Fleet Owner - February 2025

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16 Regulatory roadmap

The trucking regulatory environment faces consequential shifts after President Trump and Republicans regained control of Washington. Here’s our annual look at what federal changes could impact fleets in 2025.

24 Top For-Hire Fleets of 2025

More than 50 new for-hire trucking companies join this year’s FleetOwner 500, our annual ranking of the largest companies moving goods in the U.S.

50 Driver onboarding

How well do you really know the drivers you’re about to hire and send out into the world in a truck with your name all over it? It’s amazing what a thorough pre-hire driving evaluation can reveal.

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What can Trump do about environmental regs? Donald Trump’s second administration is off to a fast start, laying the groundwork to chip away at the Biden administration environmental policies that have rankled trucking industry leaders who believe that zero-emission vehicle technology is not ready to replace the trucks that move most U.S. freight. ACT Research and FleetOwner discuss the future at FleetOwner.com/MarketPulse.

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February 2025

Market Leader

Commercial Vehicle Group

Dyanna Hurley dhurley@endeavorb2b.com

Editorial Director

Kevin Jones kevin@fleetowner.com @KevinJonesTBB

Editor in Chief

Josh Fisher josh@fleetowner.com @TrucksAtWork

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Jade Brasher jade@fleetowner.com

Editor Jeremy Wolfe jeremy@fleetowner.com

Digital Editor Jenna Hume jenna@fleetowner.com

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[ Lane Shift Ahead ]

What’s on your 2030 roadmap?

If there’s any time in trucking to have a five-year plan, it’s 2025.

By Josh Fisher Editor in Chief

@TrucksAtWork

AVs, EVs, TaaS, and other futuristic solutions are maturing. How you navigate the business shifts could define your operations.

NO MATTER WHO is president this year or five years now, trucking is changing as zero-emission technology matures and autonomous trucking grows. While President Trump has started his new term with tariff threats and anti-EV rhetoric, the U.S. still needs trucks more than anything else to fuel the economy. The business models around how trucks are sold, operated, and powered is evolving.

“A lot of the newer profits will start to come from newer sources of revenue for the OEMs and the broader ecosystem,” according to Prasad Ganorkar, a partner with McKinsey & Company. The management consulting company briefed industry media on the CV market at the Fosgard House of Journalists in Las Vegas last month.

New OEM and TaaS opportunities

While Trump 2.0 has halted or cut his predecessor’s public charging infrastructure funding and various EV incentives and decarbonization pushes, the trucking industry’s biggest OEMs continue investing in decarbonization, creating new profit opportunities.

As Ganorkar pointed out, truck makers don’t directly distribute the diesel that powers today’s trucks. But OEMs are building charging infrastructure and battery factories.

Elon Musk’s Tesla rose to lead the consumer EV market with a similar strategy last decade.

“As you transition to electricity, the OEMs start to also think about what part of that value chain you can play,” Ganorkar explained. “How can they contribute to electric charging? How can they contribute to hydrogen retailing? That allows a different set of revenue as well as profit pools.”

As zero-emission trucks become more prevalent (OEMs have invested billions of dollars in decarbonization since the start of Trump’s first term), McKinsey believes that truck makers will offer more solutions to capture profits beyond just truck sales.

As trucks become more complex with

advanced electronics and software, fleets could become more interested in truck-as-aservice business models where providers handle vehicle maintenance and lifecycle management, allowing fleets to focus on the rest.

AVs could surpass EVs

While EVs still can’t replicate what diesel-powered trucks can do for the economy, AVs could really shake things up.

McKinsey analysts expect autonomous hub-to-hub trucking to be “TCO positive after 2030.” Already this year, Kodiak Robotics sold its first Class 8 RoboTrucks to operate (on private roadways) without humans. Competitor Torc Robotics plans to go commercial with Freightliner in 2027, and Aurora is rolling out with Volvo Autonomous Solutions and other partners.

While the AV industry continues building its business case, more fleet leaders are interested in its potential, according to McKinsey.

“In our survey, we see a lot of customer willingness to look at Level 4 autonomy,” Ganorkar said. “They really want to think about that as an option. Obviously, with all the driver shortages and issues with training drivers, this becomes a real big enabler for fleets in terms of their profitability.”

A human-driven, diesel-powered tractor-trailer is still the most efficient way to move goods. But that doesn’t mean it will be forever.

“As we think about these transitions, we do expect a bit of a reconfiguration in terms of how the industry approaches it,” Ganorkar said. “Today, it’s been more about OEMs thinking about selling a truck and then the fleets trying to bring in all the ancillary services together. Increasingly, we expect to see a shift toward a much more holistic, integrated ecosystem of partners coming together.”

The fleets that best adapt to these transportation transitions are laying the groundwork for 2030 and beyond. FO

Peterbilt promotes Montero to GM

Jake Montero was named Peterbilt GM and Paccar VP, the OEM announced. Montero replaces Jason Skoog, who was Peterbilt’ leader since 2018.

Montero has been with Paccar, Peterbilt’s parent company, for 19 years; the last two have been spent as Peterbilt assistant GM of sales and marketing. “I am excited to lead Peterbilt during this pivotal time in the trucking industry with increased opportunities to leverage advanced technology and innovation to deliver first-class vehicle solutions to our customers,” he said.

Montero has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Washington State University and a master of business administration degree from Seattle University. He also completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University in 2024.

Peterbilt also elevated Erik Johnson to replace Montero as assistant GM of sales and marketing. Johnson has been with Paccar for 19 years, most recently as Peterbilt’s Denton manufacturing facility plant manager. Johnson has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington.

FedEx spin-off could redraw LTL market

The less-than-truckload freight market would be impacted if FedEx executives successfully turn FedEx Freight into its own company, analysts warned in January. The largest commercial fleet in the U.S. has about 30,000 power units dedicated to more than 90,000 daily shipments, just a fraction of its more than 150,000 trucks that move parcels and other goods.

Speaking on his team’s 2025 outlook webinar, Stifel analyst Bruce Chan said he has come to reframe some of his thinking about how a stand-alone FedEx Freight would act. A key point to consider, Chan said, is that Tom

Connolly, VP of LTL sales, plans to hire more than 300 people.

Chan noted that figure is between five and six times the number of dedicated LTL salespeople FedEx now has. It could signal, he added, that FedEx Freight would compete on price more aggressively than it has historically and that growth would be a central part of the story its leaders would tell investors as a stand-alone company.

“That’s got to mean something in terms of market-share grab,” Chan said of the hiring plan. “That’s a risk people need to be cognizant about” when investing in or evaluating other LTL carriers.

Chan said the Stifel team thinks a freight market turn in 2025 will be gradual and driven by a decline in capacity rather than the demanddriven recoveries. Because of that, volumes will likely remain “flattish” for a while in several parts of the trucking sector, and rates are unlikely to strengthen quickly in the months ahead. A FedEx looking to build market share would contribute to that.

Kodiak delivers first RoboTrucks

After successfully moving 100 loads of frac sand in driverless Kodiak Robotics trucks on West Texas desert roads, Atlas Energy Solutions now owns two Kodiak RoboTrucks, marking an autonomous trucking milestone. The energy company plans to add more RoboTrucks in 2025 as it scales up autonomous operations in the Permian Basin. According to Kodiak leaders, this opens up a new era for autonomous trucking that will lead to on-highway RoboTrucks.

Atlas is the first company to add two Kodiak Robotics-powered RoboTrucks to its commercial fleet. The Class 8 tractor-trailers have operated without drivers on private roads spanning the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico since late last year, the two companies announced January 24.

The autonomous truck developer’s leaders said the high-tech equipment delivery makes Kodiak the first autonomous trucking company to launch heavy-duty commercial driverless operations. They said this is the first stage in its commercialization road map, which includes future over-theroad long-haul operations. Kodiak founder and CEO Don Burnette called the RoboTruck procurement and operational launch by Atlas “an incredible moment for us and for the autonomous trucking industry.”

Atlas uses its two Class 8 tractor-trailer RoboTrucks to deliver frac sand along a 42-mile private road looping through West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

J.B. Hunt sees market upswing but more costs

Lower yields and higher labor and maintenance costs in J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.’s intermodal business more than outweighed solid volume growth on both coasts and helped prompt President and CEO Shelley Simpson to tell analysts and investors her team will look to cut more costs.

J.B. Hunt executives said they continue to see the freight market behaving in more traditional ways. EVP Spencer Frazier noted that, while there’s still some excess capacity, some of J.B. Hunt’s customers have been signing up for services earlier than in recent years, suggesting the market may be turning in earnest. FO

Photo: Kodiak Robotics

Volvo: Transportation and logistics are critical to modern and future worlds

by Josh Fisher

All the innovative, cutting-edge technology displayed across Las Vegas during CES in January wouldn’t be possible without transportation and logistics—industries amid their own emerging technology moments. Volvo Group used North America’s most prominent technology show to boast about its roots and role in modern life and the future.

