Hello everyone, I’d like to thank those who were able to attend our recent board meeting in Pierre, both online and in person. The meeting was very productive, coming on the heels of a very successful hunt at our annual SDTA and SDADA Pheasant Hunt.
The SDTA board is very appreciative and thankful for Senator Mike Rounds allowing us to hunt on his land and would also like to thank Justin Larson for guiding and providing dogs for the hunt. Everyone who attended the hunt had a great time.
In trucking news, non-domiciled CDLs continue to be an issue plaguing our industry, I feel. FMCSA has been trying to crack down on states and how they issue these licenses, but that has now been stayed by the D.C. Circuit Court, and enforcement has been halted while litigation proceeds. I think the crackdown was warranted, along with the ELP enforcement, because of safety concerns with these drivers, considering the recent high-profile, deadly crashes. I think all involved need to do better in screening these applicants, and I hope that this can get litigated quickly so these drivers are not able to slip through the cracks.
I would like to remind all SDTA members about our upcoming legislative receptions coming up on December 4th in Rapid City and December 11th in Sioux Falls. This is a great time to meet with our legislators and voice our concerns to them. Hope to see many of you there.
Safe travels,
Justin Anders Anders Trucking dispatch@anderstrucking.com
Update SDTA’s Mailing Address
We have discontinued the use of our PO Box. Please ensure this update is communicated to the appropriate team members so that our address change is properly reflected in your records.
Moving forward, all mail should be sent to our physical address at:
Acrisure Truck Group consultants are experts in the coverage of all size trucks and farm equipment, so we know the risks and liabilities to make sure you are fully covered. We have four locations in South Dakota to serve you and your truck insurance needs—Pierre, Mitchell, Rapid City and Sioux Falls.
SDTA STAFF
Christine Vinatieri-Erickson President christine@southdakotatrucking.com
Michelle Wells Member Manager michelle@southdakotatrucking.com
As we look ahead to another year with the South Dakota Trucking Association, I want to pause and recognize the dedication, resilience, and character of the men and women who keep our industry moving. Every day, our drivers, dispatchers, safety professionals, mechanics, office teams, and business partners work tirelessly to keep South Dakota connected. It is truly an honor to serve an industry built on grit, service, and pride.
At SDTA, our mission remains rooted in advocacy, safety, education, and strengthening the community that powers our state’s trucking operations. This year, we continue to elevate our presence at the Capitol, ensuring the voices of our members are heard clearly and consistently. Your involvement and support make this work possible, and I am deeply grateful to each of you who stands behind our shared goals.
Many of our SDTA members recently enjoyed an incredible pheasant hunt sponsored by Justin Larson with Acrisure. We harvested 49 birds across three fields, all under perfect weather with even better company. We were also honored to have Senator Mike Rounds join us for the day.
During our SDTA Board meetings in Fort Pierre earlier this November, we took time to reflect on our fiscal progress and the work we’ve accomplished together. We continue to modernize and streamline our processes, and I look forward to building on that momentum. We were proud to welcome two new board members: Bailey Johnson with JFI and Jeff Peterson with Blachowske Truck Lines.
The 2026 legislative session is fast approaching. During our board meeting, we discussed the political landscape and several anticipated bills that may impact the trucking industry. Non-Domiciled CDLs remain a prominent topic, and we expect to see related legislation this session. We also plan to pursue tort reform once again, focused on third-party transparency—an effort that met resistance last year but one we are determined to refine and advance.
We are also entering a period of membership rebuild and are calling on each of you for support. If you interact with other trucking companies, please ask whether they are members of SDTA. If you work with vendors who may benefit from joining, send them our way—we would love the opportunity to share what SDTA has to offer. We will be actively reaching out, making calls, and hitting the pavement to strengthen our membership base. We know we are Stronger Together.
Please join us for our upcoming Legislative Receptions—December 4 in Rapid City and December 11 in Sioux Falls.
Thank you for all you do. I am proud to lead this association, and even more proud to stand alongside each of you who make our industry strong.
Warm regards,
Christine Vinatieri-Erickson
WilliamGeorge
William George, Trimac Transportation, Inc., Rapid City, SD, was selected as the November 2025 Driver of the Month by the South Dakota Safety Management Council.
William has been a professional driver for over 23 years and has been with Trimac for four years. Over the course of his career, he has safely logged more than 2.5 million miles without a single accident or traffic violation—an accomplishment that speaks to his exceptional skill and dedication.
Known for his strong customer service and reliable teamwork, William is always ready to lend a hand. He’s the go-to person when extra work needs to be done, and his positive attitude makes him a favorite among both customers and fellow drivers.
William’s versatility is another key asset. He hauls dry bulk, tankers, and side dumps, and he brings additional expertise from previously owning a towing company and operating heavy equipment.
The South Dakota Trucking Association joins the Safety Management Council in congratulating William George on being selected as the November 2025 Driver of the Month.
nomination form & rules can be found online at www.southdakotatrucking.com under the
We offer high-quality, low-cost CDL training options in the South Dakota region that are available online from any device. Our curriculum is fully compliant with the current FMCSA ELDT Training standards, and we are a member in good standing of the Training Provider Registry as a Theory provider.
