TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.03.01 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending March 1, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding events and inspections:
Events
The Mid-America Trucking Show is the Largest Trucking Show in North America and will be held March 27 – 29, 2025, here:
Kentucky Expo Center
937 Phillips Lane
Louisville, KY 40209
For more information, click here.
Note: In the past, I have asked for a list of the discounts and freebies that exhibitors at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) have offered attendees.
Separately, I have written “Trucking Shows Tips For Exhibitors, Truck Drivers to Save Money“.
If you plan to attend a trucking show this year, would you please let me know — through the form below — your reason(s) for attending?
Thanks.
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- Circle the dates: International Roadcheck set for mid-May
- CVSA announces dates for International Roadcheck
- CVSA’s 2025 Out-of-Service Criteria Updates: What Small Carriers and Owner-Operators Need to Know
- CVSA’s International Roadcheck to focus on hours of regulation, tire inspections
- CVSA’s three day Roadcheck CMV inspection blitz to focus on hours-of-service, tires
- Hot shot slapped with 21 violations during traffic stop
- Hours of service, tires to be Roadcheck’s 2025 focus
- I-10, I-19 enforcement blitz under way | CARB considers ZEV used-truck vouchers
- Mark your calendar: CVSA’s annual International Roadcheck is May 13-15
- Roadcheck to focus on driver’s record of duty status, vehicle’s tires
- Texas cops arrest ‘unlicensed trucker’ for a slew of violations
- Three day commercial vehicle crackdown coming to Kentucky this week
- What Is CVSA’s Focus For 2025 Roadcheck Inspection Blitz?
2. Regarding 3PL, ATRI, border, business, leasing, and ports:
3PL
According to the glossary on this website, a “3PL” is a “A third-party logistics company.”
- 3PL Summit: Addressing fraud in the industry
- 3PL Summit: Managing your inbox with AI technology
- 3PL Summit: Retaining top talent for operational excellence
- 3PL Summit: The art of scheduling appointments for supply chain success
- 3PL Summit: Trimble exec sees AI changing brokerage cost structure
- 3PL Summit: Truckstop reflects on 30 years of fighting freight fraud
- 3PL Summit: Truckstop’s state of the spot market |
- 3PL Summitt: What does visibility actually mean?
- FreightWaves kicks off 2025 event season with 3PL Summit
ATRI
ATRI is the acronym for the American Transportation Research Institute.
- ATRI begins work on its annual Operational Costs of Trucking study
- ATRI calls on carriers for 2024 operational costs data
- ATRI calls on motor carriers to share 2025 operational costs insights
- ATRI: Submit Cost Data to Get Benchmarking Report
Border
- Bill aims to speed cross-border freight, intercept illegal drugs
- Bill to require testing of ‘next-generation technology’ to scan commercial vehicles at border ports of entry
- Borderlands Mexico: Organized crime groups fuel rise of US cargo thefts
- Cross-border freight faces uncertainty amid looming tariffs
Business
- 10 Key Factors to Consider When Buying a Pickup Truck
- Cost vs. Value: How to Choose the Right Truck for your Business without Breaking the Bank
- GM Boosts Investor Payout With New Buybacks, Dividend Hike
- How To Write a Trucking Company Business Plan
- Report shows cost efficiency a top priority for carriers, shippers
Leasing
There are numerous mentions regarding truck leasing on this site.
One article is entitled:
Commercial Truck Leasing: Beware of Designed-to-Fail Schemes.
Ports
- After bridge collapse, Port of Baltimore sees second-best year for cargo
- Analysis: US port fees the latest headwind for container supply chain
- Federal Reversal Clears Path for Louisiana Port Development
- ILA members overwhelmingly approve new contract covering East, Gulf coast ports
- Port Strike Averted as Dockworkers Ratify New Contract
- Savannah fastest growing port on U.S. East Coast
- Southern California port, NYK Line team on green auto shipping corridor
- US dockworkers approve 6-year contract, averting a strike
- US port charges on China vessels add to supply chain uncertainty
- US Ports Experience Strong Start to 2025
- US targets China ships, operators with millions of dollars in new port charges
3. Regarding congestion pricing, economy, employment, fees, inflation, lottery, pay, rates, and tolls:
Congestion pricing
According to one source:
Congestion pricing is a system that charges drivers more to use roads during peak traffic times. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.
I have written about congestion pricing on this website numerous times.
Articles written during the last week or so include:
- Congestion pricing ordered to end by March 21, MTA won’t comply
- New York Congestion Pricing Approval Pulled by Trump Administration
- NYC’s Congestion Pricing Pulls In $48.6M in First Month
- Trump administration sets March 21 deadline for New York to end traffic congestion pricing
Economy
- 2025 freight outlook: Slow economic growth expected, but hazards remain
- ACT Research: January Class 8 orders total 25.8k units
- ACT Research: U.S. trailer orders signal improvement
- Are low February freight volumes more than seasonality?
- ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Trucker optimism increases as spot markets improve
- Forward Air gains needed breathing room, awaits demand recovery
- January freight volumes mixed at Gulf Coast ports
- January Trailers Orders Jump 51% From Last Year
- Q1 forecast: Truckload rates likely to rise but not skyrocket
- RXO Q1 forecast: 2025 upswing will feel more like 2014 than 2021
- RXO releases Q1 2025 Curve Freight Market Forecast
- Soft Sales, Infrastructure Developments, and Major Changes for Trucking in 2025
- Trailer net orders show year-over-year growth, but long-term demand remains weak
- Trucking Execs See Green Shoots as Industry Awaits Upturn
- US Economy Grew at 2.3% Annual Pace in Q4
- Used Class 8 truck retail sale price held steady in January
Employment
Before you hire on with any trucking company, please do your due diligence.
- Experts Say Empower Drivers to Become Your Best Recruiters
- Family owned trucking company bringing 100 jobs to Alabama
- Number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rises to highest level in 3 months
- Survey: Almost half of Americans would become truck drivers if …
Fees
Inflation
Articles on this site dealing with inflation include:
Now for the articles:
- Consumer Spending Falls as Inflation Indicator Rises
- Costello: Amid Inflation, Some Segments Strong for Trucking
- Social inflation, AI risks, and supply chain disruptions are reshaping insurance coverage, report says
- US consumers cut spending in January more drastically than at any point in the last four years
- Walmart CEO: Food Prices Are Causing ‘Frustration and Pain’
Lottery
I hope that the trucker has the financial discipline to manage his winnings well!
Pay
According to the article in this section:
What’s the dollar amount that would bring more people into the industry? Nearly a third of people surveyed said an annual income of $100,000 or more would be enough for them to become a truck driver.
Rates
- Excruciatingly slow’ growth predicted for freight rates and volumes
- Too Many Trucks, Not Enough Freight — Why Rates Aren’t Rising Yet
- Truckstop, FTR: Spot rates rise modestly for all equipment types
Tolls
- Bestpass announces latest release of Toll Genius integration with Geotab?
- NY governor makes case for Manhattan tolls in meeting with Trump after feds ordered a halt
- Trucking companies top list of debtors as NYS Thruway looks to collect “every single dollar” owed to tolls
4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and oil:
Autonomous vehicles
I thoroughly oppose the operation of autonomous, driverless, or self-driving commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I share articles on this topic with our readers to help us stay current on the topic.
- From a road to perdition to an autonomous path of redemption
- Self-driving vehicles have little public trust
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.
- All-electric Tesla Semi rolls through California scale house for inspection
- Bill to impose fees on electric vehicles touted at Senate hearing
- CARB considering vouchers for used ZEV trucks
- Dot Transportation’s Orange EV truck hits 30,000 hours
- EV Maker Lucid to Seek New CEO After Rawlinson Steps Aside
- GSA to Shut Off EV Chargers at Federal Buildings
- Nikola FCEV Recall: Mounting Bolts Could Damage Hydrogen Tank
- Orange EV’s terminal truck surpasses 30,000-hour milestone
- Prologis hits 10 million mile milestone in EV truck charging
- Prologis reaches 10-million-mile milestone in EV truck charging
- Scania and DHL Testing Fuel-Extended Electric Truck
- Stress on US electrical grid fuels new investments
- WattEV adds 2 Tesla Semis to ZEV fleet at Port of Long Beach
- WattEV Transport Takes Delivery of First Two Tesla Semis
Emissions
- Advanced Clean Trucks repeal efforts underway in Washington
- Transportation Freedom Act would repeal emission standards rule
Fuel
- Biofuel Groups Urge EPA to Set 2026 Renewable Fuel Standards
- BP Confirms ‘Reset’ to Oil and Gas Focus
- Diesel benchmark goes up a bit, again, as stability continues
- Diesel Price Nudges Up 2¢ to $3.697 a Gallon
- Diesel prices tick up for the second week in a row
Oil
- Trump Cancels Permit Allowing Venezuela to Export Oil to US
- US Imposes More Sanctions on Iranian Oil Trade
5. Regarding chains, parking, and supply chain:
Chains
Resources on this site include:
- Truck Snow Chains: Preparation for Winter Driving
- About Automatic Tire Chains and Automatic Snow Chains for Trucks
Now for the article…
Parking
- $755 million truck parking legislation introduced in U.S. House
- Bill promises to make highways safer by helping truckers to access more safe parking
- House lawmakers reintroduce truck parking bill
- I-44 service plaza in OK closes truck parking for rest of the year
- Less parking for truck traffic in Oklahoma temporarily
- OOIDA applauds bipartisan bill to expand truck parking
- Semi truck parking closed at Turner Turnpike service plaza through early 2026
- Truck parking apps lack real-time rest area info
- Truck parking bill reintroduced in Congress
- Truckstop exec joins Trucking Parking Club to boost ties with enterprise fleets
- Zoning bylaw amendment could add truck parking spaces in Brampton
Supply chain
- Mass Deportations Could Disrupt U.S. Food Supply Chain, Experts Warn
- Mass deportations could disrupt US food supply chain, experts say
- Ohio Funds Academic-Supply Chain Effort to Fill Future Jobs
6. Regarding crashes, distraction, drugs, fire, fraud, theft, and violence:
Crashes
Please look through these articles to see if there is anything you can learn to help you prevent being involved in a similar crash.