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“It’s great for us also to be here in the United States, where we have such a long and strong history,” Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group CEO, said during his January 8 CES keynote address at a packed Venetian ballroom on the Las Vegas strip.

Mack Trucks, a brand synonymous with American toughness, is celebrating a milestone in 2025 as its Swedish parent company is showing off how it envisions changing the world.

Building a historic global future

“Volvo Trucks has been present here for more than four decades. Another of our iconic brands, Mack Trucks, which literally built the United States, is turning 125 years old. I can tell you there will be great news coming along this year for Mack Trucks. And we are investing more than ever in the United States.”

He noted that Volvo Group, whose stateside brands include Mack, Volvo Trucks North America, and Volvo Construction Equipment, has invested “billions of dollars” in its industrial footprint and technology on the continent.

“We are one of the largest producers of trucks, buses, or construction equipment, drivetrains, propulsion systems in the world,” Lundstedt said. “And why are we here at CES?

“Because you might not think about it all that much, but transport and logistics is what makes modern life possible. We have the whole group. We are using

technology to innovate and transform the very foundation of the transportation industry. With our scale, what we do has a major impact across the globe.”

He described a transport-less world: hospitals without medicine, empty grocery stores, garbage piled outside homes. “This is how important transport and logistics is for society, for business, and for people,” Lundstedt said. “It is literally the lifeline that drives prosperity.”

With more than 70% of U.S. goods moved by truck, the global CEO said transportation binds our society, fuels the economy, and enriches the world in countless ways. “The rule is as simple as it is important: The more advanced logistics a country or a region has, the higher GDP per capita. It is a straight line,” Lundstedt said.

However, transportation has “negative side effects, such as climate impact, pollution, congestion, noise. We have improved those a lot over the last many years, but there is still a lot to continue to address the transformation to a fossil-free and safe transport system.”

Opportunities of prosperity on the road to zero

That transformation is underway. Volvo Trucks North America has sold the most over-the-road electric Class 8 trucks in

the U.S., and Mack offers refuse and medium-duty EVs. The OEM is also partnering with its rivals to solve the zero-emission challenges long-haul trucking faces. But the road to net zero, which Volvo Group wants to reach by 2040, could turn the adverse side effects into opportunities, Lundstedt said.

“It will be a bumpy road. It will take some time, but it will happen,” he said, predicting a “new level of prosperity and sustainability for real. And the companies and people that can make it happen will get rewarded.”

Volvo had a roughly 40% market share of heavy-duty EV sales in 2024. It was rst to market with its Class 8 VNR Electric truck. There are now more than 620 on North American roads, operating for 71 eets in 19 states and provinces, VTNA told FleetOwner.

While its regional BEV trucks found early successes in certain operations, the OEM has a three-path approach to decarbonization: battery-electric, fuelcell electric, and renewable internal combustion engines. Electric Volvo trucks operate in 49 countries and have racked up more than 82 million miles, according to Lars Stenqvist, Volvo Group’s chief technology of cer, during CES.

“We are on a transformation journey, and where we are going, our trucks,

Volvo Group CEO Martin Lundstedt shows o Volvo Trucks’ international lineup of battery-electric, heavy-duty trucks during his CES 2025 keynote address.

Photo: Josh Fisher I FleetOwner

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buses, and construction equipment will be 100% fossil-free—but also 100% safe and 100% more productive,” he said during the keynote address.

Stenqvist noted that Volvo Group has 15,000 engineers working on this complicated net-zero mission. But it isn’t easy. “They are key players on this journey because to decarbonize our industry, there’s no single magic solution—no silver bullet. It’s about having the right tools for the right job to be done.

“Different sectors in the transportation industry need different solutions— whether it’s construction sites in cities, transporting goods across the country, or moving people in buses,” he continued, noting that the solutions must match the various global landscapes.

Three zero-tailpipe paths to 2040

While Volvo Group believes most global regions will electrify by 2040, some will be better served by hydrogen fuel cells

or renewable-powered combustion engines. The OEM is investing in software-de ned vehicle platforms (partnering with Daimler Truck on the venture) and heavy-duty autonomous technology (partnering with Aurora with its Volvo Autonomous Solutions venture).

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Volvo’s new agship North American Class 8 vehicle, the all-new VNL that debuted in 2024, was created to platform future technologies, Peter Voorhoeve, VTNA president, said last year.

“We’ve listened to our customers here in North America, and we’ve looked at the requirements here in North America for the next coming decades, and we put all that into the truck behind us,” Voorhoeve said during the VNL’s launch. “This truck is designed to change everything.”

That change faces many challenges here in North America, as battery-electric adoption has faced more pushback than in Europe. But Lundstedt said later

in his address that he believes the American spirit and Swedish innovation are primed to build on rich legacies on both sides of the Atlantic.

“We have a fantastic heritage and history in many ways,” he emphasized. “Mack Trucks built America—from the Statue of Liberty to supporting troops during World War I and II and up to today. And across the pond, Volvo was instrumental in Swedish success—going from a rural economy to an industrial high-tech one.”

Lundstedt said the global transformation will bring new opportunities.

“Succeeding is about aligning with a long-term vision,” he continued. “It’s about utilizing innovation and technology, creating business models. It is about working together across sectors. But more than anything, it is about dedicated and passionate people coming together to completely reinvent and transform our world.” FO

Logo Design Guide Bosch: We still believe in H2’s future

While hope has waned in hydrogen as long-haul transportation’s future fuel, Bosch still sees it as a potentially emissions-free solution.

A year ago, the global Tier One supplier used the CES 2024 stage to announce it was developing an H2-powered internal combustion engine for heavy-duty trucking to complement its hydrogen fuel-cell stack.

“Hydrogen, in general, has slowed a little bit if you look at the market in total. We’re still heavily involved in hydrogen,”

Paul Thomas, who last summer took over as president of Bosch North America, said during a Q&A session with the Fosgard House of Journalists the day before CES 2025 began.

Bosch is developing H2 engine injection system components, including a new direct injector that requires no

additional lubrication.

While Bosch and other Tier One suppliers develop hydrogen power solutions, H2 still faces a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum: Public hydrogen fueling infrastructure is limited as fleets aren’t investing in H2 trucks; with few trucks to fill, fueling growth is slow.

“We’re going to keep our eye on the infrastructure,” Thomas told FleetOwner. “Of course, we all know that the new government might either go heavy into hydrogen as much as before—or not—but we’re closely tied to the [U.S. Department of Energy]. We’re happy with what we’re seeing related to the production of hydrogen in the region and usage in fuel cells. Of course, we’re still a partner with a large commercial vehicle manufacturer that makes trucks.”

Bosch also continues to supply Nikola with the hydrogen fuel cell stack for Nikola’s Class 8 FCEV. Nikola sold 88 of the trucks in the third quarter of last year. Thomas said that while Bosch will continue to develop its H2 ICE technology along with its fuel cells, like much of the industry, it is waiting to see what aspects the White House focuses on. FO

Paul Thomas Bosch, president of Bosch North America, addresses the House of Journalists during a private session at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Photo: Steve Fecht | Fosgard House of Journalists

Clarios supercapacitors boost tech

Low-voltage battery technology provider Clarios is providing its advanced 12V and 48V supercapacitors to what it called a major automotive manufacturer in the coming years. According to Clarios leaders, the technology will assist with autonomous and electric vehicle operations.

This contract marks a milestone for Clarios and its technology, company leaders said during a presentation at the Fosgard House of Journalists before the start of CES 2025. Clarios, through its various brands, is the world’s largest vehicle battery technology provider, with products in nearly every type of vehicle, according to the company.

Federico Morales-Zimmermann, Clarios VP and GM of global OEM customers, products, and engineering, said 2025 will be a busy year. “From a technical and technology perspective, the name

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of the game is going to be exibility,” he said. “Being exible to have a product portfolio that can be applied to different propulsion architectures. They can be applied to different electronic architectures that can be equal. They can also scale, let’s say, into different areas where the customers are going to be.”

While Morales-Zimmermann declined to reveal the OEM Clarios is providing its advanced technology to, he stressed the importance of low-voltage battery technology in future transportation.

The Clarios supercapacitors are designed to store and dispense bursts of high power, which, for functions such as steer-by-wire, add minimal weight to vehicles. This enhanced system solution delivers on-demand power in any application, which is critical for advanced safety features, and provides that short burst of power in chassis systems.

Photo: Steve Fecht Fosgard

“Reducing weights on trucks is a big topic,” Morales-Zimmermann noted. “Reducing every kilogram on the truck gives you other exibilities and add-ons you can trade with.”

Along with light-weighting, the batteries create more safety technology opportunities. FO

Federico Morales-Zimmermann, Clarios VP and GM of global OEM customers, products, and engineering, addresses the House of Journalists.