To learn about our fully-online, FMCSA-compliant CDL Theory program and how you can join our trainee to employee pipeline, call the SDTA office at 605-334-8871 or go to www.southdakotatrucking.com
DECEMBER 4, 2025
West River Legislative Reception
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Hyatt Place Rapid City, SD
DECEMBER 11 , 2025
East River Legislative Reception
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Minervas | Lower Level Sioux Falls, SD
FEBRUARY 9, 2026
SDTA/SDADA Joint Executive Committee Meeting
4:00 p.m.
Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center Pierre, SD
FEBRUARY 9, 2026
SDTA and SDADA Annual Legislative Reception
6:00 p.m.
Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center Pierre, SD
FEBRUARY 10, 2026
SDTA Winter Executive Committee Meeting
10:00 a.m.
Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center Pierre, SD
FEBRUARY 10, 2026
SDTA Winter Board of Directors Meeting
12:30 p.m.
Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center Pierre, SD
MAY 7, 2026
SDTA Spring/Summer Executive Committee Meeting
10:00 a.m.
AmericInn Chamberlain, SD
MAY 7, 2026
SDTA Spring/Summer Board of Directors Meeting
1:00 p.m.
AmericInn Chamberlain, SD
MAY 7, 2026
Social Hour, Dinner and Calcutta for the Annual Cliff Tjaden Fishing Event
6:00 p.m.
AmericInn Chamberlain, SD
MAY 8, 2026
Annual Cliff Tjaden Fishing Event
7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Cedar Shore Marina Oacoma, SD
MAY 16, 2026
SD Truck Driving Championships
7:00 a.m.
Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SD
JUNE 4-7, 2026
Wheel Jam Truck Show
State Fairgrounds Huron, SD
JULY 9, 2026
SDTA East River Golf Event
9:00 a.m.
Brandon Golf Course Brandon, SD
AUGUST 11-15, 2026
National Truck Driving Championships
David L. Lawrence Convention Center Pittsburgh, PA
SEPTEMBER 1-3, 2026
SDTA 91st Annual Convention
Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel & Casino Deadwood, SD
SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2026
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
Annual Pheasant Hunt and SDTA Fall Board Meeting Held in Pierre, November 13th and 14th
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 Fall Board Meeting and Pheasant Hunt!
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: Senator Rounds and Acrisure Truck Group for hosting the pheasant hunt. Rob May, Wells Fargo Advisors, for providing lunch at the board meeting.
Deadwood, S.D. – The South Dakota Highway Patrol is proud to announce Trooper Joseph Peterson has been named 2024 Trooper of the Year, and Inspector Kelly Oxender has been named 2024 Motor Carrier Inspector of the Year. These awards are one of the Highway Patrol's highest honors and recognize the outstanding contributions of Trooper Peterson and Inspector Oxender in keeping South Dakota a safe place to live, work, visit, and raise a family. The awards were presented by Governor Larry Rhoden.
Trooper Peterson has been with the Highway Patrol nearly 11 years and is stationed in Sioux Falls. Trooper Peterson is well-respected due to his high drive, work ethic, teamwork, community involvement and steadfast dedication to the agency. He is a subject matter expert in many areas and serves as a senior crash reconstructionist and drug recognition expert instructor. Despite these extra duties he is still one of the top contributors to highway safety through his enforcement efforts on our highways.
Inspector Kelly Oxender has been with the Motor Carrier Services division of the South Dakota Highway Patrol since 2022. Inspector Oxender is known as a hard-working Motor Carrier Inspector and a person of great character, integrity, and a team player. Last year she completed over 800 commercial motor vehicle inspections. Inspector Oxender also excels at training others while continually striving to expand her own knowledge. Her co-workers say she has an eye for detail and a strong drive for excellence. Inspector Oxender puts the safety of her fellow inspectors, the citizens of South Dakota, and those traveling through our state as top priority.
"The South Dakota Highway Patrol is proud to recognize Trooper Peterson and Inspector Oxender for their remarkable work in 2024," said Colonel Casey Collins, Superintendent of the Highway Patrol.
The awards were presented this week at the 13th Annual Highway Patrol Awards Ceremony in Deadwood, which featured Governor Larry Rhoden as the keynote speaker. “Our troopers and inspectors are on the front lines, keeping our state strong, safe, and free,” Governor Rhoden said. “They are held to high standards and represent the state well.”
The South Dakota Trucking Association, South Dakota Auto Dealers Association, and AAA of South Dakota sponsored the event.
The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. Reprinted from News.SD.gov.
L to R: Trooper Joseph Peterson, Col. Casey Collins, Robert Perry, DPS Cabinet Secretary, Gov. Larry Rhoden, Inspector Kelly Oxender, Gene Williams, SDTA Board, Jim Maciejewski, SDTA Executive Committee, Representative from AAA of Rapid City and Ryan Junek, SDADA Executive Committee.
SDTA congratulates Trooper Joseph Peterson and Inspector Kelly Oxender on their outstanding achievements and well-deserved recognition.
Gov. Larry Rhoden and Col. Casey Collins present Trooper Joseph Peterson with the Trooper of the Year award.
Inspector Kelly Oxender accepts the SDHP Motor Carrier Inspector of the Year Award from Governor Rhoden and Col. Casey Collins.
