Stay Up to Date on Trucking Industry Laws & Regulations
Trucking regulations are determined by several government agencies in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the lead agency responsible for trucking laws, regulating and providing safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles (including over 500,000 commercial trucking companies. The FMCSA’s mission is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
There’s also the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which supports state and local governments in the design, construction and maintenance of the country’s highway system. FHWA programs include the Federal-Aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program.
Other agencies involved in transportation regulations include the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Maritime Administration (MARAD).
Find more news and information on our Trucking Industry page.
There had not been formal guidance on truck driver status since the secretary of labor said they would not fall under the rule.
Federal watchdogs tell the Biden administration that more research is needed to ramp up a national user fee system to eventually replace the gas tax as the main way to fund highway construction.
A truckload carrier-backed study finds cocaine and opioid abuse by truckers are underreported at FMCSA.
The Biden administration is attempting to bolster the truck driver workforce by allowing younger drivers into the ranks.
Safety officials warn that federal trucking regulations are not keeping up with industry changes.
Charges against its chairman did not implicate the truckload carrier itself.
Meera Joshi’s surprise departure from FMCSA is the latest in a string that may have the public wondering why the job is so difficult to fill.
The agency that regulates trucking has not had a Senate-confirmed leader in more than two years.
The Biden administration is taking a series of actions aimed at bolstering the truck driver workforce that includes assessing compensation.
Federal regulators have once again denied a request to exempt small truck brokers from bond requirements.
A group of 14 senators is asking President Joe Biden to exempt truckers who cross the U.S.-Canada border from an upcoming mandate to avoid putting more strain on the supply chain.
The exemption covers commercial vehicles aiding in the cleanup from Kentucky’s killer tornadoes over the weekend.
OMB’s 2022 agenda for regulatory agencies includes proposals from FMCSA on ELDs and carrier safety ratings.
California regulators want to use a combination of onboard monitoring devices to measure truck emissions.
At issue was a test given to job applicants, with the higher rate of female failure viewed as a “disparate impact.”
Truck safety groups and the Teamsters claimed in federal appeals court that the FMCSA weakened its regulations in 2020 regarding truck driver work hours.
Federal regulators are keeping in place a work-hour exemption giving truck drivers more time to haul pandemic-related freight.
South Carolina and Ohio appear to be taking the most significant steps in conjunction with the release of the governors’ call for less regulation.
The latest hours-of-service waiver is set to expire on Christmas Eve.
Canadian and Mexican truckers will reportedly need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to cross U.S. borders starting Jan. 22 amid fears of significant disruption to the supply chain.
FMCSA has approved 92,000 new motor carrier applications through October, smashing 2020’s full-year record.
SCOTUS’ request for input on the CTA case suggests it is interested in the question of state versus federal preemption, and trucking attorneys are happy as a result.
SCOTUS is calling on the Biden administration to weigh in on the legal issues.
Even when everyone agrees, regulations take a year to get approved. And there are detractors to autonomous trucking rulemaking
ATA’s suit comes just a few days after what it says was a “major victory” with the Labor Department secretary’s statements regarding trucking and the vaccine rule.
Last week’s conclusion that solo drivers aren’t under the vaccine rule is turning to this week’s questions about team drivers.
Federal ruling on rear impact guard inspections on truck trailers sparks debate over costly new safety equipment.
The TCA calls the mandate “disastrous.”
As the industry prepares for the new entry-level driver training rule to go into effect in February, fleets that train their own drivers and schools face new challenges in complying.
Federal regulators have vastly improved the ability to keep unsafe drivers off the road but the trucking industry is scrambling to make up the shortfall.
Regulators are urging carriers to take action to ensure their ELDs remain legal after mobile networks transition out of 3G.
After settling a class-action lawsuit over defective MaxxForce engines, Navistar agrees to pay the government for Clean Air Act violations.
An ATA survey reveals a driver vaccination rate of 50%, with more than half of the unvaccinated saying they will not get a shot under any circumstance.
Transport Canada is investigating an ELD certification body after a vendor alleged that it approved a device that could allow drivers to falsify their logs.
In his speech, Chris Spear touted the ATA’s role in the infrastructure act now before Congress.
The research group revealed its list at the annual meeting of the American Trucking Associations.
While dates for other CVSA inspection weeks are announced in advance, the precedent set by Canada was not to disclose the dates for what is known as HM/DG inspection week.
FMCSA’s Meera Joshi is taking on multiple trucking issues.
Owner-operators are warning the FMCSA that shortages at drug-testing clinics are threatening truck driver livelihoods.
FMCSA is giving states three years to comply with a new truck-driver ban for drug and alcohol abusers.
Observers are left to speculate why the Supreme Court offered no opinion.
The TCA’s public-facing stance on the vaccination mandate might not have taken place a few years ago.
An ATRI study shows how electric vehicles can be taxed to keep the Highway Trust Fund from going bankrupt.
NHTSA details new crash-data reporting requirements for self-driving trucks.
From time to time, truck drivers require additional training. Whether it is refresher training or due to a recent incident, success depends on having the right approach.
The TCA’s meeting in 2020 happened just as the pandemic was about to strike; it sold out its booth space this year.
If the high court does not grant review and AB5 is implemented, the state’s trucking industry will look to a variety of solutions to be able to use independent contractors and still stay in compliance with the law.
FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi was told during the hearing on her nomination to become administrator that truck crash trends underscore the need for agency action.
Former government safety officials now have investments and profits to keep in mind as they help their companies chart a course for autonomous vehicles.
TCA stops short of saying it is against the mandate, but it clearly is concerned.
The lack of federal grant money for truck parking again frustrates small-business truckers.
An executive from Pedigree Technologies explains how the North Dakota firm became one of the first ELD providers to successfully get a device certified in Canada. It wasn’t easy.
A law firm’s analysis of the Biden administration rule shows several unanswered questions.
Lots of questions remain, but it is clear that OSHA is going to play a big role in shaping the vaccination mandate standards.
“There’s some desperation in some of these people’s voices,” a Minnesota hay farmer said about the current drought’s impact on the community.
The FMCSA touts safety efforts and driver recruitment in its latest round of grant funding.
One major concern for the opposition is a possible explosion of lawsuits under the state’s PAGA provision.
The pandemic-related HOS waiver has been in place since March 2020 and was due to expire Tuesday.
Hurricane Ida triggers emergency rule allowing truck drivers more time behind the wheel.
Regulators will poll the trucking industry on the value of the hours-of-service waiver as FMCSA readies another extension.
Retaining drivers — not increasing the driver pool — is the way to address supply chain disruption, OOIDA asserts.
The FMCSA seeks comment on a stricter field-of-vision requirement as part of alternate medical standards for certain drivers.
Werner claims it will face a “significant burden” if regulators do not provide more flexibility in how truck driver licenses are issued.
As wireless providers switch off 3G networks in favor of 5G, some ELDs may no longer work.
A Commerce Department advisory group recommends that the department coordinate an interagency approach to addressing the driver shortage.
Other plans called for a more radical rebuild but ran into opposition.
The U.S. Senate votes to advance a major infrastructure package that includes new regulations for trucks.
FMCSA is asking the medical industry to help ensure the agency has a proper handle on truck driver qualification.
The total number of stops was down this year from 2020. Other violations besides HOS were fairly steady as a percentage of all citations
Trucking fleets that still use pen and paper to meet their recordkeeping requirements are adding unnecessary costs and complexity, and upping the chance of a recordkeeping violation during an FMCSA audit.
Governors have the ability to waive federal law for 30 days and four recently have taken action and cited the lack of truck drivers.
One aspect of the decision that may stick is a clear ruling that owner-operators on a lease are independent contractors, not employees.
Dismantling highways to repair social damage may have consequences for the supply chain.
The new law has some changes for smaller trucks but larger trucks are facing tight restrictions.
Getting shippers to pay for drivers’ wait time could boost driver retention and improve safety, according to a trucking economics expert.
The order says tired drivers can’t be forced to work, but the definitions are vague.
The current rule can get a person qualified in a year; the ATA proposal has no firm time span.
Owner-operators see a downside to keeping FMCSA’s emergency hours-of-service order in place.
The FMCSA has agreed to make changes to improve its oversight of state driver’s license agencies.
The head of a key trucking group says the net impact of all the changes is a “chilling effect” on the use of independent contractors.
The impact on the city’s large East African community of a proposed ban on overnight truck parking has arisen as a big factor in slowing the proposal.
Critics of the move say truck drivers are already overworked and allowing more time behind the wheel ‘fails to address the underlying issues.’
Federal regulators push for more data as automated trucking rolls from testing to reality.
FMCSA is proposing to revise rules for advanced driver-assist cameras.
The president won’t consider raising fuel taxes to pay for highway and road spending, effectively killing the 65-year-old program, Mullett claims.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration orders trucking manufacturers and operators to report crashes linked to autonomous technology.
Trucking regulator responds to commenters seeking stronger interaction with industry before the entry-level driver training compliance date starts in February 2022.
Yard tractors are often found in ports, like this one in Port Houston, but fleets, warehouses and distribution centers are typical users of the vehicles. Anytime a driver is using a yard tractor, it presents a safety risk, so even though it may not be going onto public roadways, driver training is critical to ensure safe operation. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the California Trucking Association’s request to rehear the decision that lifted the injunction against California’s independent contractor law.
The broker seeks relief in a preemption battle by casting the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a rogue light.
Lack of standards among truck-parking notification systems puts long-haul truckers at a disadvantage, according to new research.
Canada’s requirement for commercial vehicles to use ELDs technically took effect Saturday. The trouble is no devices are certified for use, and true enforcement won’t come for another year.
The briefs filed by the trade groups seek to bolster arguments made by CTA but rejected in the split decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Connecticut’s governor is expected to approve a 17.5-cents-per-mile tax on large trucks.
Labor attorney Damon Ott discusses how trucking companies may need to change with the California law on the use of independent contractors during FreightWaves’ Small Fleet & Owner-Operator Summit.
Republicans deride “restrictive” policies that were retained from last year in the Democrats’ latest version of the surface transportation reauthorization bill.
A U.S. House subcommittee has launched an investigation into Yellow Corp.’s $700 million CARES Act loan.
The Federal Communications Commission is sued over a decision that could affect progress in truck platooning communications.
The United States Cattlemen’s Association warns JBS hack could disrupt the meat supply chain without emergency work-hour changes.
President Joe Biden’s 2022 funding request of $676 million for FMCSA safety programs dropped 10% from 2021 levels.