House of Journalists

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Aurora, Continental, Nvidia partner to deploy driverless trucks at scale

Aurora, Continental, and Nvidia have entered into a long-term partnership to deploy driverless trucks at scale, powered by the next-generation Nvidia Drive Thor system-on-a-chip. Nvidia’s Drive Thor and DriveOS will be integrated into the Aurora Driver, an SAE Level 4 autonomous driving system that Continental plans to mass-manufacture in 2027.

“The combination of Nvidia’s automotive-grade Drive Thor platform with Aurora’s advanced self-driving trucking technology and Continental’s manufacturing and integration expertise is set to help drive the future of autonomous trucking, helping make roads safer while driving up operational efficiency,” Rishi Dhall, VP of automotive at Nvidia, said.

Aurora is in the final stages of validating the Aurora Driver for driverless

operations on public roads. The Aurora Driver is equipped with a computer and sensors, including lidar, radar, and cameras, enabling it to operate at highway speeds. Verifiable AI enables the Aurora Driver to adapt to new operating domains while being validated through Aurora’s Safety Case, a tool for regulatory trust and public acceptance. Aurora plans to launch its driverless trucking service in Texas in April 2025.

Nvidia will power the primary computer of the Aurora Driver with a dual Nvidia Drive Thor SoC configuration that runs DriveOS. Drive Thor is designed to accelerate inference tasks critical for autonomous vehicles to understand and navigate the world around them. As Continental and Aurora prepare to manufacture

self-driving hardware at scale in 2027, production samples of Drive Thor are coming in the first half of 2025.

Continental is developing a reliable, cost-efficient generation of the Aurora Driver hardware for high-volume manufacturing. It’s also developing a specialized independent secondary system that can take over operation if a failure occurs in the primary Aurora Driver computer.

With the start of production planned for 2027, Continental will test prototypes of the future hardware kit in the coming months. The company will then integrate Drive Thor with DriveOS into the primary Aurora Driver computer at its manufacturing facilities and ship the full hardware kit to Aurora’s truck OEM partners for integration into customers’ trucks. FO

REGULATORY OUTLOOK 2025

Weaker emissions rules, broad deregulation by Jeremy Wolfe

Republicans swept the 2024 election, bringing Donald Trump back into the White House and securing majorities in both wings of Congress. For 2025, eets can expect signi cant federal regulatory changes de ned by GOP values and priorities.

This year’s regulatory outlook will be different from 2024’s thanks to a change in Washington, D.C.—but that environment might not be wholly new.

“That same president was elected as the 45th president and is now the 47th president,” David Heller, VP of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, told FleetOwner . “Is it going to be unique, or is it going to be a play which has already happened?”

Chief among the Republican Party’s goals are to “cancel the electric vehicle mandate,” “rein in wasteful federal spending,” and “cut costly and burdensome regulations,” which could all affect commercial carrier operations. There are likely to be weakened environmental policies, broad deregulation, and reduced federal spending over the next few years.

Weaker environmental protections

The Republican platform traditionally opposes strict environmental rules. These regulations can designed to bene t public health and the environment at the expense of businesses, such as trucking and transportation.

The most impactful environmental regulations for trucking are the emissions standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board. These rules primarily regulate OEMs in the manufacturing/ sale of their trucks and powertrain assets. While reducing harmful emissions, environmental protections also increase the costs of eet equipment. The latest wave of standards affecting model year 2027 vehicles could increase truck prices by as much as $25,000.

Fleets can expect Trump, with direct control over the country’s primary environmental authority, to follow his campaign platform in reducing environmental standards, according to industry experts who spoke with FleetOwner

Trucking industry experts think the Trump administration will likely roll back environmental standards.

Revisions to EPA’s emissions standards

The Trump administration will likely direct EPA to weaken its greenhouse gas emissions standards for trucks, easing the rate at which equipment gets more expensive.

“During his rst term and on the campaign trail, Trump has been a proponent of ‘drill, baby drill’ and an opponent of a government-mandated transition to electric vehicles,” Prasad Sharma, attorney with law rm Scopelitis, told FleetOwner. “Therefore, with challenges to EPA’s Phase 3 GHG rule already led, we could expect the Trump administration to revisit and signi cantly revise that regulation’s de facto imposition of zero-emission truck requirements.”

“That same president was elected as the 45th president and is now the 47th president. Is it going to be unique, or is it going to be a play which has already happened?”

– David Heller, VP of government a airs for the Truckload Carriers Association

EPA’s latest major emissions rules regulate NOx and greenhouse gas emissions. Both regulations introduce lower pollutant standards and longer warranty period requirements, raising equipment costs.

EPA’s latest rule on truck emissions, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles–Phase 3, received the most attention. This rule is most likely to face revisions from the new administration.

Trucking industry groups overwhelmingly criticized GHG3, calling the rule “unrealistic” and an “electric vehicle mandate.” Some industry groups led suit against EPA for the rule. Republicans strongly oppose GHG3. Partisan lawmakers previously introduced bills to block the rule. Republican attorneys general from 24 states also joined a lawsuit challenging GHG3.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump suggested he would again roll back EPA’s emissions rules. Trump’s pick to lead the EPA, Lee Zeldin, former New York Republican congressman, also promised “fair and swift deregulatory decisions.”

Some of the president’s rst executive orders directed a review of emissions standards for later revision, a challenge to EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases, and a pause on federal funding for EV infrastructure.

GHG3 likely won’t disappear overnight. In his rst term, when Trump weakened EPA vehicle emissions standards, he instead replaced the existing regulation with a weaker version. A Trump EPA would likely replace GHG3 with a weaker version, maintaining some portions of the original rule’s timeline.

It remains unclear what exactly the impact will be of this new, weaker rule on the industry.

TCA’s Heller thinks the administration might tweak its timeline to be more forgiving for new equipment.

“I think there will be major discussions regarding strategic improvements, possibly more realistic timelines because the timelines that are out there right now are just not working for the industry,” Heller told FleetOwner

However, the president’s advisers have sway on his decisions. In a recent FleetOwner Market Pulse video, Ken Vieth, president and senior analyst of ACT Research, suggested that this may change the trajectory of emissions rules. Elon Musk is both the owner of Tesla— manufacturer of the Tesla Semi BEV— and an adviser to the president. Musk may in uence the president’s control over EPA.

“I would think, at least based on some of his core businesses, it wouldn’t surprise me that he would be inclined to support more expensive diesel engines that are more complex to operate,” Vieth said.

The administration might instead weaken warranty requirements— reducing the rise in new diesel equipment costs while still giving an edge to heavy-duty EVs.

“The bigger part of the regulation is the warranty extension on the emissions system,” Vieth said. “Could the solution be as easy as ‘let’s get rid of the warranty extension, and this isn’t a $20,000 regulation; it’s a $7,000 regulation?’”

Fleet owners can feel con dent in assuming the new administration will weaken emissions standards for new equipment eventually. However, eets

Photo: Eric Van Egeren, generated by Adobe Firefly/AI

should keep an eye on how exactly this deregulation will roll out. The nature and timeline of GHG3’s deregulation will be a factor in the cost of future trucks.

Existential threat to CARB rules

The California Air Resources Board is perhaps the most contentious regulator for U.S. trucks. CARB’s environmental regulations will face similar opposition from the Trump administration.

CARB only sets emissions standards for California and participating states but is still an influential regulator of commercial vehicles. Its influence is due in part to the state’s economic size: California had the fifth largest GDP in the world in 2023. With California’s size, plus that of the several other adopting states, CARB regulations have tremendous impact on interstate carrier and OEM operations.

“There’s a tremendous global presence based on California alone that creates, basically, a de facto national administration,” Heller said.

For trucking, the major CARB regulations in the crosshairs are Advanced Clean Trucks, Advanced Clean Fleets,

Slower rulemakings between presidents

The leadership transition should slow down rulemaking processes, particularly in early 2025. Each new president involves widespread replacement of top agency officials.

and the Heavy-Duty Omnibus. ACT and ACF mandate the sale/adoption of zero-emission trucks, and Omnibus sets strict emissions requirements. Like GHG3, the CARB regulations limit the availability of—and help raise the cost of—new trucks.

Similar to GHG3, trucking industry associations and Republican politicians frequently criticize and oppose CARB’s regulations. The board’s regulations face lawsuits from groups including the National Truck Equipment Association and state attorneys general.

While CARB is a state-level agency, it requires federal permission to enforce regulations in the form of EPA waivers. For example, CARB received waivers for ACT and Omnibus—but it withdrew its waiver request for ACF, rendering it unenforceable. These waivers allow Trump’s EPA some control over CARB’s regulatory authority, which the president will likely exercise in his second term.

In his first term, Trump temporarily revoked a CARB waiver. The Biden administration reversed the action. California already convened a special

“Somebody comes into the seat to lead FMCSA, and they have to be caught up to speed on where they are on the rulemakings, brought up to speed on the rulemaking process, and where they stand right now as well as understanding all the background of those rules,” David Heller, VP of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, told FleetOwner.