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DOT Sets Sights on CDL Mills After Safety Audit Findings
FMCSA Promises Consequences for Companies Disregarding Safety Regulations
Noël Fletcher | Staff Reporter | Transport Topics
The Department of Transportation is coming after companies that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said are issuing commercial driver licenses to poorly trained individuals who do not possess the skills necessary to operate safely on U.S. roads, and who in some cases are in the country illegally.
“We are going to go after CDL mills that are issuing licenses across the country, sending a certification into our state DOTs saying that you have a qualified individual to drive a big rig and licensed in your state. The truth is they are not,” Duffy said Oct. 30, citing a term used to describe driver training schools whose regimens and standards are under growing scrutiny amid a recent string of fatal truck crashes. “We are going to take a hard look at those individuals and there will be serious consequences for them.”
Duffy made the comments after reviewing the preliminary findings of a nationwide Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audit of state processes for issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver licenses and commercial learner permits.
The audit, which began June 27 and is near completion, has uncovered the following issues:
• States have issued CDLs and CLPs to people designated as U.S. citizens who are either foreign residents or in the U.S. illegally.
• States have issued CDLs and CLPs to people who lack a work permit.
In some cases, Duffy said drivers are outright flouting the law.
“We have a number of drivers with no driver’s license at all,” he said. “They’re just getting behind the wheel of a big rig and operating it. And we’re seeing the consequences of that. We’re seeing more crashes — more death on American roadways. And so the question becomes what are we going to do?”
Fleets on Notice
He also promised to pursue companies that hire drivers with questionable training or immigration status.
“We are diving into the companies that hire these drivers that may not have a license, may not have a lawfully issued license or do not speak the language. Companies will be held to account,” Duffy said. “It’s our job in this department to make sure that people are safe. They expect us to look out for their safety. That means we have to use every tool we have to make sure we get compliance with these rules so Americans can feel safe when they go on the roadways and we have well-trained, skillful drivers of these big rigs that aren’t going to take their or their family members’ life.”
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs reiterated the importance of having safe, qualified professional drivers on the nation’s roads. He said FMCSA will soon announce actions to ensure entry-level driver training schools are adhering to federal regulations.
“If you do not want to follow our standards, then you need to stay out of the profession,” Barrs said. “As the administrator of FMCSA, I want to make this perfectly clear to the driver training schools, if you are not following the rules and you’re not doing the things that you’re supposed to be doing, we’re going to ensure that we put you out of business. We’re going to come after you.”
American Trucking Associations thanked Duffy and FMCSA for their efforts to root out CDL mills and uphold ATA’s firm stance to promote safety through enhancing training, testing and licensing standards for CDL holders.
“Proper driver training is the baseline for highway safety, which is why we commend Secretary Duffy and Administrator Barrs for closing dangerous loopholes, enforcing existing regulations and ensuring that only qualified, well-trained drivers are operating on our nation’s roadways,” said ATA President Chris Spear. “Thanks to their leadership, we are making significant strides to root out bad actors and ensure every new commercial driver receives high-quality, consistent training before getting behind the wheel.”
Reprinted from Transport Topics.
EPA Won't Delay 2027 NOx Rule, But Plans 'Major Changes'
Jason Cannon | Chief Editor | Commercial Carrier Journal
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with the 2027 timeline for its heavy-duty NOx rule—currently set to take effect with the 2027 model year—but says changes are in store.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA), National Tank Truck Carriers, Truckload Carriers Association, and 49 state trucking associations in August penned a letter to EPA, asking the regulator to push implementation to 2031, citing "substantial compliance costs and operational burdens at a time when the trucking industry is already contending with historically difficult market conditions."
Administrator Lee Zeldin in March announced EPA was reevaluating the Biden-era 2022 Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle rule that regulates oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and other emissions beginning with Model Year 2027.
EPA told CCJ on Monday the agency continues to reevaluate the rule and plans to propose a rule in the spring of 2026 that will take effect the following model year.
"If finalized," EPA said, "the action will make major changes to the program requirements while maintaining the Model Year 2027 start of the standards, which can significantly reduce the cost of new heavy-duty vehicles, while still protecting human health and the environment, and avoiding regulatory distortions of the heavy-duty vehicle market."
A spokesperson for Daimler Truck North America told CCJ Monday that the company appreciates EPA's efforts to reduce costs while maintaining a focus on air quality and legislative consistency, adding "[This] announcement provides the regulatory certainty needed for effective production planning and customer support."
The new limits currently tighten tailpipe NOx emissions to a level 80%-plus below the current standard and reduce the particulate matter limit by 50%. The agency also will require that OEMs extend warranties to 450,000 miles from 100,000 and useful life limits to 650,000 miles from 435,000 miles.
EPA did not disclose plans for its 2026 revised proposal, but the extended warranty has been cited by OEMs as a major driver of increased costs for MY2027 trucks. Given that EPA expects its changes to the current NOx regulations to drive down costs, warranty provisions are likely to be affected.
The standards require heavy-duty commercial vehicles to limit nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to 0.035 grams per horsepower-hour during normal operation, 0.050 grams at low load, and 10.0 grams at idle, and will also increase the useful life of gov-
erned vehicles by 1.5 to 2.5 times and yield emissions warranties that are 2.8 to 4.5 times longer — provisions that guarantee that as vehicles age, they will continue to meet EPA’s more stringent emissions standards for a longer period of time.
