News & Reports
The Diesel Price Crisis Has No Easy Fix
Washington is trying everything from oil-reserve releases to longer driving hours for fuel haulers. None addresses all the forces keeping diesel prices high. Deborah Lockridge When diesel prices first shot up after the U.S. attacked Iran, many expected the spike to be...
Nuclear verdicts in trucking nearly triple in 2025
Awards reached $3.4 billion across 12 cases in 2025, up from $1.4 billion in 2024 Marathon said juries in Texas, California, Florida and Maryland consistently produced large awards, based on 2025 totals. (adamkaz/Getty Images) Noel Fletcher Nuclear verdicts against...
Successful FMCSA compliance enforcement requires resources and modernization
The industry has evolved since FMCSA's establishment in 2000. But the agency hasn't evolved with it. David Heller Key takeaways FMCSA enforcement is expanding across several areas of carrier and driver compliance. Registration and vetting remain key challenges...
ATRI opens survey on costs, benefits of HOS, ELD regs
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is beginning research to develop a framework for assessing the impacts of trucking industry regulations. The framework development will initially be focused on “Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Hours-of-Service...
The cost of a mile: Higher rates collide with rising expenses
Cliff Abbott It took a while to get here, but small trucking businesses are finally finding higher freight rates and greater revenue opportunities than have been offered in the past few years. The higher rates, however, are at least partially driven by higher costs,...
Danger of social isolation OTR: Truckers don’t have to be alone
Clifford Petersen With apologies to the women in the audience, it’s no news that the vast majority of working truckers are men -- here’s looking at (most of) you, readers. And if you’ve followed my fulminations here, you’ll know I’m passionate about health, about...
FMCSA shores up state DataQ responsibilities
Land Line Media Getting dinged during a roadside inspection is bad enough. But for truckers who say they aren’t guilty of the violation, it has been a struggle with due process. Recourse for disputed violations reported to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety...
What is a DOT Accident?
Big Mission. Bigger Needs: TCA calls for increased staffing, funding of FMCSA
Kris Rutherford The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) recently released a major policy white paper outlining a comprehensive set of reforms to modernize the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and strengthen commercial motor vehicle safety...
What makes this freight market cycle strange?
This freight market's early cycle phase is characterized by low supply and flat demand. What will that mean for rates going forward? Jermy Wolfe Key takeaways For-hire trucking is just out of the bottoming phase of a market cycle. Heating freight demand would normally...