Trump already issued a hiring freeze and regulatory freeze on the first day of his administration. If the freezes mirror those of his first term, they may remain in effect for months.

legislative session in December to brace CARB for the incoming Trump term.

Scopelitis’s Sharma predicted the Trump administration won’t grant a waiver for ACF—and noted that courts have not yet decided whether a president can revoke waivers.

“We would expect a Trump EPA not to grant a waiver for the ACF, which would render it unenforceable,” Sharma said. “While the courts are working their way through several issues, including a related issue on redressability and standing, we will be paying attention to whether a Trump EPA would rescind the waiver already granted for the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation. That regulation is making it more difficult to purchase new diesel trucks. Although a court has not decided whether an EPA waiver can be rescinded.”

CARB will likely continue to enforce its established regulations and follow their timelines. However, conflict with the federal government spells an existential threat for the regulations. Interstate carriers will want to keep an eye on CARB’s waivers over the next year.

Fewer agency rulemakings

Agency rulemakings in general will likely slow down through 2025 and the rest of Trump’s term. This includes more than just the EPA: The U.S. Department of Transportation, and its subsidiaries the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, will see fewer new regulations.

In the first month of his first term, Trump issued an executive order requiring a “two-for-one” deregulation effort. For every one new regulation with significant costs, two others needed to be removed. Deregulatory orders like this might come again in the second Trump term.

“We are wondering if something like that still comes into play,” Heller said. “It was not necessarily agency specific. It could be two DOT rules that could be rolled back, that may not necessarily

have anything to do with trucking, in order to institute a new rule that did pertain to trucking.”

The “two-for-one” order had a small impact on new regulatory costs, and Trump might pursue a more extreme measure this time. In December, he suggested a “ten-for-one” order for his next term.

Transportation agencies will continue to develop new regulations, despite deregulation. Regulators have several major new pending rules that could affect commercial carriers after Trump’s regulatory freeze ends. Fleet managers should watch the following rules in 2025.

Broker transparency

FMCSA may issue a final rule on broker transparency in 2025. The agency issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in November 2024, “Transparency in Property Broker Transactions,” which

makes it more difficult for brokers to avoid their obligation to disclose records to carriers.

Carriers have a right to the records of freight brokers’ transactions by law, but brokers use several workarounds to avoid real disclosure. This includes contract waivers, slow and manual paperwork, and an implied threat of retaliation. The NPRM proposed four steps to weaken brokers’ paperwork approach but did not address contract waivers or retaliation.

FMCSA will likely publish a final rule on broker transparency within the year.

Independent contractor rule

The U.S. Department of Labor’s independent contractor rule, which lays out how the department differentiates between employee and contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act, is a contentious issue in trucking. Independent contractor classification is a key policy

issue for most trucking industry groups.

The first Trump administration’s DOL issued a final rule outlining its interpretation of FLSA in 2020. The Biden administration issued a rule overriding that interpretation in 2024. The Trump DOL now has the opportunity to issue another overriding rule, returning to an interpretation that resembles the 2020 final rule.

“We expect the president-elect to revert back to what he did in his previous administration and support the independent contractors as they are today,” Heller said.

CSA scores

FMCSA is working on an overhaul to its Compliance, Safety, Accountability program. The agency proposed major revisions to CSA scores in early 2023 and announced further changes in December 2024. FMCSA may formally publish the revisions as a final rule in 2025.

It is still unclear when FMCSA will publish the CSA overhaul final rule, but Scopelitis sees a good chance it will arrive this year. “We anticipate the FMCSA will move forward with this proposal in 2025, even under a new administration,” Chris Eckhart, attorney with Scopelitis, told FleetOwner.

While the industry waits for a final rule, the agency allows carriers to preview what their new scoring might look like through the CSA Prioritization Preview website.

Crash Preventability Determination Program

FMCSA is also developing a final rule to update its Crash Preventability Determination Program. If a carrier suffers a crash and then shows FMCSA that it was non-preventable, that incident won’t affect the carrier’s CSA score. [See Safety 411 on page 22.]

The update adds four new crash types to the program’s existing 16 crash types, expanding the types of incidents that may be eligible under the program. The new crash types include accidents where another motorist lost control of their vehicle and where a video demonstrates the sequence of events.

“With motor carriers’ increasing use of onboard cameras, this additional crash type is a significant improvement to the CPDP,” Eckhart said.

Speed limiters

FMCSA and NHTSA are still working on a joint rulemaking to mandate speed limiters in heavy commercial vehicles. The agencies first issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2016. In the fall 2024 regulatory agenda, FMCSA and NHTSA suggested they would issue a supplementary notice of proposed rulemaking in mid-2025.

“Speed limiters have been kicked down the road several times,” Heller said. “There were several due dates in which the agency was going to come out with a supplementary notice of proposed rulemaking ... Because of the

constant delay in issuing the SNPRM, we’re not wholly convinced that this rulemaking is going to be moving forward,” Heller explained.

AEB mandate

FMCSA and NHTSA are planning a final rule to mandate automatic emergency braking systems on new heavy trucks. The agencies issued a joint NPRM for the AEB rule in 2023. If the agencies do release the AEB final rule in 2025, it would still take multiple years to affect manufacturers. When NHTSA issued an AEB final rule for passenger vehicles in 2024, it set the effective date as September 2029.

AEB systems are also already popular among large carriers.

Carrier registration system

FMCSA is still working on its next version of an online carrier registration system, which could transform registration processes this year.

Carriers have to use several separate paper forms to manage and update their information. The agency hopes a new registration system can simplify carrier registration processes, forms, and verification through a single online platform.

The FMCSA Registration System, or FRS, if it lives up to the hype, would integrate several forms into a simplified series of questions and add more robust verification to combat fraud. FMCSA suggested it would launch the FRS some time in 2025.

Congress to decide federal spending

The Republican sweep across both wings of Congress means that the party’s priorities will have significant influence on new legislation and federal budgeting for the next four years. These bills will likely not affect carriers within 12 months— but in 2025, fleets will witness and participate in debates over funding bills and economic policies. The products of these

Truck parking

Truck parking funding will be a top issue for industry associations as they advocate for trucking in the next funding bill.

Parking availability was one of the most pressing issues for carriers and drivers in 2024, according to ATRI.

Truck parking bills often receive support from both political parties, making the issue more likely to receive funding than other spending measures.

“It has wide bipartisan support and will get included into the next highway reauthorization bill,” David Heller, VP of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, explained.

debates will affect the transportation industry for several years.

Transportation funding

In 2025, lawmakers will ramp up discussions on the next major funding bill for surface transportation infrastructure. The year is a significant opportunity for the trucking industry to voice its concerns and infrastructure needs.

The last major funding measure was the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which went far beyond the business-as-usual reauthorization to fund highways, bridges, and roads.

Also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, IIJA included historic provisions for surface transportation, drinking water, electric vehicle infrastructure, and more—amounting up to $1.2 trillion. IIJA is set to expire in September 2026.

“[This] basically means the new infrastructure bill has to be formulated by

the Congress that will be taking shape in January,” Heller said. “You’re going to see more and more conversations in regard to what the next infrastructure bill looks like.”

Republican Congressional members often voted against increasing broad infrastructure funding in recent years, but support for specifically surface transportation infrastructure is still a major Republican infrastructure principle.

Well-maintained highways are essential for smooth, cost-effective fleet operations. As lawmakers begin negotiations, trucking organizations in 2025 will be key vocal advocates for carriers’ interests.

Alternatives to fuel taxes

Another major Republican infrastructure principle is to find alternative revenue streams for the Highway Trust Fund.

The vast majority of the Highway Trust Fund’s cash comes from gas and

diesel taxes. Across the country, there is a growing population of zero-emission vehicles, and trucks continue to improve their fuel efficiency as well, reducing the dominance of fossil fuels in the transportation industry.

The Congressional Budget Office projects the Highway Trust Fund’s spending will exceed its revenue by billions of dollars in only a few years. Some lawmakers have proposed new types of fuel-agnostic fees to ensure EVs contribute to highway funding.

“The fuel tax is there and has generated low administrative costs for generations. But the reality is that because our trucks and passenger vehicles are going farther on less fuel than ever before, they’re paying less at the pump,” Heller emphasized. “The conversation is going to transition into how we develop a highway trust fund that can be sustainable and support the infrastructure needs of this country.” FO

by David Heller

Expanding crash preventability

FMCSA’s accident reporting program scores a rare industry win

I HAD A BROKEN WATCH ONCE that was right twice a day. I have used that idiom time and again in personal and professional environments. I get a chuckle out of most people when I toss that one around, but the fundamental premise that sometimes things go your way is essential. So, I must mention the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Crash Preventability Determination Program, or CPDP.

M ake no mistake: The presence of the very program should continue to be viewed as a win for the industry, and its continued growth and expansion is another positive step in the right direction.