The 1,153-page rule also requires manufacturers to better ensure that vehicle engines and emission control systems work properly on the road, including demonstrating that engines are designed to prevent drivers and fleets from tampering with emission controls by limiting tamper-prone access to electronic pollution controls.
The decision to remain on course is somewhat of a reversal in recent emissions policy that has seen EPA dismantle California’s vehicle emissions standards, target for repeal the Endangerment Finding — which would roll back the Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 rule — and help unravel the Clean Truck Partnership between California and truck and engine manufacturers.
ATA Vice President of Energy and Environmental Affairs Patrick Kelly noted that while the ATA appreciates the EPA's efforts to reevaluate heavy-duty engine and vehicle standards to reduce costs for new trucks—"action [that] will help preserve trucking jobs and keep freight moving safely and efficiently," he said—he also encouraged the EPA to implement flexibilities to reduce the cost and complexity of the Biden-era rule.
"Heavy-duty truck emissions have been reduced by 99% since 1970, and further reducing NOx by over 80% requires costly new emissions control equipment that remains untested in the marketplace," he added. "The underlying 2027 implementation timeline raises serious concerns for America's truckers, as the rule is likely to drive up equipment prices at a time when the nation's motor carriers are already bracing for steep increases."
Reprinted from the Commercial Carrier Journal.
(Shutterstock)
W hy an Appeals Court Paused FMCSA’s Non-Domiciled CDL Order
Judges Say the Agency Skipped Required Steps, Lacked Safety Evidence
A federal appeals court on Nov. 13 blocked a new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rule that would sharply restrict states’ ability to issue or renew commercial driver licenses for drivers who live and operate commercial vehicles in the U.S. but are officially domiciled elsewhere. The decision pauses the rule while a legal challenge moves forward.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted an emergency stay, saying the petitioners challenging the rule met the “stringent requirements for a stay pending court review.”
The petitioners include individual truck drivers and multiple labor organizations. The lead petitioner is Jorge Rivera Lujan, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient who runs a trucking business and has held a non-domiciled CDL for 11 years but was unable to renew it due to the rule.
The court also dissolved an earlier administrative stay that had been in place since Nov. 10, and allowed several industry groups to file friend-of-the-court briefs supporting both sides.
CDL Eligibility
FMCSA’s interim final rule, published Sept. 29, limited non-domiciled CDLs to individuals holding specific visa classifications — H-2A (temporary agricultural workers), H-2B (temporary non-agricultural workers) or E-2 (foreign investors from treaty countries) — instead of a broader range of immigration documents previously accepted.
The court noted that the agency “narrowed the circumstances in which states may grant or renew” non-domiciled CDLs. Historically, these licenses are held by drivers who live and work in the U.S. but maintain legal domicile abroad.
Notifying States
The court indicated that the petitioners are likely to succeed on several arguments, including a claim that FMCSA issued the rule without following a statutory requirement to consult with states before setting CDL standards.
FMCSA had argued that consultation was “not practicable” because of time constraints and that compliance costs for states would not be “substantial.” However, the court said the law “contains no exceptions for insubstantial costs or impracticability,” and added that the agency “conceded in the rulemaking that the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act subjects this rule to the state-consultation requirement.”
The court indicated that the petitioners are likely to succeed on several arguments. (simonkr/Getty Images)
Safety Rationale
The court also signaled skepticism toward the agency’s justification for issuing the rule without a customary notice-and-comment period that allows public input. While FMCSA invoked an emergency “good cause” exception based on safety concerns to advance the rule, the judges pointed to the agency’s own admission that it lacked “sufficient evidence, derived from well-designed, rigorous, quantitative analyses, to reliably demonstrate a measurable empirical relationship between the nation of domicile for a CDL driver and safety outcomes in the United States.”
The order also highlighted FMCSA figures showing that non-domiciled CDL holders represent about 5% of all CDL drivers but account for approximately 0.2% of fatal crashes. According to the court, the agency’s projection that less-experienced drivers would replace those removed by the rule raised further questions about whether the change would result in any “net safety benefit.”
More broadly, the court said the petitioners are also likely to prevail on a claim that the rule was arbitrary and capricious — a legal standard meaning the agency acted unreasonably or without proper justification — stressing that FMCSA did not appear to offer a sufficient explanation for how the change would improve road safety.
The panel wrote that FMCSA “does not appear to have ‘articulate[d] a satisfactory explanation’ for how the rule would promote safety,” adding that the agency did not adequately account for the “serious reliance interests” of drivers who already hold non-domiciled CDLs and have built their livelihoods around them.
The order cited FMCSA’s expectation that displaced drivers could find “similar employment in other sectors” with “some de minimis costs,” but said the rulemaking offered no evidence to support those assumptions.
Judge Dissents Over Safety
Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson dissented from the majority, arguing that an emergency stay was not appropriate and that the issues should instead be resolved through an expedited merits process.
She wrote that FMCSA acted to close what it viewed as a safety gap involving drivers with foreign driving histories that states cannot easily verify. According to the dissent, the agency concluded that allowing drivers with “unchecked driving histories” to operate commercial trucks and buses in the U.S. posed a “serious risk.”
