Diesel Thieves Busted as Railroad HOS Relief Gets Extended

Thieves caught siphoning diesel from trucks’ tanks as railroad HOS relief is extended

Suspected fuel thieves were arrested in Southern California after investigators linked them to a series of diesel thefts from parked commercial trucks. At the same time, federal regulators extended and modified an hours-of-service exemption for certain railroad-related motor carriers, while new data showed truck tonnage improved in September after two consecutive monthly declines.

Four arrested in Southern California diesel theft investigation

Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded Sept. 18 to Tri County Transportation, a commercial truck and trailer storage yard in the unincorporated area of Oxnard, California, after a driver reported that approximately 70 gallons of diesel had been siphoned from a truck.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and saw a vehicle scouting the storage yard and inspecting parked trucks. Minutes later, a large white Ford Econoline-style van arrived. Suspects exited the van and used equipment to remove fuel from one of the trucks.

Investigators initially were unable to identify the vehicles. The sheriff’s office said its Flock Automated License Plate Reader system later helped identify both vehicles and connect them to other diesel thefts in Ventura County.

Working with the Sheriff’s Office Crime Analysis Unit, detectives identified four additional thefts in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks dating back to August. Investigators said the incidents followed a similar pattern: one vehicle acted as a lookout while a van equipped with fuel-siphoning equipment targeted parked commercial trucks.

About 315 gallons of diesel were reported stolen in those four incidents. In one case, a suspect allegedly broke a locking fuel cap. Based on the average diesel price in Ventura County, the combined loss from the incidents was approximately $3,330, according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators identified the suspects in the lookout vehicle as Alfonso Vargas, 52, and Alfonso Vargas Jr., 33. Gilbert Flores, 37, and Miguel Cruz, 38, were identified as the suspects operating the van and siphoning fuel. All four are from the Los Angeles area, and the sheriff’s office said they have extensive criminal histories.

The investigation continued Oct. 13, when detectives and the West County Special Enforcement Unit received information that the suspects were again scouting locations in Thousand Oaks. Investigators observed the driver of a GMC Sierra allegedly acting as a lookout while suspects in the Ford van siphoned diesel from a Freightliner parked in a business parking lot.

After the theft, detectives followed the vehicles and coordinated traffic stops at separate locations. All four suspects were detained. Investigators found two 1,200-gallon fuel tanks and pumping equipment inside the van, according to the sheriff’s office.

The owner of the Freightliner confirmed the theft observed by detectives. The four suspects were arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime and theft. Additional charges were pending.

For drivers and fleets, fuel theft can mean more than the cost of the diesel itself. A truck that runs short of fuel can be delayed, taken out of service or left unable to complete a scheduled trip. The sheriff’s office said the thefts created financial losses and operational disruptions for drivers who depend on their trucks to earn a living.

FMCSA extends railroad-related HOS exemption through 2030

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also announced a renewed and modified hours-of-service exemption for the Association of American Railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and eligible member railroads.

The exemption allows covered drivers to respond to certain unplanned events that occur outside or beyond their normal work hours. Under specified circumstances, eligible drivers may operate without following the 14-hour rule and the 60- or 70-hour weekly limits. The renewed exemption is effective through Oct. 18, 2030.

FMCSA limited the categories of unplanned events covered by the exemption and added reporting requirements. The exemption applies only to drivers working for motor carriers listed in the agency’s appendix. Of 257 motor carriers submitted during the renewal process, 26 had inactive USDOT numbers. FMCSA listed 231 carriers as eligible.

The agency said the exemption is intended to help railroads clear blocked tracks and rights-of-way and restore service more quickly after urgent disruptions. Eligible drivers may travel to the event within a limited distance of their normal reporting location. Once they arrive, all working time must be recorded as on-duty, not driving time. Drivers must return to normal HOS compliance when rail operations are restored and they begin the trip back.

Under the modified terms, qualifying unplanned events are limited to incidents affecting the main track. FMCSA said the change more closely aligns the exemption with emergency provisions governing train employees under Federal Railroad Administration rules.

Truck tonnage rises in September

U.S. trucking activity increased in September after declines in July and August, according to the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.

The index rose 0.8% from August, reaching 114 compared with 113.1 the previous month. September’s reading was unchanged from September 2025, an improvement from the 1.3% year-over-year decline recorded in August.

For the first nine months of the year, tonnage was up 0.9% compared with the same period in 2025. The year-to-date gain was supported by strong year-over-year increases from February through April.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the third quarter still finished below both the previous quarter and the same quarter a year earlier because of weakness in July and August. He also noted that trucking capacity continues to contract, which is producing a better market for motor carriers even as freight volumes remain soft.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which measures raw changes in tonnage hauled, fell 1.4% from August to 114.8 in September. The August reading was 116.4.