The agency announced in December it is expanding the CPDP to include even more crash types that are eligible for review in determining the preventability of accidents. FMCSA eventually listened to industry assertions that most accidents

between a truck and passenger vehicle are the fault of the four-wheel counterparts that professional truck drivers share the road with. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in most truck vs. passenger vehicle accidents, the passenger vehicle’s driver is more likely to be at fault. With that knowledge, FMCSA finally entered the business of determining accident preventability.

Expanding or improving the list of crashes eligible for a Request for Data Review, or RDR, demonstrates the agency’s commitment to improving the program. FMCSA incorporated additional crash types for preventability determinations, which are as follows:

• CMV struck on the side by a motorist operating in the same direction as CMV.

• CMV struck because another motorist was entering the roadway from a private driveway or parking lot.

• CMV struck because another motorist lost control of the vehicle.

• Any crash involving a CMV where a video demonstrates the sequence of events of the crash.

Now there are 21 crash types for fleets to expand upon for preventability determinations. This should increase participation in an already popular program.

Since its inception in 2020, nearly 70,000 RDRs were submitted by almost 12,000 motor carriers, with one carrier achieving the award for most RDRs submitted at more than 1,500—if such an award existed. The reality is that FMCSA determined the preventability of almost 47,000 crashes, of which over 45,000 were deemed “not preventable.”

These numbers are not insignificant by any stretch of the imagination. It reflects the same notion the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found: When you are sharing the road with the safest, most well-trained drivers, data supports it.

But the effects of submitting a crash for review come with another caveat: Continued presence of “not preventable” crashes on the public SMS or CSA, as we all know it, will still appear on a carrier’s score, reflected as two different numbers. As we understand, a motor carrier can and will reflect two different numbers in the Crash Indicator BASIC or Safety Category, as it will soon be known. In any event, the SMS will continue to reflect the two different values as long as the motor carrier actively submits these crashes using the RDR process.

You could argue that the recent additions to the eligibility list don’t go far enough regarding crashes to be considered for an RDR, although some do. However, the recent expansion and growth of this program shows that these categories remain far from complete. FMCSA wants to continue improving the program rather than implementing a “set it and forget it” mindset often associated with such projects. CPDP shows we are in an ever-changing industry.

Please make no mistake: The program is a win for the industry, and its continued growth and expansion is another step in the right direction. The more carriers participating in this program will determine its outcome and reflect the number of crashes that can be viewed in our industry’s overall “report card.”

Eventually, the overall crash rate will be reflected in the number of large truck crashes and the asterisk that highlights non-preventable crashes. This will provide a more accurate picture of our industry’s safety performance. FO

David Heller | Dheller@truckload.org

David Heller, CDS, is senior VP of safety and governmental affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association. He is responsible for interpreting and communicating industry-related legislation to TCA members.

Photo: Vitpho | 1343101316 | Getty Images

by Josh Fisher

WTOP FOR-HIRE CARRIERS

hile the ve largest forhire carriers operating in the U.S. remain unchanged on the 2025 FleetOwner 500: For-Hire, you’ll nd signi cant movements among the other 495 ranking spots, such as Pitt Ohio’s 19-spot jump into the Top 50 and Kriska Transportation’s 297-spot leap into the Top 200.

General freight and less-than-truckload carriers continue to dominate the 50 largest for-hire eets. Former LTL giant Yellow’s bankruptcy in 2023 created opportunities for carriers such as Estes Express, which has gobbled up much of Yellow’s network over the past 18 months. Estes debuted in the Top 10 last year at No. 9 and moved up another slot to No. 8 in 2025.

There could be more LTL movement in the coming year as FedEx, the longtime FO500 No. 1 eet, considers spinning off its LTL freight business (which has 30,000-plus power units) into its own entity. Until then, rival UPS holds the No. 2 spot, while Knight-Swift, J.B. Hunt, and R+L Carriers round out the top ve.

The following pages show how each company’s 2025 ranking compares to 2024. They also list the total commercial power units, trucks, tractors, trailers, and registered operating types. We also break these down into Top 10 lists

focusing on business categories: bulk, refrigerated, construction, and more.

This year, the FO500 includes 54 new companies, including ve eets that fell off the list but are back.

The FO500 is our annual snapshot of the dynamic, competitive trucking industry. The shifts in rankings re ect how trucking companies are evolving with shifting market demands and the post-pandemic supply chains.

Methodology

This is the third FleetOwner 500: ForHire list since revising how we gather the data. Since 2023, we partnered with ProsperFleet, which uses the most recent information companies led on form MCS-150 with FMCSA to count power units, trailers, and drivers. This ensures a consistent playing eld for all carriers operating in the U.S.

Analysts at ProsperFleet also use the companies’ websites, press releases, and hierarchy from their business databases to roll USDOT operating entities into a single parent company. ProsperFleet then cleanses, validates, standardizes, and enhances company and contact information to create a complete eet view.

For companies with subsidiaries and divisions with USDOT numbers, the vehicle counts of the subsidiaries are in the parent company’s total on the FO500. FO

Biggest rise

#156 Kriska Transportation Group (+297)

Biggest drop

#411 Endurance Environmental Solutions (-176)

New Top 100 fleets

# 88 Aceway Logistics

Back on list

# 280 AAA Interstate Transportation (# 254 in 2023)

# 313 Peformance Team Logistics (# 499 in 2023)

# 336 J P Noonan Transportation (# 465 in 2022)

#473 AAA Freight (# 314 in 2023)

# 492 Caledonia Haulers (#400 in 2022)

54 new companies listed on 2025 FleetOwner 500

#88 Aceway Logistics, #136 Proficient Auto Logistics, #173 The Harman Group, #176 Adams Resources & Energy, #206 True North Transportation, #223 Reworld, #238 UC Group,#240 Carolina Group of Companies, #263 Groupe Robert, #283 Canada Cartage, #287 Maverik Logistics, #292 Standard Logistics, #294 Aman Truck Lines, #305 Run Roadlines, #311 Bogg Express, #332 Stevens Trucking, #341 AC Transport, #346 Custom Ecology, #353 Nishan Transport, #353 Sunview Logistics, #356 Phoenix Management Solutions, #359 Max Trans, #365 Aravan Cargo, #367 Ball Express Service, #379 The Odom Corporation, #382 U.S. Multimodal Group, #388 Badlands Tank Lines, #389 Linage Logistics Holdings, #395 Osterkamp Trucking, #401 GT Express, #407 ARD Trucking, #428 Giltner Transportation, #428 Moran Environmental Recovery, #430 Value Truck, #436 Piece of Cake Moving, #438 Unitrans, #443 Chalk Mountain Services of Texas, #443 IG Transportation, #443 Keen Cargo, #456 Arnold Bros. Transport, #456 Jeep Transport, #461 Cardinal Transport, #461 Robbie D. Wood, #465 CEI, #465 NNT Express, #465 Schwarz Logistics, #473 Custom Commodities, #473 Gurman Trucking, #473 Mega Trucking, #481 McCormick Trucking, #483 Plastic Express, #483 UZB Express, #486 MN89, #486 Woody Bogler Trucking

FLEETS TO NOTE

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Wishing You a Happy and Prosperous

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NPTC’s Annual Conference and Exhibition is the marquee national private truck fleet show of the year! With 1,300+ attendees and 200+ exhibitors, this is an event you won’t want to miss. The Annual Conference features:

INFORMATION: General sessions featuring professional leadership and Driver Hall of Fame recognition award ceremonies; Certified Transportation Professional Class of 2025 graduation; industry benchmarking insights; and the latest legislative and regulatory affairs update.

EXHIBITS: A world-class exhibit hall packed with more than 200 companies offering products, resources and solutions that will increase the effectiveness of your private fleet.

NETWORKING: Unparalleled peer-to-peer interaction forged in an environment of safety, security, and discretion.

EDUCATION: More than 45 top fleet practitioners will serve as speakers and panelists at 20+ workshops showcasing the latest, most innovative and best ideas in private fleet management.

BEST PRACTICES: More than 20 best practices breakfast roundtable sessions in which private fleet professionals share in a culture of trust and confidentiality – challenges and opportunities.

RECOGNITION: Honoring the private fleet community’s best and brightest practitioners for achievements in safety, leadership, and certification, and for their years of innovative leadership and contributions to the industry.

SOCIAL: Meals, events, and activities that create an engaged learning atmosphere.

LOCATION: A great location with numerous flight options from anywhere in the country.

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FUTURE 500S TO WATCH

TEN TRUCKS

TOP TEN TRAILERS

TOP FLEETS BY BUSINESS CATEGORY

AGRICULTURAL

by Kevin Rohlwing

What’s driving tire prices?

Low-cost

imports and high replacement demand control rubber costs for now

ONE OF MY FIRST economic lessons was there’s no such thing as a free lunch. My high school economics teacher had it stenciled on the front of his classroom wall so it was always in your face: “There is no free lunch.” One day, he explained in great detail how many people had to get paid in order to deliver a free lunch in the cafeteria. Nothing has changed over 40 years later.