The dissent also pointed to past spikes in CDL applications when changes were announced in advance, specifically citing a surge before February 2022 training requirements took effect. Henderson said FMCSA had reasonable grounds to believe early notice of this rule could produce a similar “concentrated surge” of applications from drivers who would later become ineligible.
What’s Next
The stay blocks the new restrictions nationwide while the underlying cases proceed. Until the court issues a decision on the merits, states may continue issuing and renewing non-domiciled CDLs under the prior federal rules.
Some states, however, have already amended their CDL rules.
The lawsuit now moves into full briefing and argument, where the legality of the interim final rule will be considered in greater depth. The court has not set a timeline for its final decision.
Reprinted from Transport Topics.
(O2O Creative/Getty Images)
Trucking Increasingly Weary Over Lawsuit Abuse and Insurance
Economy Ranks as Top Concern for Third Straight Year
Connor D. Wolf | Staff Reporter | Transport Topics
A turbulent economic outlook continues to top the list of trucking industry concerns in 2025, with lawsuit abuse and insurance availability trending up, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
The 2025 ATRI Top Industry Issues report, released Oct. 26, found that the economy was the top concern among industry stakeholders for the third year in a row. Lawsuit abuse reform and insurance availability each rose one spot to second and third, and four new issues debuted among the top 10 concerns.
“We’re in the third year of this extended freight recession and the pain is real,” A&M Transport President Andy Owens said. “Operating costs climbed to their highest ever at the same time that freight pricing has bottomed out. ATRI’s annual analysis is so critical for our industry to not only quantify the issues, but more importantly, to understand what we can collectively do as an industry to address each.”
The economy earned an index rating of 100. The report highlighted how the industry already had endured two years of reduced freight demand and rates when tariffs became an issue again. President Donald Trump has pursued them as a cornerstone of his trade strategy, and increased costs and uncertainty have burdened an already strained freight industry.
Lawsuit abuse reform came in second at 71.6, with insurance cost and availability following at 69. Lawsuit abuse reform has now reached its highest ranking in the 21 years it has been
included in the survey. This was followed by truck parking at 62.5; driver compensation at 59; compliance, safety, accountability at 53.4; and English-language proficiency for drivers at 52.8.
The survey this year included more than 4,200 trucking industry stakeholders, a 14% increase over last year. More than 46% of respondents were motor carrier executives and personnel, 30% were truck drivers and 23% were various industry stakeholders such as suppliers, driver trainers and law enforcement.
The lack of available truck parking dropped two spots this year. Driver training standards, at No. 9, made the list for the first time since its introduction as an option in 2019. It ranked seventh among driver respondents. Compensation, truck parking and English-language proficiency were the top three concerns among truck drivers. Motor carriers ranked the economy, lawsuit abuse reform and insurance cost and availability as their top three.
The four issues that emerged on the top 10 list were English-language proficiency for drivers at No. 7, diesel emissions regulations at No. 8, driver training standards at No. 9 and artificial intelligence in trucking at No. 10.
Driver training standards, which has been a top issue among truck drivers since 2019, illustrate how the industry is increasingly immersed in automation and electronic transactions across many aspects of the supply chain.
Transnational criminal groups are disrupting freight, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said at MCE 2025.
David Taube | Reporter | Trucking Dive
Complex cargo thefts are fooling supply chains, and the problem is becoming increasingly sophisticated, American Trucking Associations SVP and Chief Economist Bob Costello noted at a 2025 Management Conference & Exhibition panel in October.
International crime rings are stealing freight in the U.S., Costello said, and people in these organizations understand the industry enough to convince drivers to divert freight to different dropoff sites — even when a driver suspects something is amiss.
At his MCE address, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said transnational criminal organization “attack our companies and identify the most high-value freight available, delivering it to dummy drop sites and making it nearly impossible to track.”
In June, the nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau estimated that cargo thefts will increase 22% this year, up from historic highs.
A bombshell report from the American Transportation Research Institute last month found that cargo theft may have dealt an estimated financial blow of between $1.8 billion to $6.6 billion in direct and indirect costs in 2023.
Strategic thefts, defined by the ATRI report as planned or targeted attacks, are standing out, according to Cheryl Garcia, SVP of government transportation at U.S. Bank, who spoke alongside Costello for the panel “Strategic Perspectives for Carriers in Uncertain Times.” Such cargo thefts increased from less than 9% of incidents in 2022 to 25% in 2023, per ATRI.
The organizational structure of certain criminal networks can mean that even when a cargo theft issue is addressed, it still continues. Fellow panelist Amy Horn, a director of intermodal pricing at J.B. Hunt Transport Services, said her company has caught people in a crime, only for them to post bail and repeat a crime within 24 hours.
Additionally, criminals are diverting freight through cyber-enabled schemes more than any other strategic theft method, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association noted last month in feedback to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Trucks parked at a truck stop near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Cargo theft can result in billions of dollars in direct and indirect losses in a single year, according to recent research by the American Transportation Research Institute. (Getty Images)
Hijackers can create lookalike website addresses of legitimate load boards, pretend to be load board representatives and manipulate unsecured or outdated telematics systems to reroute shipments, the NMFTA noted in its comments and a theft prevention guide.
