The current surface transportation authorization bill, more commonly referred to as the highway bill, is set to expire on September 30, 2026. Although that deadline is still more than a year away, the legislative groundwork is already underway. In July, the DOT invited the public to weigh in, and on August 29, OOIDA submitted a detailed 14-page response.

In its comments, signed by OOIDA President Todd Spencer, the Association praised recent steps by the DOT but stressed the importance of Congress following through.

“OOIDA applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent actions improving working conditions for professional truckers and enhancing highway safety in a commonsense, cost-effective manner,” Spencer wrote. “Truckers now need lawmakers to embrace the new approach taken by the White House with as much energy and resolve. We believe this can be done in a bipartisan manner that promotes highway safety, improves driver recruitment and retention, and increases supply chain efficiency. Congress can make the next highway bill the most pro-trucker in history, but only if lawmakers commit to prioritizing their needs.”

What Truckers Want in the Highway Bill

Solving the Truck Parking Shortage

The shortage of safe truck parking has been a pressing issue for decades. OOIDA made clear that it will not support any highway bill that ignores this crisis. The Association is pushing for the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which allocates $755 million to create new parking spaces nationwide.

“If the next surface transportation reauthorization fails to provide dedicated funding for truck parking, but authorizes even a single penny of funding for new initiatives, OOIDA will use every tool it has to ensure the legislation is defeated,” the Association wrote.

Restroom Access for Drivers

OOIDA also wants lawmakers to include the Trucker Bathroom Access Act, ensuring drivers can use restrooms at shipper and receiver facilities.

“Having access to a restroom is one of the most basic needs for truckers,” the Association explained. “Most Americans take this need for granted and never worry about being denied restroom access where they work. Truckers, who make their living on the road, often depend on restrooms at facilities where they pick up or deliver freight. Unbelievably, professional drivers are frequently denied restroom access at these locations. While this problem affects all truckers, it is particularly burdensome for female drivers.”

Additional Measures Supported by OOIDA

Beyond parking and restrooms, OOIDA is backing several other policies, including:

• The DRIVE Act to block FMCSA from requiring speed limiters
• Stronger broker transparency rules
• The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act to fight freight fraud
• Enforcing existing English-proficiency requirements
• Suspending the non-domiciled CDL program
• Raising entry-level driver training standards
• More flexibility in hours-of-service rules
• Ending self-certification for ELD providers
• DataQ reform for fairer enforcement records
• Improvements to the National Consumer Complaint Database
• Cracking down on predatory lease-purchase programs
• Repealing the Unified Carrier Registration system

What Truckers Oppose

OOIDA also detailed several measures that would harm small-business truckers if included in the bill. Chief among them are proposals to increase truck size and weight limits beyond the current 80,000 pounds.

“OOIDA opposes controversial proposals to increase the size and weight of CMVs, which would reduce safety and adversely impact small trucking businesses,” the Association wrote. “In fact, allowing bigger and heavier trucks on our roads would only benefit shippers and a handful of large corporate motor carriers.”

Other policies OOIDA opposes include:

• Lowering the interstate driving age
• Raising minimum liability insurance requirements
• Requiring electronic identifiers or tracking devices on trucks
• Mandating side underride guards
• Truck-only VMT (vehicle miles traveled) fees
• Mandatory hair testing
• Worker classification rules tied to speed limiter mandates
• The AMERICA DRIVES Act

How to Weigh In

The Department of Transportation is still accepting comments through Monday, September 8. Anyone interested can submit feedback through Regulations.gov by entering the Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468. As of September 2, nearly 2,500 comments had already been filed.

Source: Land Line Media

Image Source: Jared Murray (Unsplash)

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Focus for 2025

This year, inspectors will place a particular emphasis on drums and rotors, performing routine checks on brake systems and components. This targeted focus aligns with CVSA’s mission to enhance road safety by ensuring the functionality and reliability of vital braking components.