W hile an ample supply of low-cost imported truck tires controls prices, it’s a delicate balance with potentially dangerous economic consequences.

The basic supply-and-demand model was another economic lesson I still remember. When supply exceeds demand, pricing tends to be lower, while demand exceeding supply tends to result in higher prices. Countless other factors ultimately determine the market price, but the supply-and-demand model is at the core of every product or service.

Truck tires are not immune to these economic factors, but major inputs such as natural rubber, oil, energy, and transportation play critical roles establishing

the equilibrium that determines the market. The 2024 truck tire market forecast, released in December by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, sheds some light on how supply and demand have contributed to current pricing.

Based on their projections, original equipment truck tire shipments decreased by 7% in 2024 compared to 2023, or by 400,000 tires. On the other hand, replacement shipments increased by 12.5%, or 2.6 million tires. The original equipment projection is more concerning for Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers because most new trucks and trailers come equipped with name-brand tires. And while the replacement figures would appear to offset those losses, it’s important to note that imported truck and bus tires continue to flood the market, putting additional pressure on domestic manufacturing.

I don’t want to jinx it, but it’s been a while since any price increases were announced for several reasons. First, the level of demand for replacement tires has not changed significantly. Second, in the first half of 2024, truck and bus tire imports increased year over year by 21%. Of the top 10 importing countries, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, and Thailand led the way, each with double-digit increases.

The remaining six countries outside the U.S. that manufacture truck tires all experienced decreases, with South Korea, Japan, and Canada losing the most market share. In other words, six of the top 10 truck tire imports delivered fewer tires, but the top four countries increased by so much that overall imports rose by 21%.

While replacement shipments increased overall, it appears most of the increase came from tires imported from four countries that collectively have the lowest average value. In my opinion, the supply of low-cost import truck tires increased in conjunction with the increase

in domestic replacement demand, so tire prices remained stable. Fleets have benefited because import pricing pressure forced domestic manufacturers to forego any major increases in 2023 or 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, I don’t expect any significant changes, even with the new 12.33% tariff on truck tire imports from Thailand. Labor and regulatory costs for the top four import manufacturing countries are much lower than the rest of the world, as U.S. manufacturers and other more industrialized countries see costs rise. The current equilibrium will continue as long as there are no major changes to the model or inputs.

Of course, truck tires are still agricultural products subject to the price and availability of natural rubber, which has remained stable. Any major reductions in supply or increases in demand will affect every tire manufacturer regardless of the country. Additionally, ocean freight plays a major role, so any disruptions at West Coast ports will directly impact imported truck tires from Southeast Asia.

While the supply side remains strong at current domestic and import truck tire manufacturing levels, it is still too dependent on imports. Another global catastrophe could mean there isn’t enough domestic supply, especially with Dunlop’s Buffalo truck tire plant closing last year and Bridgestone’s LaVergne, Tennessee, to close soon. Think of the tire shortages and price increases coming out of the pandemic times 10. While low-cost imported truck tire supply drives today’s prices, it is a delicate balance with potentially dangerous economic consequences. FO

Kevin Rohlwing | krohlwing@tireindustry.org

Kevin Rohlwing is the chief technical officer for the Tire Industry Association. He has more than 40 years of experience in the tire industry and has created programs to help train more than 220,000 technicians.

Photo: Vitpho 125396136 | Getty Images

Commercial vehicle lifts & scales

AirWeigh

Air-Weigh’s new iWeigh platform offers accuracy and flexibility for onboard scale systems. Featuring Bluetooth and SAE J1939 connectivity, over-the-air updates, and compatibility across vehicles, the company said iWeigh delivers consistently accurate weight data using its proprietary Smart Weight feature. It adapts to con gurations for trucks, trailers, or tractor-trailers. It can serve a stand-alone trailer scale or an integrated solution for a large drop-and-hook eet.

Ari-Hetra

Ari-Hetra’s WS-24-LPJ Kangaroo Jack can be used for a range of applications, from forklifts to construction vehicles. The hydraulic jack features an adjustable lifting bracket and compact design for easy movement and storage, as well as a lifting capacity of 12,000 lb. at the lift bracket and 22,000 lb. on top of the piston. The jack measures 14 in. long by 10 in. wide by 24 in. high and has a minimum height of 1 in.

BendPak

The new BendPak 20AP heavyduty twopost lift can handle

Class 1 through 5 vehicles weighing up to 20,000 lb.

Telescoping swing arms provide greater extension and retraction and can be con gured for symmetric or asymmetric lifting to accommodate various chassis. The automatic swing arm restraint system keeps the arms in place under the vehicle and can withstand 2,000 lb. of side force. A multi-face

column design better withstands twisting and biaxial loading forces for increased stability. A maximum lifting height of 90.25 in. and under-vehicle clearance of 76.5 in. provide plenty of working space. Controls allow operators to manage descent speed to ease aligning components or setting vehicles onto high-reach jack stands.

CAT Scale

heavy-duty trucks, transit and municipality vehicles, forklifts, and more.

Cleral USA

CAT Scale offers eets a guaranteed accurate weight of their vehicles, and its Weigh My Truck app can share those details with added fleet bene ts. Fleets can create proles that allow them to add a custom field prompt to the ticket for load identi cation, send PDF scale tickets from your drivers in real-time, an option for daily downloads of all eet weighing activity, and more. CAT said eet managers can oversee driver accounts with ease and eliminate the need for driver reimbursement by creating a Weigh My Truck Fleet Pro le.

Challenger Lifts

Challenger Lifts’ HD mobile column lifts enable users to raise any rubber-tired vehicle within its rated capacity (up to 152,000 lb.) without pits, cables, or compressed air. According to the company, adjustable forks accommodate various vehicle types with plenty of under-clearance for technicians. Each column operates independently, with the ability to connect eight units. The 24V rechargeable battery system provides wire-free operation. Each column has a built-in height and weight gauge, along with communication and battery diagnostic screens. There is an extensive range of accessories to lift specialty

Cleral offers weighing solutions for any tractor-trailer application with or without lift axles. The Re ex-Pro is a 3-in-1 standalone trailer system that lifts axles, deploys the lift axle when a preset weight is reached on the primary axle group, lifts the axle when the trailer is empty, keeps the axle up during reverse/forward maneuvering, locks the self-steer lift axle at 35 mph, and manages one or two lift axles independently. In addition, it activates the backup light or alarm when reversing, lifts the axle with hazard signal, displays the weight of both axle groups, and records trailer mileage.

Gray Manufacturing

Gray Manufacturing wireless mobile column lifts, Nos. WPLS-135, WPLS185, and WPLS-185W, feature a communication system and touchscreen graphic control system. These lifts have no external wires or cords and when used at a full operating height can provide a 69-in. clearance. Model No. WPLS-135 is a 13,500-lb. capacity, 24V mobile column that can be operated in sets of two, four, six, or eight, allowing users a capacity of 25,500 to 108,000 lb. Model No. WPLS-185 is an 18,500-lb. capacity, 24V unit that can be operated in sets for a capacity range of 37,000 to 148,000 lb. No. WPLS-185W

Photo: Cat Scale

Photo: Gray Manufacturing

Photo: AirWeigh

Photo: BendPak

Photo: Cleral USA

shares those specs and includes a wide adjustable carriage.

Hunter Engineering

Hunter’s heavy-duty four-post semi and truck lift features a 35,000-lb. lifting capacity and 300-in. alignment wheelbase capability with galvanized runways offering corrosion protection. The lift comes alignment-ready with turnplate pockets and slip plates for servicing standard vehicles. The company said its optional Powerslide and FIA turnplates and slip plates eliminate trips around the truck. The aligner can be connected to control all lock and unlock functions automatically. Optional 20,000-lb. jacks and LED AlignLights can be added.

Mohawk Lifts

With 25,000 lb. capacity, the Mohawk TR-25 four-post lift solution for fleet mainte nance and heavy-duty applications features highstrength leaf chains and diamond plate-covered runways, delivering durability and stability. It offers full under-vehicle access without obstructions, making it compatible with a wide range of vehicles, from low-floor buses to heavy trucks.

durable leaf chains instead of cables, heavy-duty I-beam runways for greater strength, and self-lubricating bearings. Optional accessories include rolling hydraulic jacks and shatter-proof LEDs.

Stertil Koni

Stertil-Koni said its new cab-off adapter for its mobile column lifts guarantees a

smooth and secure cab elevation, allowing access to the engine and transmission for safe and efficient servicing. In addition to the adjustable width adapter that can reach difficult lift points, the company said the steel construction is sturdy, the lift is suitable for use with two mobile column lifts, and it supports twodoor and four-door trucks. FO

The TR-25 includes advanced safety features: multi-position mechanical locks, hydraulic safety with tamper-proof velocity fuses, and a single-point air-operated release for controlled lowering. The TR-25 uses

Photo: Hunter Engineering

Photo: Mohawk Lifts

How to conduct better

PRE-HIRE ROAD TESTS

Decent drivers can look great during a 20-minute, once-around-the-block road test. Their genuine driving attitude won’t show until they’re relaxed and operating your equipment from miles away. by Jim Park

How well do you really know the drivers you’re about to hire and send out into the world in a truck with your name all over it? Can they back up? Can they do proper vehicle inspections? Are they proactive or reactive drivers? It’s amazing what a thorough pre-hire driving evaluation can reveal.