“Cyber-enabled cargo theft is a dynamic and complex threat, but it is not insurmountable,” the NMFTA’s guide said. “Threat actors will continue to adapt with new tactics, from phishing schemes and ransomware to identity theft and insider collusion.”
But transportation businesses can significantly reduce their risk exposure, the NMFTA said.
Earlier this year, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida arrested four individuals after detectives found a pattern of thefts with electronic control modules of Freightliners at short-term storage lots, law enforcement said.
“There’s a strong secondary market for ECMs,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a news conference in July, noting the devices can sell from $3,000 to $10,000 a piece. “They would take them and sell them to a broker in Texas, who would wipe them clean.”
The organized crime ring responsible caused $776,000 in losses, officials said.
Reprinted from Trucking Dive.
The Regulation Blocking Driverless Trucks
Mark Schremmer | Sr. Editor | Land Line Autonomous trucking companies wanting to go completely driverless have been impeded by a federal regulation requiring truck drivers to place warning devices around the truck when stopped on the shoulder of a highway.
Now, a technology company wants not only an exemption but for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to issue a rulemaking that allows alternative alert systems to be used on commercial vehicles.
In a petition posted to Regulations.gov on Nov. 12, IMAMS (Intelligent Motorist Alert Messaging System) Technology told FMCSA that Regulation 49 CFR 392.22(b)(1) is the “one thing standing in (autonomous trucks’) way from being truly driverless.”
What is the Regulation?
The rule, which aims to alert other drivers when a commercial motor vehicle is stopped, requires the driver to take immediate action.
Whenever a commercial motor vehicle is stopped upon the traveled portion or the shoulder of a highway for any cause other than necessary traffic stops, the driver shall, as soon as possible, but in any event within 10 minutes, place the warning devices … in the following manner:
• One on the traffic side and four paces – approximately 10 feet – from the stopped commercial motor vehicle in the direction of approaching traffic
• One at 40 paces – approximately 100 feet – from the stopped commercial motor vehicle in the center of the traffic lane or shoulder occupied by the commercial motor vehicle and in the direction of approaching traffic
• One at 40 paces from the stopped commercial motor vehicle in the center of the traffic lane or shoulder occupied by the commercial motor vehicle and in the direction away from approaching traffic
Of course, that regulation doesn’t work for autonomous trucking companies that want to eliminate the expense of a human truck
driver. That has led to multiple exemption requests in recent years.
In 2023, Aurora asked the FMCSA for an exemption to operate driverless trucks equipped with warning beacons mounted on the truck cab instead of traditional warning devices. In December 2024, FMCSA denied that request, saying the exemption “lacks necessary monitoring controls to ensure highway safety.”
Earlier this year, Aurora filed a lawsuit over the denial, saying it would “impede the development of the autonomous trucking industry for no valid or lawful reason.”
Then in October, Aurora announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation gave it permission to use warning beacons instead of traditional warning devices. Although an exemption has still not been published in the Federal Register, the lawsuit was officially dismissed on Oct. 24.
While Aurora appears to be the first company to receive an exemption from the warning device regulation, it certainly won’t be the last to ask for one. In August, Emergency Safety Solutions asked the FMCSA for a five-year exemption from regulations requiring drivers to place warning device triangles around a stopped commercial motor vehicle.
IMAMS’ Request
IMAMS’ technology consists of a “Dynamic Digital LED Directive Messaging Sign” that is securely mounted atop the rear doors and front dash of tractor-trailers and large commercial trucks. When an autonomous vehicle becomes disabled and activates its emergency flashers, it would trigger IMAMS’ technology. The tech could also be retrofitted for non-autonomous commercial motor vehicles.
“IMAMS represents a significant advancement in roadway safety for both autonomous and driver-operated commercial vehicles,” IMAMS owner Paul Hutchins wrote. “Its immediate, dynamic warning capabilities, combined with its integration of public safety communications and economic benefits, make it a safe, effective and forward-thinking alternative to traditional warning devices.”
Under the request, autonomous commercial vehicles equipped with IMAMS would be exempt from the current warning device regulation. Additionally, IMAMS asked the agency to consider a future rulemaking that “IMAMS, or similar intelligent safety alert systems, to be used on all commercial vehicles as an approved option for disabled vehicle warnings and dynamic safety announcements.”
Opposition
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been vocal about its concerns regarding autonomous vehicles.
“One of the central problems today is that regulators are often presented with research that presumes AVs will be safer than human drivers simply because, under narrow and carefully controlled circumstances, AVs may show advantages,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed in October by President Todd Spencer. “USDOT should support research that proves – rather than presumes – safety for AVs, with particular attention to automated heavy trucks operating in mixed traffic. Because rare, high-severity crashes cannot be ruled out by accumulating ordinary on-road miles, alternative evidence is required. Evaluation should therefore rely on structured safety cases, validated scenario testing, clearly defined safety metrics and independent review …”
OOIDA also opposed previous warning device exemption requests. In 2023, OOIDA said that warning beacons wouldn’t work if the vehicle was stopped within 500 feet of a curve.
“Waymo/Aurora do not discuss any backup warning systems that can be implemented if and when an automated truck experiences any type of failure where the lights or beacons can no longer function,” OOIDA wrote in 2023. “Again, we continue to see too many instances where autonomous vehicle technology does not perform the way it is designed, which further jeopardizes safety performance. Reflective triangles and flares are not reliant on technology systems that are so vulnerable to disruptions.” LL
Reprinted from Land Line.
