México’s Railroad Security Operation Taking On Cargo Theft Grupo México Transportes is expanding its Gulf of Mexico rail ferry operation while using a technology-focused security strategy to protect freight moving across its network. The Mexican railroad has ordered two additional rail ferries, each capable of carrying 150 railcars. The vessels will support the…

North America must ‘join forces’ to compete as global trade fragments, expert says SAN ANTONIO — North America’s ability to compete with China and other global economic powers will depend increasingly on closer regional integration, infrastructure investment and workforce development, economic and city leaders said at the 2026 North American Development Bank Summit. Agustín Carstens,…

# Court Backs Metra Access to Union Pacific Tracks The Eighth Circuit upheld a Surface Transportation Board order allowing Chicago-area commuter railroad Metra to obtain terminal trackage rights over Union Pacific lines. The court agreed the Board could find that UP’s inadequate service justified granting access in the public interest. The dispute grew out of…

California cops help Walmart driver celebrate reaching 4 million miles A Walmart fleet driver was honored in northern California after reaching a rare safety milestone: 4 million miles of accident-free driving. Members of the California Highway Patrol’s Cottonwood Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility recently recognized Walmart Transportation driver Paul Mitchell for the accomplishment. The celebration took…

# $12 Million Trucking Deal Lands in Federal Court A dispute over the purchase of a trucking company has reached the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The available opinion excerpt identifies the parties and transaction but does not include the appellate court’s final ruling or reasoning. The case began with a May…

Refiners granted highest level of biofuel waivers since 2017 The Environmental Protection Agency has granted small refinery exemptions covering 1.76 billion Renewable Identification Numbers for the 2025 compliance year, marking the highest volume of exemptions since 2017. The decision affects the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires refiners and other obligated parties to blend specified…

USDOT to reverse fuel economy standards for heavy-duty commercial vehicle engine makers The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to narrow its authority over fuel economy requirements for standalone medium- and heavy-duty truck engines. On Aug. 28, 2026, NHTSA announced a new interpretive rule that would reverse an Obama-era policy…

Rail Freight Forecast: Coal Volumes Could Rise in Q4 A new freight outlook calls for a possible increase in North American coal volumes during the fourth quarter, with export demand identified as the primary factor. FreightWaves expert Dr. David Correll shared the forecast in connection with Telegraph’s latest Market Consist Report. The outlook covers the…

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with a proposed increase in Unified Carrier Registration fees despite opposition from truckers. The recommended changes would raise fees by an average of 20%, with the actual increase varying by entity and applicable fee category. UCR Board Recommended Fee Increase The UCR Board of Directors recommended…

Mississippi is preparing to launch the I-20/I-55 Freight Corridors Improvement Project, a major construction effort that will repair dozens of bridges and improve more than 30 miles of interstate in the Jackson area. The project, known as “The Big Fix,” is expected to create its most significant traffic impacts after 2026. Project to Repair Bridges…

Florida officials have arrested three Miami-Dade County employees in an alleged scheme to obtain commercial driver’s licenses after investigators determined that two of the employees had failed a required CDL test. Three Miami-Dade Employees Arrested Miami-Dade County officials announced Tuesday, Aug. 25, that Matthew Howard Jr., Keith Garrod Jones and Vanessa Erika Roberts had been…

Automated traffic and license plate cameras are expanding across the United States, prompting renewed debate over road safety, law enforcement access and driver privacy. While speed and red-light cameras are generally intended to identify traffic violations, automatic license plate readers can create searchable records of where vehicles have traveled. Texas Funds Expansion of License Plate…