- A pickup and semi truck avoid pinballing off of each other and into oncoming traffic (but barely)
- Semi truck filmed dragging hunk of concrete after hitting monument on GPS detour around Helene closures
- Trucker survives after ice crashes through windshield in Pennsylvania
- Trucker unknowingly drags car for miles after erratic teen crashes into him
- Two injured when large steel pipes roll off flatbed driving through Chicago
Distraction
You may wish to read my article:
Distracted Driving: Beware of Attention Diverters That Can Be Fatal.
Drugs
Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.
- Arkansas State Police find more than 1,700 pounds of weed inside tractor trailer
- Arrests of truckers in New Jersey, Canada net $38M in illegal drugs
- CBP finds over $900K in cocaine aboard semi truck in Texas
- CBSA seizes drugs worth almost $3 million from two trucks at Alberta border crossing
- Commercial vehicle inspection on I-78 uncovers $36 million in marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms
- NJ troopers find $36 million of drugs during tractor-trailer stop
Fire
- Colorado warehouse fire sparked by semi trailer’s ‘malfunctioning refrigerator unit’
- Curly Fried: Semi catches fire in Maine, burning potato cargo to a crisp
- ‘Near disastrous situation’ as brakes and tires catch fire on truck hauling hazmat on Tennessee’s I-24
Fraud
Never attempt to deceive, misrepresent something, intentionally pervert the truth, or pretend to be someone else for the purpose of trying to get something valuable.
Theft
Never take something that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from the owner.
With as much surveillance equipment in place in the 21st century, it’s only a matter of time before the thieves are apprehended.
- Brampton man held in theft of trailers and freight worth $1.5 million
- Cargo theft cases increased nearly 50% in 2024
- Cargo theft slowed in January but expected to pick up
- Cargo theft surges in Canada, U.S., with more than 13,500 incidents recorded in 2024
- Cargo theft the focus of a Senate subcommittee hearing
- Cargo thieves attack truck stopped at railroad crossing in Chicago
- Grand theft cargo: Senate subcommittee convenes to tackle freight fraud and other crimes
- Lawmakers look at expanding FMCSA’s power to rein in cargo theft
- Man arrested after cops recover $1.5 million in cargo and trailers stolen through double brokering scheme
- Man arrested for theft of big rig and chase on California highways
- OPP recover stolen CMV from Brampton men, discover illicit cannabis
- Senate subcommittee holds hearing on cargo theft Thursday morning
- Stakeholders Urge Congress to Take Action on Cargo Theft
- Thieves Steal $2 Million Worth of Nikes From Freight Trains
Violence
It is never right to perpetrate violence upon someone in an unprovoked manner.
All perpetrators of violence must be dealt with in a just legal manner.
7. Regarding HOS, idling, parts, and tires:
HOS
- FMCSA expands regional emergency, HOS waiver
- Truck driver violating HOS rules charged with reckless homicide after crash that killed young boy
Idling
I have written about idling (actually a 9-post series) and a proposition for acquiring an APU in a company-owned truck.
Parts
Tires
8. Regarding postal service, regulations, and technology:
Postal service
- Postal Service to adjust delivery standards for network efficiency
- Trump says Postal Service transfer to Commerce Department under review
Regulations
Technology
- Cybersecurity basics for owner-operators
- Fleet Advantage releases latest truck life cycle data index
- Formic democratizing rental robotics amid industry growth concerns
- Geotab Aims to Boost Driver Safety Through AI, Incentives
- Geotab launches a new safety-focused device and partnership
- How AI is Transforming Fleet Management: Insights from Penske
- Minnesota cops deploy AI tech that can look inside vehicles to nab distracted drivers
- Monitor and manage multiple calls with the CloneOps.ai voice agent
- Speeches & Interviews > Data Centers With Artificial Intelligence, By Dr. Annie Bukacek
- Text and email scam attempts are on the rise
- Trucking Firms Relieved as Google Extends Cookie Use
- White Paper: How Will AI Impact the Future of Freight Brokerage?