Court Kneecaps California’s Bid to Enforce Dead Truck Emission Rules
Tyson Fisher | Associate Editor | Land Line Hits to California’s clean truck rules keep coming. The latest blow rips apart an agreement that would have forced truck makers to follow the rules that Congress has since invalidated.
Before President Donald Trump was reelected, the trucking industry had been sounding the alarm on California’s vehicle emission rules. On Day 1 of his second term, President Donald Trump vowed to eliminate the “electric vehicle mandate.”
Congress responded by passing three Congressional Review Act resolutions that killed Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks and the Omnibus Low NOx regulations. Trump’s signature was supposed to seal their fate. However, California pressed on.
Immediately after California’s emission rules were reversed, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order directing the state to move forward with zero-emission policies. That includes rewarding manufacturers that comply with the state’s now-defunct emission standards.
California also filed a lawsuit challenging the controversial Congressional Review Act resolutions. Shortly after, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued an advisory to manufacturers letting them know they do not have to comply with its emission rules. However, they may be enforced retroactively if the state’s challenge prevails.
Despite a clear directive from the federal government that California’s clean truck rules are no longer valid, there was still a question of whether truck manufacturers are on the hook to follow them.
That’s because of a signed agreement between them and CARB.
In July 2023, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) –including Daimler, International, Paccar and Volvo – reached a deal with CARB called the Clean Truck Partnership. In exchange for longer lead times and looser NOx emission rules, OEMs agreed they would follow the stricter emission standards regardless of the state’s authority to implement them. Manufacturers also agreed not to challenge those rules, including supporting a third party that does.
In August, the Department of Justice issued OEMs a cease-anddesist letter ordering them to ignore the Clean Truck Partnership. The DOJ said the agreement violates federal law. A few days later, the Federal Trade Commission closed an antitrust probe into the agreement after OEMs agreed to ignore it.
However, Newsom’s executive order and CARB’s advisory still posed a threat. OEMs then sued California, claiming the Clean Truck Partnership is unlawful. On Halloween, they got a treat from the court.
Judge Dena Coggins has granted the OEMs’ request to bar California from enforcing the Clean Truck Partnership while litigation is ongoing.
By putting the agreement on ice, Judge Coggins, a President Joe Biden appointee, has effectively kneecapped California’s last-ditch effort to hold onto its emission rules.
California tried to argue that the OEMs face no harm from continuing to comply with the Clean Truck Partnership because they have already decided not to comply anyway. CARB pointed to statements the OEM sent to the FTC about ignoring the deal.
That argument would have held up, but California accidentally shot itself in the foot. Just days before the hearing, CARB filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against the OEMs. That lawsuit seeks to force the OEMs to comply with CARB’s standards per the Clean Truck Partnership.
“At the time defendants raised these arguments in their opposition brief, there may have been some persuasive weight to them,” Coggins states in the order. “But whatever weight those arguments may have carried has since evaporated, and Defendants’ arguments now ring hollow.”
Evaporating with CARB’s legal arguments are any hopes of it implementing its emission rules. With the Clean Truck Partnership symbolizing its last leg to stand on, California will need a victory in its case challenging congressional resolutions. LL Reprinted from Land Line.
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CDL Bill Aims to Stop Illegals, Goes After Trucking Companies
Mark Schremmer | Sr. Editor | Land Line There is another bill in Congress aimed at preventing “illegal immigrants” from receiving a CDL.
The candidly named No CDLs for Illegals Act was introduced by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., on Oct. 28.
HR5863 would require CDL candidates to present proof of citizenship, lawful permanent resident status or a valid work authorization document. The bill would prohibit a state from issuing a CDL to an individual who is not domiciled in the state, and it would require states to use the SAVE system to verify a non-citizen applicant’s immigration status. States would be obligated to deny any applicants if the SAVE system doesn’t confirm lawful presence in the United States.
Additionally, the bill would allow the Secretary of Transportation to suspend funds from states that improperly issue CDLs.
The No CDLs for Illegals Act also takes aim at trucking companies that hire drivers with invalid licenses. HR5863 would direct the DOT to issue a rulemaking that would fine motor carriers that knowingly employ drivers who don’t hold a valid CDL.
Other Bills
In recent months, multiple bills have been introduced to address the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs.
The Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act, or HR5688, would simply implement the Trump administration’s emergency interim final rule into law. HR5688 was introduced by Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., on Oct. 3.
The interim final rule, as well as Rouzer’s bill, would drastically reduce the number of non-domiciled CDLs that can be issued. An Employment Authorization
Document (EAD) would no longer be enough to obtain a non-domiciled CDL. Additionally, asylum seekers, asylees, refugees and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients would be excluded from eligibility. The majority of current non-domiciled CDL-holders possess an EAD.
Rouzer’s bill is significant because the DOT’s interim final rule on non-domiciled CDLs has received legal challenges and could easily be changed once a new administration takes office. Changing a law, however, would be a much more difficult hurdle to overcome. HR5688 already has more than 30 co-sponsors.
