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Diesel Prices Reach 10-Month High Amid Global Supply Constraints Diesel prices across the United States have climbed to their highest levels in 10 months. This surge follows a sharp 20-cent-per-gallon increase recorded this week. Professional drivers navigating the nation’s highways are now facing elevated fuel costs that directly impact operating budgets. These prices reflect broader…

Traffic Camera Captures Four-Wheeler Collision with Flatbed Truck During Left Turn on Mississippi Highway 302 A recent collision between a flatbed semi truck and an oncoming passenger car, captured on a Mississippi traffic camera, highlights the challenges professional drivers face when executing left turns in shared traffic lanes. The incident occurred on Mississippi Highway 302….

Fuel Shock, Middle East Turmoil Push Global Freight Rates Higher Freight markets have entered the second quarter with stable cargo volumes but increasing costs, driven by rising fuel surcharges and geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East. These factors are reshaping pricing dynamics across ocean and air freight sectors. During Flexport’s Freight Market Update webinar on…

Fuel Costs and Middle East Disruptions Drive Higher Global Freight Rates Freight markets worldwide are heading into the second quarter with stable cargo volumes but escalating costs, primarily driven by surging fuel prices and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. These factors are creating a clear separation between demand levels and pricing trends, as outlined…

### Louisiana Court Upholds Broker’s Win in Auto Shop Dispute Louisiana’s Second Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed a district court ruling on April 8, 2026, awarding Victus 1, Inc., doing business as Benchmark Business Brokers, a victory over Bradshaw’s Body Shop, Inc., aka Bradshaw’s Auto Body. The decision stems from a contract dispute where the…

### Texas Court Dumps $28M Fraud Suit Against Indiana Trailer Maker Texas Business Court dismissed a blockbuster $28 million fraud lawsuit by Daimler Truck Financial Services against Vanguard National Trailer Corp. on Wednesday, ruling the Indiana company has no legal ties to the Lone Star State. The decision hinges on a lack of “personal jurisdiction,”…

Oil Prices Poised to Test Wartime Peaks if Strait of Hormuz Recovery Delays to July A Middle East war has led to the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, trapping hundreds of vessels in a region that handles about one-third of global oil production. Despite a temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States,…

Spike in Fuel Prices Contributes to Sharply Higher Inflation Rate The U.S. Labor Department reported on April 10 that consumer prices rose 3.3 percent in March compared to the previous year. This annual increase marks a notable uptick in inflation pressures affecting households and businesses nationwide. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.9 percent in…

Montana Ranks Second in States with Highest Foul Weather Fatal Crash Rates Montana drivers face elevated risks from foul weather crashes, ranking second among U.S. states with a rate of 7.0 fatal crashes per some measured unit. Wyoming leads the list at 7.7, followed by North Dakota at 5.7, Mississippi and South Dakota both at…

Traffic Camera Captures Four-Wheeler Collision with Flatbed Truck During Left Turn on Mississippi Highway 302 A collision between a flatbed semi truck and an oncoming passenger car, referred to as a four-wheeler, was recorded by a traffic camera on Mississippi Highway 302. The incident highlights the challenges professional drivers face when executing left turns in…

Truck Drivers Honored as 2024 TCA Highway Angels of the Year The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has recognized three professional truck drivers as Highway Angels of the Year for 2024. These awards highlight acts of exemplary courtesy and courage performed on North America’s roadways. Dawna Jacobsen and Anthony Blunnie were among the recipients featured on…

Daimler Truck North America Q1 Unit Sales Drop 25% Amid Weak Demand Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) recorded sales of 29,432 trucks and buses in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 25% decline from the prior year’s period. This sharp drop in North American deliveries weighed heavily on the parent company’s global performance. Globally,…

Stolen Freight Recovered: $1 Million Lego Cargo and Trailers Returned to Owners In Kern County, California, deputies successfully recovered approximately $1 million worth of stolen Lego products along with two freight trailers, arresting three individuals in the process. The operation prevented the cargo from being broken down or distributed further into illicit networks. The recovery…

Garmin OTR Series Navigators Deliver Advanced Features for Truck Drivers Garmin’s OTR series of high-resolution GPS truck navigators offers tools tailored for professional drivers. These devices include satellite imagery to support precise arrival planning at destinations. Additionally, they incorporate new community-based guidance, helping drivers stay informed on their routes. The OTR series stands out for…

Montana Leads States in Weather-Related Fatal Crash Rates New data reveals Montana tops the list of states for weather-related fatal crashes per capita, with a rate of 7.11 crashes per 100,000 residents. This figure is nearly three times the national average of 2.53. The ranking places Montana second overall in raw rates at 7.0, just…

Carriers Prepare for Motus: FMCSA’s New USDOT Registration System The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched Motus, its new USDOT Registration System, targeting transportation service providers that support motor carriers and other entities with FMCSA registrations. This includes blanket companies handling BOC-3 filings and financial responsibility filers such as insurance and surety companies….