Mike Fitzgerald, a retired safety director based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has conducted hundreds of on-road driver evaluations. He shared a story about a driver he almost hired—and probably would have—had they not shared the cab for more than an hour. He was a very animated conversationalist, which might not sound like a threat, but when he talked, he expressed himself enthusiastically with his hands. Both at the same time. While he was driving.

“The driver had relaxed during our time together and was more himself than the rather stiff fellow behaving well to pass the test,” Fitzgerald recalls. “As we were talking, he was taking both hands off the steering wheel, gesturing.”

After 20 such occurrences, that driver had sealed his fate. He became one of the few drivers Fitzgerald had ever failed outright on a driving test.

A potentially fatal habit could have gone unobserved if that driving test was limited to a trip around the block. It might have come up later if the eet used driver-facing cameras or lane position sensors, but there would need to be a trigger or a reason for the alerts to be sent. Or maybe not, until it was too late.

Fitzgerald’s road tests of newly hired or rehired drivers were approximately an hour long, covering about 35 miles.

They included an evaluation of the driver’s skills in operating on narrow surface streets as well as controlled access highways. They also included multiple backing maneuvers, including straight-line backing, parallel parking, sight-side and blind-side 45- and 90-degree backing, and reversing between two xed objects such as parked trailers.

It would be tough to fake your way through an evaluation like that.

Driving test jitters

Knowing the road evaluation affects their successful onboarding, most drivers will be a little nervous during the test. It’s good for the examiner to try alleviating the nerves by being relaxed and cordial and offering thorough explanations of what the test entails, the route, and how he or she will be evaluated.

“I’m not necessarily expecting a perfect performance, as driver skill levels vary,” Fitzgerald told FleetOwner. “I expect them to be competent, but I’m also looking for their willingness to take instruction and do what’s asked of them.”

Rather than a road test, he calls it a training session. He explains that if a mistake is made, he’ll stop the driver and explain what should have been done, adding: “The chances of failing this road test are pretty low, unless you run a red light, run a stop sign, or have a crash.”

That, he said, almost always put the drivers at ease and allowed them to get into their rhythm.

Brian Riker, director of transportation and compliance at Worldwide Equipment Sales of Rockdale, Illinois, takes a similar approach. He gets all the legal necessities out of the way before the road test, such as motor vehicle record and previous employer checks, FMCSA PSP check, Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse checks, as well as a search of the driver’s social media footprint.

Five tips for better pre-hire driving evaluations

• Explain to the candidate precisely what will happen on the test and what the driver is expected to do. This serves two purposes: It eliminates surprises for the driver and provides clues on how well the driver follows instructions.

• Conduct the evaluation in accordance with company policy to set the bar for the driver. Taking shortcuts or not following policy sends a message that the company will tolerate noncompliance.

• Be tolerant of some minor mistakes, but call them out so the driver knows the problem. Offer a second chance.

• Ask the driver to self-evaluate their skills and industry knowledge before the test and compare their assessment with their actual performance. This can provide clues on what future remedial training might be required.

• Describe the purpose and function of any technology-based safety systems used by the company and how they monitor driver performance.

The pre-hire driver evaluation is your one chance to see how drivers behave in the wild. Photo: Jim Park | FleetOwner

“Social media will tell you a lot about any new hire long before you hire them,” Riker said, cautioning there are some restrictions on taking direct adverse action based solely on those findings.

His road tests are at least 30 miles and 45 minutes and include a truck stop visit for refueling to see how they handle pressure and courtesy toward other drivers.

“I have found that the portion of the trip after the fuel stop will show their true driving style as they get more relaxed after the short break at the fuel pump,” he said.

What the pre-trip reveals

Drivers become pretty lax about vehicle inspections if previous employers haven’t enforced the regulations. Fitzgerald, again, didn’t expect perfection but watched for the drivers who understood what they were inspecting and why.

“The vehicle inspection can be seen as a confrontational exercise, with me

standing there with my clipboard check boxes,” he observed. “I wanted to avoid that, so I’d praise what they did properly and question them on what they missed. I viewed this part of the evaluation as a training session too, getting the driver back up to speed on proper inspections.”

Fitzgerald saw his role in the driver evaluation as setting the benchmark for what the company expected in terms of performance and compliance, so emphasizing the need for a thorough and proper vehicle inspection set the tone for the driver. Fully aware that many drivers wouldn’t follow through in the coming weeks and months, he says the company could use this opportunity to demonstrate what it expects of the driver.

“I made sure they understood our company policies on pre-trips,” he emphasized. “They’d been told, and they’d been warned. If they didn’t do it, that gave us the ability to enforce some sort of consequence.”

This part of Fitzgerald’s evaluation was also an opportunity to weed out any driver physical mobility issues.

“We had some workers’ comp problems with people being injured on the job related to the truck, so I wanted to ensure these people could walk and climb and bend and stoop and crawl,” he said. “I wanted to let them know that those were things I expected them to do, and simply walking around the truck standing up vertically and doing an inspection wasn’t going to work.”

Fleets using electronic driver vehicle inspection reports have an easier time monitoring trip inspection compliance, but even that isn’t perfect. Drivers can simply check the “no defects” box and move on. For Fitzgerald, the exercise wasn’t just checking boxes but ensuring the vehicle was roadworthy and wouldn’t get sidelined in a roadside inspection.

Much of the work Riker does involves specialty equipment, such as auto

“ embracing alternatives to traditional fuels is not only about working with environmental regulations — it can also be a strategic move ”

listen in on the conversation around lower carbon fuels with dave slade

transport or tow truck drivers, oil field operations, etc. He asks a lot of probing questions about the specific types of equipment they have used to gauge their actual experience level. “If they can’t tell me any real details about the specialty part of their job, then they likely did not have great attention to detail,” he said.

The driving test

The actual driving portion of the evaluation needs to be of sufficient duration to allow the driver to get over the jitters and perform as they will in real life. Two right turns, two left turns, one back, and you’re done isn’t going to cut it.

Fitzgerald admits it took some arm twisting at a couple of the companies he worked for to allow a 60- to 90-minute driving test, but as the director of safety, his reputation was on the line for every driver he hired. His road test evaluates the driver’s abilities for speed control; following distance; lane positioning; hand position on the steering wheel; eye movement; mirror use; spatial awareness; situational awareness; short-, medium-, and long-range scan of the roadway; and overall demeanor while driving— whether he or she is aggressive or not, or proactive or reactive.

It’s not easy sitting in the right seat watching the driver go through the motions to figure out what’s going on inside their head, but Fitzgerald used a little trick called Smith System driving commentary. He’d get the driver to speak out loud what he was thinking and observing while driving.

“Basically, it’s just an oral running commentary: ‘I’m positioning myself here because of these things that are in existence in the operating environment. I don’t want to be too close to this vehicle. I’ve got an on ramp coming up. I’ve got a really complicated interchange. We’ve got cars going from left to right or right to left trying to get to their exit ramp.’”

That offers tremendous insight into how the driver observes and manages the on-road environment, Fitzgerald stressed.

Benefits of a thorough road test

Obviously, the company wants to ensure the driver is sufficiently skilled to reduce the possibility of a crash—at least a crash due to inexperience or poor judgment. A longer test also allows the driver to relax a little and return to familiar ways, which can be disguised for a short period.

Various technologies can be used to

detect bad habits after the hire, such as cameras, ABS telematics data, stability control systems, and even the e-DVIR (consistently clean inspections may indicate the driver is just checking the boxes, or failing to observe detectable defects).

The road test is one brief opportunity to see that driver in action. Make the best of it. FO

The Fastest Way To Order Parts

by Gary Petty

NPTC ’25 expects record turnout

Here’s what to expect at the private fleet industry’s big conference this May

THE 2025 NATIONAL PRIVATE Truck Council Annual Conference and Exhibition is on track to draw another record-setting number of attendees.

This year’s event is at the Rosen Centre Hotel and the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from May 11-13. The hotel and convention center are within two miles of the city’s entertainment, dining, and shopping district and a 15-minute drive from Orlando International Airport.

“ Attending the conference helps private fleets capitalize on gains in the supply chain realized during the years of the COVID pandemic and since. ”

– Tom Moore, NPTC EVP

We expect the event to surpass last year’s all-time high of 1,325 registrations. An unprecedented 200-plus exhibitors will be out in full force with the latest equipment, innovative technology, and state-of-industry management solutions. Extraordinary networking is a show

highlight. The conference’s long-standing theme, You Must Be Present to Win, emphasizes the importance of face-toface sharing and learning within a culture of trust and confidentiality.

