TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.04.19

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.04.19 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending April 19, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.

I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding autonomous vehicles, language, platooning, and speed limiter:

There are two sections under this title that must not be confused with each other:

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  • “autonomous” vehicles; and
  • “platooning” vehicles.

Read more…

Autonomous vehicles

I strongly disagree with the idea of operating 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.

Language

I totally agree with the necessity of all drivers in the USA — and especially drivers of commercial motor vehicles — being able to read, write, and speak in proficient English.

In the article English Only: Arkansas Cranks Up the Heat on CDL Drivers — in the section “When Language Barriers Turn Deadly” — one may read two examples of truckers who were not proficient enough with English such that their actions led to fatalities on the road: the first who killed 4 people, the second who killed 16!

According to one video that I watched earlier today, there seems to be a double standard regarding whose regulations prevail when drivers under visas from certain countries are dispatched from within those foreign countries to drive in the USA.

In my opinion, this situation demands immediate investigation and correction.

Platooning

On April 14, 2025, the State of Ohio issued a news release, part of which states:

Logistics trucks are equipped with platooning technology provided by Kratos Defense that electronically links the two vehicles and allows the driver of the lead vehicle to control the speed and direction of the second truck, enabling it to precisely follow the path of the leader. During portions of the I-70 trips, the follower truck will automatically steer, accelerate, and brake, supporting safe, efficient operation and consistent vehicle coordination. Professional drivers will be in the driver’s seat of both trucks throughout the deployment and can turn off the technology system and take over if needed.

The news release does not specify the distance between the two trucks, but does address other vehicles moving between the two trucks.

Even so, I disagree with having two commercial motor vehicles being driven down the road in such close proximity to each other.

I foresee numerous hazards, which may prompt me to write a separate article about this.

For now, suffice it to say that if businesses want to have that much freight moved from Point A to Point B like train cars attached to each other, then I believe that they need to use a train to do the transporting!

Speed limiter

Even though I disagree (from a Tenth Amendment perspective) that this is a federal issue, if you believe that speed limiters need to be blocked, then please contact your federal elected officials.

2. Regarding electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and hydrogen:

Electric vehicles

Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.

Emissions

With the new administration in the White House, the big push for electric vehicles has been relaxed and hence there has been a reduced emphasis on emissions.

Is this a problem? Well, what about the “clean idle” classification on newer diesel trucks?

Fuel

Hydrogen

3. Regarding Keystone, messy middle, and oil:

Keystone

Messy middle

Oil

4. Regarding business, Cascadia, exemption, lease, and shut down:

Business

Cascadia

Exemption

Lease

You may wish to read the post on this site entitled:

Commercial Truck Leasing: Beware of Designed-to-Fail Schemes

Shut down

The news in this section is sad, but it is a reminder to have an emergency fund in place in case one’s carrier suddenly shuts down.

5. Regarding crashes, death, drugs, fatalities, impaired, scam, and theft:

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.

Death

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died as described.

Some time back, I wrote an article entitled:

On Death and Dying On the Job as a Professional Truck Driver

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

Fatalities

On a positive note, we read: NHTSA: Traffic fatalities drop 3.8% in 2024.

Still, I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died in these crashes.

Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help prevent being involved in a fatal large truck crash?

Impaired

The article did not specify how the trucker was impaired (alcohol, drugs, or other), but did state:

[He] has been served a 90-day driving prohibition and had to be driven home by his wife.

Please do everything in your power to prevent driving in an impaired state!

Scam

Although I have not been receiving toll-related texts, I have received a number of texts lately that:

  • say that space has run out (of accounts I’ve never heard of);
  • say that service has expired (for service I don’t have); and/or
  • contain questionable links (which I refuse to click, because they could wipe out the contents of my phone or provide information to the hacker that he/she/it does not need to have!)

So, please exercise extreme care before you click on any link on any text — especially if it comes from a source that you do not recognize!

Chances are good (although not certain) that if you have a business relationship with a firm, you will receive an email about any upcoming charges or overdue accounts.

Theft

Never take something that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from the owner.

With as much surveillance equipment as in place in the 21st century, it’s only a matter of time before the thieves are apprehended.

6. Regarding legal, politics, tariffs, and trade:

Legal

Politics

Criminalizing staged truck crashes should have happened a long time ago — but on the state level!

Tariffs

For a much better and more thorough explanation about the problems with Trump-issued tariffs, please see this list of at least 10 resources (so far) from Peggy Hall.

Trade

7. Regarding economy, employment, pay, rates, taxes, and turnover:

Economy

Employment

Pay

There are two opposing views in articles in this section, one saying trucker wages are down and two saying that they are up!

What has been your experience?

Please comment through the form below.

Rates

Taxes

Turnover

This is an excellent article and explains a lot!

8. Regarding CDL, poll, training, testing, and trucker:

CDL

Check to see if you’re one of the affected truckers and if you are, take action!

Poll

Training

Testing

Trucker

9. Regarding idling, inspections, and insurance:

Idling

I wrote a 9-article section on my site about idling.

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.

Insurance

10. Regarding recalls, regulations, and roads:

Recalls

If your tractor or trailer is under a recall, please have the work attended to as soon as possible.

Regulations

Roads

11. Regarding operations, parking, and weight:

Operations

The articles in this section range from good truck operation to bad.

Parking

Weight

12. Regarding awards and trucker:

Awards

I congratulate and applaud all professional truck drivers who have demonstrated skill as a trucker and have been recognized for their achievements!

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: 2025.04.19 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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