Hey Bubba AI Gains Traction Among Carriers Amid Booking Challenges One year ago, Hey Bubba AI launched with a promise to simplify load booking and hauling processes for brokers and drivers. The tool positions itself as an artificial intelligence dispatcher designed to assist owner-operators and small fleets who handle their own load searches. Recent updates…

Ex-First Brands Officer Denies Knowledge of Alleged Fraud A former chief strategy officer at First Brands Group has stated he was unaware of any fraudulent activity prior to the suspension of payments to the company. This comes amid ongoing developments involving allegations of fraud, dishonesty, or criminal behavior at the automotive parts supplier. Patrick James,…

SONAR Expands Coverage Guide with Enhanced Scoring, Richer API Data, and Direct Load Integration CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — April 8, 2026 — SONAR has announced three key updates to its Coverage Guide tool, a resource designed to assist carrier sales teams in load prioritization and coverage strategy. These enhancements provide deeper lane intelligence, expanded API capabilities,…

Average Diesel Prices Approach 2022 Record Highs U.S. diesel prices have surged past $5 per gallon, reaching levels not seen since December 2022. As of April 10, the national average stood at $5.68 per gallon, a sharp increase from $4.78 a week earlier and $3.62 a year prior. This marks a significant escalation for professional…

Baltimore City Council Considers Limiting Commercial Vehicle Parking to One Hour in Neighborhoods Baltimore, Maryland’s City Council is reviewing an ordinance that would restrict commercial vehicles from parking on city streets in neighborhoods to no more than one hour. The proposal targets parking in front of or next to homes, focusing on residential areas where…

Two Boxes Raises $3.2 Million to Expand AI-Powered Returns Platform for Retailers and 3PLs Two Boxes, a provider of AI-driven returns processing technology, has secured $3.2 million in funding to scale its platform. The round, led by Assembly Ventures, includes participation from existing investors Peterson Ventures and Matchstick Ventures. This capital infusion comes as e-commerce…

Canadian KitKat Maker Bolsters Security After Theft of 12 Tons of Formula 1-Branded Candy A major theft of 12 tons of KitKat bars, valued at approximately $400,000, has prompted KitKat Canada to implement additional security measures at its facilities. The incident, which occurred in March, involved thousands of bars taken in a single heist. These…

Palmetto Railways Reactivates South Carolina Rail Route Dormant Since 2012 A short line rail route in southern South Carolina, inactive for more than a dozen years, is preparing for its first train traffic since 2012. Palmetto Railways, a state-owned and operated short line, has begun crew training on its 40-mile Salkehatchie Subdivision. The Salkehatchie Subdivision…

Tiny Shipping ETF Tracks Iran Conflict Volatility in Tanker Rates The Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET), a small exchange-traded fund valued at US$65 million, has become a real-time indicator of tensions in the Iran conflict. Professional drivers hauling energy products or monitoring global freight markets may find its movements relevant, as they reflect shifts in…

FMCSA Proposes UCR Fee Increases for 2025 and 2027; Volvo Recalls VNL Trucks Over Parking Brake Concerns The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is advancing proposals for significant increases in Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) fees, affecting professional drivers and carriers registering for upcoming years. Separately, Volvo Trucks North America has issued recalls for certain…

California Drayage Carrier Enters Bankruptcy Amid Rising Costs and Creditor Claims A small drayage carrier operating near West Coast ports has filed for bankruptcy restructuring due to mounting fixed costs and creditor claims. This move allows the company to reorganize its finances under court supervision while continuing limited operations. Drayage carriers like this one handle…

SONAR Launches Bulk Trucking Contract Rate Benchmarks via API CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — On April 8, 2026, SONAR announced the launch of Bulk Rates within its SONAR API. This new feature provides the first standardized contract rate benchmarks for bulk trucking, a freight segment that has long lacked accessible, data-backed pricing information. Bulk trucking involves the…

Oil Prices Surge Toward Wartime Highs Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade Professional drivers hauling freight across the United States are closely monitoring developments in the Strait of Hormuz, where ongoing disruptions have driven US crude oil prices above $114 per barrel. The strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, remains largely blocked, pushing refined…