Addressing Violations and Key Statistics

Vehicles with brake-related out-of-service violations or any other critical safety violations will be barred from use until the issues are resolved. According to statistics from last year’s Brake Safety Week:

• A total of 16,725 inspections were conducted.
• Out of these, 2,149 vehicles were found to have brake-related out-of-service violations, reflecting a 8% out-of-service rate.
• Among the vehicles taken out of service:
  • 1% had stand-alone brake violations.
  • 1% were cited for steering axle brake violations.

Data Collection and Analysis

Throughout the week, inspectors will capture detailed data on inspections, brake systems, and violations. Some regions will use performance-based brake testers (PBBTs) to evaluate braking efficiency and contribute data to the CVSA’s ongoing research. CVSA will analyze this data and release the findings later this year.

Importance of Brake Safety

Brake Safety Week isn’t just about inspections; it’s a collaborative effort to educate industry stakeholders. Motor carriers, drivers, owner-operators, and mechanics are encouraged to prepare using resources provided by CVSA, which include maintenance guides and tips for ensuring brake system reliability.

This initiative is a critical step toward improving road safety and reducing accidents caused by brake failures. Make sure you’re prepared and compliant before August 24!

Source: Truckers News

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CVED’s mission primarily centers on monitoring trucks exceeding 10,000 lbs., ensuring that they adhere to federal and state laws crafted specifically for large commercial vehicles. The operation addressed unsafe practices and encouraged compliance for a safer highway environment.

Results of the Operation

The enforcement blitz produced significant findings of unsafe practices among commercial vehicle operators. These results included a variety of violations, inspections, and incidents:

• Speeding Violations: 47 total (15 tickets issued and 32 warnings given)
• Seatbelt Violations: 7 instances
• Other Violations: 43 reported cases
• Criminal Defendants: 2 individuals
• Truck Inspections Conducted:
  • 29 Level 3 inspections
  • 10 Level 2 inspections
  • 3 Level 1 inspections
• Total Violations Uncovered in Inspections: 126 infractions recorded

Key Focus Areas

The operation specifically targeted the ten major causes of commercial vehicle crashes. These included:

1. Following too closely
2. Disregarding traffic control devices
3. Unsafe or improper lane changes
4. Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
5. Failure to yield
6. Operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) while fatigued or ill
7. Seatbelt non-compliance in CMVs
8. Operating a CMV with a radar detector
9. Texting while driving
10. Using a handheld cellphone in a CMV

Advancing Compliance and Awareness

During the campaign, Sgt. Dale Turner emphasized the importance of the division’s ongoing work. “The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division remains committed to ensuring commercial vehicles remain compliant with applicable laws and regulations. Focused efforts like this raise awareness and voluntary compliance with those laws and regulations,” Turner stated.

Why These Efforts Matter

These targeted enforcement measures are critical in improving highway safety by addressing crash-related behaviors at their root. By raising awareness and identifying violations, agencies like Indiana’s CVED ensure commercial vehicles operate in a way that prioritizes public safety.

Source: Truckers News
Image Source: WItz AMFM

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Federal Regulation Waivers for Relief Efforts

Federal regulations for commercial motor vehicles have been relaxed to support ongoing relief efforts. This applies to vehicles directly involved in transporting supplies or offering services vital to restoring essential goods and infrastructure. Importantly, these waivers extend to qualifying carriers or drivers regardless of the origin of their trip, provided their work directly supports the emergency response in Kentucky.

Key Notes on Direct Assistance

• Direct assistance does not include long-term reconstruction efforts or general commercial deliveries, even if a minor portion of the load consists of supplies for emergency relief.
• Assistance ends once the focus shifts from addressing immediate threats to life and property toward routine operations or infrastructure rehabilitation.
• Drivers must still adhere to hours of service regulations, requiring a 10-hour rest period after reaching a total of 14 working hours across emergency operations and everyday activities.

Motor carriers and operators currently under an out-of-service order are not permitted to operate within the scope of this emergency relief declaration.

Source: Land Line

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According to the declaration, the urgent need to transport live chickens across state lines from severely impacted regions has prompted this decision.