The NPTC planning committee, comprised of some 50 representatives from fleet and allied/supplier member companies, has been hard at work over the past several months. Its task is to recommend a premium lineup of top speakers for dozens of breakout sessions and workshops.

Some 45 fleet experts will present and moderate discussion topics across a broad spectrum of management practices over the course of three days. Expert moderators will introduce more than 20 specialty subjects during back-to-back morning breakfast roundtable discussion sessions on the second and third days of the show.

Workshops are scheduled for vehicle emissions regulations under the new administration; “clean truck” regulations in California and other states; alternative energy adoption strategies; insights into enhancing private fleet efficiency; innovative data management systems; building a culture of safety throughout the fleet management team; delivering premium customer services as a private fleet advantage; driving coaching and retention; finding the “keeper” driver; and maintenance and the fully loaded cost of ownership.

The opening day general session begins with the Washington Report, presented by Rick Schweitzer, NPTC general counsel and government affairs representative, and sponsored by Centerline Drivers. The report recaps the latest information on key legislative and regulation compliance issues relevant to private fleets.

New to the program this year is the Town Hall Meeting: Sustainable

Trucking, Helping Private Fleets Find Solutions, sponsored by Tenstreet, presented by NACFE executive director Michael Roeth. Part of a series of town hall meetings set for 2025, this “live” event is designed to help fleets determine which new strategies and technologies will best meet emission regulations and corporate sustainability goals.

Opening day also honors NPTC Professional Leadership award winners, sponsored by DION; the Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) Class of 2025, sponsored by J.J. Keller & Associates; and the CTP Top Graduate of the Year, sponsored by FleetOwner. It concludes with the popular Gala Networking Reception, sponsored by ACT-1, the Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry.

At the second-day general session luncheon ceremony, the NPTC Driver Hall of Fame and Fleet Safety Award winners, sponsored by International, will recognize this year’s top drivers and safest fleets.

For the closing luncheon on the final day, Tom Moore, NPTC EVP, will present a preliminary report on NPTC’s 2025 Benchmarking Survey Report, sponsored by Penske Truck Leasing. The conference concludes with the FleetOwner 500 Top Private Fleet of the Year Awards.

“The cumulative ROI for attending the conference year after year, reconnecting with our network, and sitting in on workshops and breakout sessions pays off tremendously in continuous fleet improvement,” said David Barth, CTP, Wegmans Food Markets transportation manager and chair of the NPTC Board of Directors. FO

Gary Petty | gpetty@nptc.org

Gary Petty has more than 30 years of experience as CEO of national trade associations in the trucking industry. He has been the president and CEO of the National Private Truck Council since 2001.

Gary Petty, NPTC president and CEO

Photo: NPTC

Giving drivers a reason to stay

Hayes Transport creates industry-leading driver turnover with communication

by Seth Skydel

In industry terms, it’s quite an accomplishment. While trucking companies continue to struggle with high turnover, Hayes Transport is retaining 92% of its drivers on a regular basis.

“Our retention rate is easily less than 10%,” said Kyle Vidlock, a former driver with the carrier who now serves as its safety manager. “Most of our driver needs are due to retirements. In the recent past, we’ve only had one driver leave to pursue other career options.”

That success is no mystery, Vidlock noted. “Our founder, Tim Hayes, prioritizes maintaining a family-friendly work environment where employees want to stay for a career,” he told FleetOwner. “He’s actively involved, and his phone is always on so any driver can call him at any time. We also have a range of scheduling, pay, benefits, equipment, and technologies that show our drivers just how much we’re invested in them.”

Verona, Wisconsin-based Hayes Transport provides 48-state truckload, LTL, local, and dedicated services with 60 company-owned Volvo VNL 860 power units and 180 Utility, Stoughton, and Wabash trailers.

“We’re replacing tractors about every four years, or 500,000 miles, and spec’ing the largest sleepers and every safety feature the manufacturer offers,” Vidlock related. “We also assign new drivers to new trucks because we believe these things will show them that we anticipate they will stay.”

Salary programs ensure drivers earn the same weekly wage, and there is also paid vacation, holidays, detentions, and layovers. Drivers who load their own outbound freight are paid for the pickup, and if they need to load more than one load to get home, they are compensated for the additional pickups and drop-offs. The company provides health and life

insurance and a 401k retirement plan.

Hayes drivers receive safety bonuses for no moving violations and no property damage, fuel bonuses for meeting mileage standards, and East Coast bonuses to compensate for lower mileage in that region. They also receive expense money on company-issued EFS fuel cards.

“We also route all drivers home weekly, and there are no forced dispatches,” Vidlock said. “When drivers are returning, they discuss with our outbound dispatcher when they are available. It’s all about understanding what drivers need and offering options.”

When Vidlock became Hayes’ fulltime safety manager, he began addressing drivers’ challenges based on his experience behind the wheel. The first changes he made were to facilitate the switch to Geotab ELDs and telematics systems and to install Netradyne dashcams to support driver safety and training better.

He was also eager to have Hayes drivers use a weigh station bypass solution. Soon after, the company implemented Drivewyze PreClear as a paid-for service for all over-the-road drivers in the fleet.

“A service that reduces the amount of time drivers spend at inspection sites means they can continue their routes and get home sooner,” Vidlock

explained. “Not only does Drivewyze reduce driver downtime, it also helps cut operating expenses associated with idling at weigh stations and better supports on-time deliveries.”

Vidlock noted that the bottom-line benefits to Hayes Transport and its drivers were immediately apparent. In one month, at an average of nine bypasses per truck, the carrier cut drive time across the fleet by 28 hours. Hayes also estimates bypassing weigh stations saved more than $2,870 in one month.

Vidlock also sees consistency in a customer base as key to the company’s ongoing success. “Hayes Transport has been developing partnerships with customers to meet their transportation needs for 42 years,” he said. “With each delivery, we strive to provide excellent, professional, on-time service. Our business model allows us the flexibility to be creative in the solutions we offer while also providing personal attention with services that are customized to meet each shipper’s unique requirements.”

Founded in 1980, Hayes Transport grew from a single-truck into a large fleet with a reputation for being a reliable transportation services provider and a company that customers want to do business with. FO

Hayes Transport achieves an impressive 92% driver retention rate by prioritizing communication, competitive pay, and a family-friendly work environment.

Photo: Hayes Transport

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ALABAMA’S CONNECTION TO TRUCKING (AND ME) ROLLS ON

The band recently saw how the 18-wheelers that haul its tour equipment are made, highlighting the overlap between music and trucking. by Jade Brasher

The Alabama band stopped for a tour of a Kenworth manufacturing facility on its Roll On II Tour. The OEM and the band have a history. Kenworth has provided the trucks to haul Alabama’s tour equipment since the 1980s.

Being from Alabama, it’s interesting to think that while the band’s hits played in the background of my life, trucks have a role in Alabama’s background, too.

Alabama in the background

On Christmas mornings growing up, we never opened a single gift until we could hear Randy Owen sing the rst line of the rst track on the “Alabama Christmas” album. It became such an important part of our childhood, my sisters and I nicknamed the lead singer “Uncle Randy.” (Embarrassing, right?)

When I moved to college, I still sang along to Uncle Randy’s songs, except this time, it was usually “Dixieland Delight.”

After I left home, my parents moved to my mom’s hometown, Fort Payne, Alabama, which is also the hometown of the band’s founding members: Randy Owen, Jeff Cook, and Teddy Gentry. There, it’s impossible to escape the boys’ in uence.

The town’s light post banners feature the band’s logo, Alabama has a star on Fort Payne’s Walk of Fame, each band member has a statue, and then there’s the fan club where my mom loaded boxes of memorabilia onto the Alabama trailers while working there in the ’80s.

Though the band’s songs provided the soundtrack of my childhood, I didn’t think they’d play much of a role in my adult life. Then, I became a truck writer.

Alabama and trucking

Alabama’s 1984 hit “Roll On (18 Wheeler)” usually places high on trucking playlists. I was reminded of this song once when my coworkers and

I wondered what the average American calls a tractor-trailer. “Roll on, 18-wheeler, roll on!” rang in my head, and I offered up my answer.

Though we concluded that there is no of cial term, I found it funny that Alabama songs had wandered into my professional life. And now, they’re back again! (Thank you, Kenworth!)

Teddy Gentry’s son Josh accompanied the band through its facility tour. Kenworth notes that as a child, Josh was thrilled whenever he rode in a tour truck, and his love for trucks persisted. He now drives the Alabama Kenworth.

While I may feel personally connected to the band, I have no real connection to it. But I do have a connection to trucking. No matter your job background, trucking has its connections with every aspect of life—from trips to the grocery store to our favorite bands and even to our childhoods. FO

Teddy Gentry with son Josh Gentry, driver of Alabama’s Kenworth T680

Photos: Kenworth

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