FMCSA Advances Truck Parking Survey as Fleet Owner and Broker Face Guilty Verdicts in Fake-Invoicing Scheme The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is moving forward with a proposed survey to address the ongoing truck parking shortage, while a fleet owner and broker have been sentenced for their roles in a fake-invoicing fraud scheme. These…

Monkey Business: Small Fleet Faces Repeated USDA Violations for Lab Animal Transport JKL Secure Freight, a small trucking operation, has drawn scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and an animal-rights organization for its handling of monkeys destined for scientific research. The carrier has received multiple violations related to the transport of these lab…

Trucking Employment Falls to Multi-Year Lows Amid Rising Freight Rates Recent data indicates that trucking jobs have declined to levels not seen in years, even as freight rates continue to climb. This disconnect between job availability and improving market conditions raises questions for professional drivers navigating the industry in 2026. Employment figures in the trucking…

Truckstop.com Acquires Wize Load to Enhance Heavy Haul Rate Tools Truckstop.com, a Boise, Idaho-based freight technology company, announced on Tuesday the acquisition of Wize Load, a provider of heavy haul rate intelligence tools. The deal integrates specialized pricing data into Truckstop’s platform, supporting its expansion into loads that demand more planning than standard truckload shipments….

Amazon Explores Selling In-House Chips to External Companies Amid AWS Growth A recent financial disclosure from Amazon provides new details on the company’s internal semiconductor operations, highlighting its production of general-purpose computing chips and AI accelerators. According to a report by CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos, Amazon Web Services (AWS) posted strong results, with CEO Andy Jassy…

FMCSA Advances Truck Driver Survey on Parking Challenges The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a notice advancing plans for a national survey of truck drivers on their experiences finding parking spaces. The study targets approximately 1,000 responses from drivers across various sectors to estimate the monetary benefits of expanding truck parking capacity….

Hey Bubba: An AI Dispatcher Designed for Truckers In the competitive world of owner-operator trucking, securing reliable loads remains a persistent challenge. Scammers, spammers, and dishonest brokers often complicate the process, making it difficult for independent drivers to book freight efficiently. Addressing this issue head-on, Hey Bubba introduces an artificial intelligence-powered dispatcher tailored specifically for…

Driver Poll Reveals Top Expectations for Recruiter Calls in First Two Minutes A recent poll of truck drivers highlights key preferences for initial recruiter phone calls about job opportunities. The survey asked: “When a recruiter calls you about a job, what do you most want them to do in the first two minutes of the…

### Trucking Firm Wins Zoning Battle Against Township Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court sided with D&M Weston Trucking, overturning a local zoning board’s denial of their expansion plans. The court ruled that Hanover Township’s Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) abused its discretion by rejecting the trucking company’s bid to use its property for truck storage and operations. This…

### Louisiana Appeals Court Backs Business Brokers in Body Shop Dispute Louisiana’s Second Circuit Court of Appeal upheld a district court ruling on April 8, 2026, awarding Victus 1, Inc., doing business as Benchmark Business Brokers, a victory over Bradshaw’s Body Shop, Inc. The decision affirms the lower court’s judgment in favor of the brokers…

### $28M Trucking Finance Feud Hits Texas Court Daimler Truck Financial Services USA has sued Vanguard National Trailer Corp. in Texas Business Court over a whopping $28 million dispute, filing in June and now pushing a motion to dismiss counterclaims. The case, filed April 8, 2026, pits a major truck financier against a trailer giant…

APM Terminals Completes $73 Million Rail Expansion at Port of Los Angeles APM Terminals has completed a $73 million rail expansion project at its Pier 400 terminal in the Port of Los Angeles, effectively doubling the on-dock rail capacity at this key hub. The Port of Los Angeles handles more container cargo than any other…

Texas Troopers Place 85% of Inspected Trucks Out of Service in Tarrant County Enforcement Detail Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) inspectors conducted a one-day commercial vehicle enforcement detail along US-287 in Tarrant County, resulting in 85% of inspected trucks being placed out of service. The operation, announced by TXDPS North Texas Region on April…

FMCSA to Launch New Motus Registration System: Preparation Essential for Drivers The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to introduce a new registration system named Motus. This update aims to streamline processes for motor carriers and drivers. Land Line Media, a key resource for independent truckers, has published detailed guidance to help drivers prepare…

Truckload Carrier Earnings: Will Q1 Mark the End of Struggles? Truckload carriers face their first-quarter earnings reports amid signs that ongoing challenges may be easing. Supply in the truckload sector has contracted significantly, while demand shows signs of recovery after more than three years of decline. These shifts offer potential relief for drivers and operators…