Several states, including California, Iowa, and Louisiana, had previously issued state-level emergency declarations regarding the bird flu. These states remain hotspots for ongoing concerns about public safety and food security. Additionally, bird flu-related risks have recently emerged in other states, further escalating the situation.

Relief for Emergency Transport Operations

The FMCSA’s declaration provides regulatory flexibility specifically for commercial motor vehicles involved in emergency support efforts. These vehicles are tasked with transporting live chickens from regions hit hardest by the bird flu outbreak to areas unaffected by the disease.

This exemption is solely for emergency transport. Routine commercial shipments, including those with minimal quantities of emergency relief supplies meant to qualify for the declaration, are not covered.

Revised Driving Regulations for Relief Efforts

To prioritize safety while ensuring timely delivery, the FMCSA has outlined specific conditions under which the usual driving time restrictions are suspended for drivers involved in emergency relief operations. These include:

• Motor carriers must secure an agreement from the receiving facility confirming that the live chickens will be accepted prior to dispatch.

• Drivers may not exceed 16 hours of driving within any 24-hour period.

• All driving must cease at 12 a.m. (midnight) each day.

• A minimum rest period of six hours in a sleeper berth is required before resuming driving.

• Drivers must use paper logs for tracking duty status and maintain all supporting documentation.

• Drivers must hold a valid commercial driver’s license and must not be under an out-of-service order or suspended driving privileges.

Additionally, motor carriers or drivers currently under an out-of-service order are not eligible for regulatory relief until their order is rescinded. Compliance with all relevant state and federal regulations is also mandatory.

Before beginning transport, motor carriers and drivers must ensure they have the necessary permits and approvals for the loading, transport, and delivery of live poultry.

Transitioning Back to Normal Operations

Once drivers complete emergency relief efforts, they must take a mandatory 10-hour rest break if their combined emergency and normal operations driving time reaches or exceeds 14 hours.

Declaration Valid Through March 10

The FMCSA’s regional emergency declaration will remain active until March 10, 2025, unless extended or otherwise modified.

Source: Land Line

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On January 15, FMCSA delivered the report, addressing ways to support and empower women in the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry. WOTAB’s 37 recommendations focused on key areas, including the following actions:

• Encouraging both government and private sectors to prioritize specific changes

• Enhancing accountability in addressing harassment, assault, and discrimination

• Boosting recruitment and retention initiatives for women drivers

• Creating mentorship opportunities for women in the industry

• Providing better training frameworks

• Improving women’s overall quality of life in CMV roles

• Developing a dedicated portal for women drivers to connect and access resources

FMCSA commended WOTAB’s efforts, acknowledging the report’s importance in addressing existing challenges faced by women in the trucking industry. The agency emphasized the need for inclusive opportunities for women in leadership roles across public and private sectors while recognizing ongoing gaps.

“FMCSA supports WOTAB’s goal of increasing economic opportunities for women by elevating governmental and industry awareness of the issues facing women CMV drivers,” the report stated. It also stressed prioritized collaboration to ensure diverse women have platforms to shape policies at higher levels.

Progress on Recommendations Already Underway

The board’s closing meeting in November 2023 included Robin Hutcheson, former FMCSA Administrator, who praised the group’s achievements. Hutcheson highlighted progress already being made, such as the establishment of a safety hotline for female drivers facing difficult situations on the road.

Additionally, FMCSA has taken steps to address sexual harassment and assault within the CMV workforce. This includes launching a Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment working group, dedicated to combating these issues, especially for drivers.

The agency has also ramped up enforcement efforts. A Notice of Enforcement Policy published in December reminded states of federal regulations to disqualify CDL holders convicted of felonies involving commercial vehicles, with particular attention to cases of sexual violence.

Looking Ahead to Continued Action

FMCSA revealed its plans for an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at strengthening driver training programs by incorporating awareness of sexual misconduct and enhancing safety for truck drivers and trainees. Efforts to improve truck parking safety, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and the National Coalition on Truck Parking, are also underway to address board recommendations.