9. Regarding legal, operations, roads, safety, weigh stations, and weight:
Legal
- Chalk up another nuclear verdict: More than $21M in Los Angeles case
- Hino settles class action suit; some Canadian buyers eligible for payments
- Lion Electric shareholders file class-action against struggling truck and bus manufacturer
- Oregon trucking co. and owner sentenced for ‘deletes and tunes’ on 13 semi trucks
- Pink Cheetah Express roars back at TQL with broker transparency lawsuit
- The Dark Forces Funding Nuclear Verdicts Against Trucking
- Trucker suing police department that jailed him on DUI suspicions when he was actually having a stroke
Operations
I have a section on this website about truck operations.
Roads
- Expect construction delays on I-24 bridge over Ohio River starting Mon.
- I-24 Ohio River Bridge Work Could Be Headache for Truckers
- Indiana increasing police presence on US 20 due to “serious concerns” over truck traffic
- North Carolina DOT completes major repairs on bridge
- Ravaged by Helene, I-40 in North Carolina to reopen, with limits
- TDOT launches pothole repair after floods and winter storm
- Troopers say pothole toppled semi truck hauling two bobtails on Indiana interstate
Safety
- LMTA reveals 2025 Louisiana Fleet Safety Award winners
- Nearly All Fleet Owners to Boost Safety Spending in 2025
- Survey: Nearly All Fleet Owners to Boost Safety Spending
- Transport ministers gather to discuss truck safety, internal trade barriers
Weigh stations
- Everything You Need to Know About Truck Weigh Stations
- Weigh stations, weigh-in-motion systems focus of legislation
Weight
- Seasonal weight restrictions on some highways begin in Michigan Monday
- Truck weight is the topic of statehouse legislation
10. Regarding politics and tariffs:
Politics
- Connecticut expanding wrong-way detection system
- Georgia Senate votes to allow seat belt evidence in accident lawsuits
- Georgia tort reform legislation advances from Senate
- Lane splitting rules are under review in six statehouses
- Lawmakers Take Aim at Permitting Process
- Legislators reintroduce truck parking funding legislation
- Move-over rule revisions focus of legislation in seven states
- Senate Panels OK Bradbury for DOT, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor
- Senate Transportation Committee Eyes Next Highway Bill
- The voice of truckload: TCA looks ahead to legislative goals under Trump 2.0
- Trucking industry supports Transportation Freedom Act
- What truckers want DOGE to target in gov, relative to industry
Tariffs
According to Investopedia:
A tariff is a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country to influence it, raise revenues, or protect competitive advantages.
Now for the articles…
- As Tariffs Loom, US Imports More Food Than Ever
- EU Expands Tariff List in Trump’s Looming Trade Dispute
- EU Pushes Back Against Trump’s Caustic Claims on Tariffs
- Looming Trump Tariffs Raise US Steel Costs
- Mexico aims for tariff deal with Trump before March 4 deadline
- Mexico Open to New Tariffs on China to Avoid Trump Duties
- Mexico Studies China Tariffs in Bid to Strike Trump Deal
- Stellantis Urges Trump to Aim Tariffs at Parts Content
- Tariffs call for cautious approach, rail execs say
- Tariffs on China Might Hurt US Economy More Than Expected
- Trump Directs Government to Consider Tariffs on Copper
- Trump plans tariffs on Mexico and Canada for Tuesday, while doubling existing 10% tariffs on China
- Trump says Canada and Mexico tariffs are ‘going forward’ with more import taxes to come
- Trump says he will slap 25% tariffs on imports from EU
- Trump Says Tariffs on Mexico and Canada Will Proceed March 4
- Trump says tariffs on Mexico, Canada moving forward March 4
- Trump Sows Confusion Around Global Tariffs Timing, Scope
- Trump, Commerce head differ on start dates for tariffs on Canada and Mexico
- Trump: Tariffs on Mexico, Canada ‘Going Forward’ Next Month
- Trump’s proposed fees on Chinese ships could hinder US-Mexico trade
11. Regarding Mack, Nikola, trucking companies, and trucks:
Mack
- Mack Automates Truck Software Updates, Adds Parameter Power
- Mack Automates Truck Software Updates, Enhancing Fleet Performance
- Mack expands connectivity offerings ahead of new flagship truck launch
- Mack rolls out MD electric bucket truck
- Mack Trucks advances connected vehicle capabilities
- Mack Trucks introduces MD Electric Bucket Truck
- Where Are Mack Truck Components Manufactured?
Nikola
Trucking companies
I have a page on this site about trucking companies.
Please remember to always do your own due diligence.
Trucks
- Texas Startup Launches Hybrid Retrofitted Class 8 Tractor
- Trailers With High Towing Capacities & Other Great Capabilities
12. Regarding recognition and rescue:
Recognition
I recognize those who helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.
Rescue
Thank you to everyone involved during this time when a trucker could be rescued.
I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Return from TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2025.03.01 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