On Sept. 30, Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, introduced the Protecting America’s Roads Act. HR5670 would create additional requirements before a CDL can be issued to a non-U.S. citizen. LL
Reprinted from Land Line.
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Three States Toying with Truck Weight Changes
Keith Goble | State Legislative Editor | Land Line Statehouses regularly revisit how heavy trucks can roll.
Legislative efforts on truck weight often focus on a particular commodity, such as construction materials, agricultural products, or milk. In other instances, attention can be centered on increasing weight limits for all trucks.
Multiple states have acted this year to increase weight limits for certain types of trucks.
Despite some claims that increased truck size and weight limits provide benefits that include decreased congestion and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is opposed to heavier trucks.
OOIDA points out that studies conducted by the Transportation Research Board and the U.S. Department of Transportation validate concerns about heavier trucks.
Illinois
An Illinois truck weight bill headed to the governor authorizes heavier trucks powered by alternative fuels.
In 2015, Congress passed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. The act raised the weight limit for natural gas and electric battery-powered tractor-trailers to 82,000 pounds.
The federal act authorizes states to raise the weight limit on interstates within their borders.
The Illinois Senate voted 44-8 last month to advance legislation that would do the same for electric-powered trucks or hydrogen-fueled trucks. The state already permits the additional weight for natural gas-powered trucks.
Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, said it is a challenge to balance between clean energy and road damage.
“We’re trying to balance infrastructure transportation with trying to use alternative methods that can lower carbon emissions,” Loughran Cappel said on the Senate floor. “This is one way that one of the manufacturing businesses in my district has decided to help and have a greener footprint.”
Critics voiced concern that heavier trucks are causing more road damage without contributing more to the state’s road fund.
“Those trucks you were talking about are running diesel. They’re paying into the fund,” said Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville. “These trucks aren’t, right, and the same damage is being done to our bridges. The same culverts are being
crushed. The same asphalt roads are being destroyed, and we’re not getting the funding to fix them.”
HB2394 next moves to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. House lawmakers already approved the truck weight bill on a 75-37 vote.
Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers acted earlier this year to address truck weight.
The new law directly benefits concrete and solid waste haulers.
The state increased the maximum gross truck weight for concrete haulers to 64,000 pounds. The rule applies to vehicles with three-axle configurations. The rule revision also applies to solid waste transport vehicles.
A maximum gross weight limit of 72,000 pounds is applied for vehicles with four-axle configurations.
The maximum axle distribution weight can be 22,000 pounds for any single axle; 48,000 pounds for any two-axle tandem; and 57,000 pounds for any three-axle tandem.
Nebraska
Milk haulers are the focus of a new Nebraska law.
LB561 creates a special permit to allow transporting raw milk from dairy farms to processing facilities to not exceed a gross weight of 107,5000 pounds.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation can grant an exception to the state’s 40-foot length rule for affected vehicles. The exception can be made if such length is “determined by NDOT to be reasonable and necessary to comply with all weight limits for single axles and groups of axles.”
Before Jan. 1, NDOT is responsible for creating a bridge map. The bridge map must show which bridges can support overweight raw-milk vehicles. Prohibited bridges that cannot hold the weight must also be identified.
The bridge map must be available on the agency’s website. The map must also be updated yearly.
Each overweight raw-milk vehicle is responsible to carry a physical or digital copy of the bridge map.
Any damage caused to a prohibited bridge by overweight raw-milk vehicles would be the financial responsibility of the hauler. LL
Reprinted from Land Line.
FMCSA to Study How Truck Driver Work Schedules Impact Crash Risk
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) plans to study how the daily work schedules of commercial vehicle drivers impact overall driver performance and fatigue.
In a notice published on November 17, 2025 FMCSA announced plans to collect data as part of the study Crash Risks by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Driver Schedules “to answer important questions related to driver schedules and how these factors impact overall driver performance and fatigue.”
The agency plans to gather data from hours of service (HOS) duty logs, accident and incident data, and inspection violations records to “examine the relative risk of crashes and inspection violations based on various factors related to the driver’s work schedule and demographics.”
“This information collection supports the DOT Strategic Goal of Safety. The preamble of FMCSA’s 2011 final HOS rule (76 FR 81134) stated that FMCSA is committed
to an analysis of the relative crash risk by driving hour, the impact of the changes in the HOS provisions, and examination of differences in crash risk after restarts that include 2 nights and those that do not. The HOS final rule also said that FMCSA would work with the OMB on the methodologies of these new statistical data collections,” FMCSA said in a preamble explaining the need for the data collection effort.
The FMCSA will accept public comment on any aspect of the data collection proposed through January 16, 2026. You can leave an online comment by following this link https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FMCSA-2025-0391-0001
Studying driver schedules could indicate that FMCSA is interested in updating current HOS rules, possibly with an eye towards providing truckers with more control of their own driving day.
Earlier this year, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced two pilot programs
to study the impact of providing truck drivers with increased HOS flexibility.
The Split Duty Period pilot program will allow participating drivers to pause their 14-hour “driving window” for no less than 30 minutes and no more than three hours.
The Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot program will allow drivers to divide their 10-hour off-duty requirement into “6/4” and “5/5” split period
The two pilots are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pro-Trucker Package, which is aimed at improving the quality of life of American truck drivers. Reprinted from CDL Life.
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