With the submission of the final report, WOTAB has officially concluded its mission. Joyce Brenny, a life member of OOIDA and WOTAB chair, reflected on the board’s influence, stating, “Having a voice at the federal level will offer additional help to all in or considering the trucking industry for a career. It is obvious that knowledge is power, and the knowledge provided by WOTAB (as) industry experts will indeed make real changes, which will help in the future in the trucking industry.”

Although FMCSA clarified that it would not be directly responsible for executing all the recommendations, the agency affirmed its commitment to facilitating conversations between industry leaders and various government entities to drive meaningful change.

Advocating for Change in the Trucking Industry

For Brenny, who has dedicated 40 years to the trucking sector, the opportunity to address systemic challenges and advocate for women in the industry has been a proud accomplishment.

“I feel strongly about offering opportunities for women and ensuring that we are transparent in the challenges of the trucking industry,” she said. “I will always feel finding the right people is by far the most important, and we are then obligated to offer a safe and encouraging environment for career success.”

The groundwork laid by WOTAB is poised to have long-lasting effects on the industry, opening doors for more women and laying the foundation for safer, more inclusive career opportunities in trucking.

Source: Land Line

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On Wednesday, Jan. 8, FMCSA shared its plan to conduct a “Study of Warning Devices for Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles” by publishing a notice in the Federal Register. The goal? To analyze whether warning devices significantly impact drivers’ behavior in scenarios involving parked or disabled CMVs—and, if they do, to determine how and to what extent.

“It is an experimental study that requires data collection for evaluating whether warning devices meaningfully influence crash-relevant aspects of human performance in the presence of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle, and if so, how and to what extent,” FMCSA explained in its announcement.

The study is set to involve a sample group of 256 drivers.

Current Regulations on CMV Warning Devices

Under existing rules, all commercial motor vehicles are required to carry warning devices. When a vehicle is stopped on the road or the shoulder—not including cases where traffic conditions prevent it—these devices must be deployed following specific guidelines. Placement depends on various factors, such as whether the roadway is straight or curved.

“These requirements follow from the basic notion that increasing the conspicuity of a parked or disabled commercial motor vehicle makes it easier to see and recognize, thereby reducing the risk of a crash involving passing motorists,” the FMCSA stated.

However, the growing presence of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology has prompted new scrutiny of these longstanding regulations.

Autonomous Vehicles and the Warning Device Debate

Back in December 2024, FMCSA rejected a request from Waymo and Aurora to exempt autonomous trucks from the current warning device requirements.

The companies proposed outfitting their autonomous trucks with mounted warning beacons on the truck cab as an alternative to deploying traditional devices like reflective triangles or flares.

FMCSA declined the application, describing the request as overly broad. Nonetheless, the agency left the door open for exemption applications focused on narrower aspects of the regulation.

Now, the FMCSA is doubling down by launching a formal investigation to determine how effective the current warning device regulations truly are.

Using Modern Tools for a Deeper Analysis

Advancements in technology are providing FMCSA with new ways to measure how drivers respond to warning devices. Tools such as sensors and eye-tracking systems can offer valuable insights into reaction times and levels of driver attention.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility,” the agency said. “This setup will enable the most comprehensive study of warning device effectiveness conducted to date.”

The findings could have far-reaching implications, potentially shaping future regulations around warning devices. Additionally, the data may assist FMCSA in responding to exemption requests for alternative solutions, such as those proposed by Waymo and Aurora.

“FMCSA plans to implement these modern tools in a controlled experiment at a closed-course, state-of-the-art driving research facility that will allow the most comprehensive examination of the effects of warning devices to date,” the agency wrote. “The results of the study may support future rulemaking related to warning devices and provide baseline data necessary to inform agency decisions on exemption applications for alternative warning device products.” FMCSA concluded.

Source: Land Line

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During Operation Safe Driver Week, a coordinated initiative focused on promoting safer roads, law enforcement in the U.S. and Canada issued more than 4,000 citations and warnings to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators. The campaign, which ran from July 7-13, also led to nearly 2,000 similar violations being issued to passenger vehicle drivers.

This initiative aimed at curbing unsafe behaviors had officers recording 2,439 warnings and 1,583 citations for CMV drivers. Passenger vehicle operators received 789 warnings and 1,129 citations/tickets for their driving practices.

The priority for this year’s campaign was addressing reckless, careless, and dangerous driving. A total of 31 citations and five warnings were issued for such offenses. Reckless driving is defined as operating a vehicle with a willful disregard for the safety of others or property, while careless or dangerous driving involves failing to exercise due attention or consideration for others on the road.

Speeding Tops the List of Infractions

Speed-related offenses were the most frequently cited violations during the safety initiative. Across both commercial and passenger vehicles, 1,694 warnings and 1,226 citations were issued. Specifically:

• CMV drivers accounted for 1,221 warnings and 502 citations.

• Passenger vehicle drivers received 473 warnings and 724 citations.

This underscores the significant role of speeding in creating hazardous road conditions.

Seat Belt Non-Compliance a Common Offense Among CMV Drivers

Failure to wear a seat belt emerged as another major issue during the enforcement week. A total of 354 warnings and 554 citations were issued, most of which were directed at truck drivers:

• CMV drivers received 328 warnings and 473 citations for not wearing seat belts.

• According to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), approximately 14% of CMV operators fail to use seat belts, highlighting the persistent non-compliance within the trucking industry.

Operation Safe Driver Week serves as a critical effort to increase awareness and accountability around unsafe driving behaviors, helping to create safer roads for everyone.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal

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In a recent decision, FMCSA issued a five-year exemption to Encore Building Products, based in Springdale, Arkansas. This construction material transporter will be permitted to equip its trucks with an electronic braking module developed by Intellistop, Inc.

The Intellistop system temporarily increases the intensity of a truck’s rear lights, flashing them four times within two seconds as brakes are applied, then maintaining steady illumination while braking continues. This approach contrasts with federal regulations mandating that brake lights remain steadily lit.

FMCSA commented, “The agency has determined that granting the exemption to Encore would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved by the regulation.”

This is a significant victory for Intellistop, which had previously sought a broader industry exemption that FMCSA rejected two years ago. The prior rejection was due to concerns that the wide-reaching exemption wouldn’t provide safety measures comparable to regulatory standards, although FMCSA suggested that exemptions for specific motor carriers like Encore might align more closely with its authority.

The decision to approve Encore’s exemption hinges on its limited scope—affecting approximately 223 trucks—and supporting data indicating that enhanced rear signal systems can potentially mitigate rear-end collisions.

FMCSA stated, “Initially restricting the application of this exemption to a limited portion of Encore’s fleet will allow for a comparison between the crash involvement of Encore CMVs [commercial motor vehicles] equipped with the Intellistop device, those without the device, and the overall crash involvement of CMVs operated by similarly sized motor carriers with similar operations and overall safety performance.”

Encore must limit the installation of the module to no more than half of its power units and trailers during the exemption’s first year. Recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the rear of large trucks (weighing over 10,000 lbs.) is the second most common initial impact point in crashes causing injuries (17%) and fatalities (22%).

Supporting this initiative, the Truck Safety Coalition has advocated for stricter truck equipment standards to prevent collisions involving passenger vehicles. They remarked, “[We support] FMCSA’s exemption to allow for limited field testing of Intellistop’s module ‘in order to collect data and more fully determine the potential safety benefits of this promising approach.’”

Conversely, the Transportation Safety Equipment Institute (TSEI) opposes the exemption. They argue, “We do not believe FMCSA should make the leap … without a thorough consideration of safety data and research with the aim of setting standards (including those related to flash patterns) to ensure consistency across all vehicles equipped with such lamps.”

The TSEI urges FMCSA to reject Encore’s application while suggesting, “the agency to closely study the use of non-steady burning and pulsating lamps and, as appropriate, engage in formal rulemaking to amend [federal regulations] to provide consistency among all vehicles (or vehicle types).”

Source: FreightWaves

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