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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.10.25

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.10.25 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending October 25, 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 California and language:

Both of the sections below have to do with illegal aliens obtaining CDLs — even “non-domiciled CDLs” — in order to drive commercial motor vehicles in the USA despite not being able to communicate in English.

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California

The state of California is having to “face the music” about issuing CDLs to those who should not have received them.

In case you’re wondering if California is really upholding the “English” requirement — or if what the state has been doing affects others — here’s an October 16, 2025, article entitled:

Florida sues California over deadly Turnpike crash, English enforcement for CDL drivers

Language

This is part of “General qualifications of drivers [who drive a commercial motor vehicle]” 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2):

Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;

Here are at least some of this week’s articles on this topic:

2. Regarding alcohol, crashes, drugs, fatalities, fires, and hazmat:

Alcohol

Never ever consume alcohol — or use an alcohol-containing product (such as mouthwash) — before beginning to drive a commercial motor vehicle!

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.

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

Fatalities

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?

Fires

It seems to me that there are a lot more truck fires than there used to be and I wonder if that is because more electric trucks with lithium batteries are in use.

Hazmat (Hazardous Materials)

Whenever you’re preparing to haul a load with any amount of hazardous materials, please make sure you know exactly what will be required of you up-front.

3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, Run on Less, theft, and violence:

Autonomous vehicles

I totally oppose the operation of self-driving, autonomous, or driverless 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.

Electric vehicles

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

Emissions

Fuel

Run on Less

Theft

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

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

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.

4. Regarding border, bridges, roads, and weather:

Border

Bridges

Roads

Weather

5. Regarding business, capacity, containers, insurance, parts, and supply chain:

Business

Capacity

One definition of “capacity” (according to the glossary on this website) is:

In logistics, capacity is the amount of physical space, assets or personnel available to carry, store or deliver goods.

Now for the articles…

Containers

Insurance

Parts

Supply chain

6. Regarding China, FMCSA, legal, OOIDA, politics, statistics, and study:

China

FMCSA

Legal

OOIDA

Politics

Statistics

The article in this section draws a distinction between “miles driven for all ratios concerning fatalities” and “total fatalities”.

Study

7. Regarding Colorado, inspections, snow chains, and tires:

Colorado

Inspections

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

Snow chains

For your edification, here is a post on the TDMST website:

Truck Snow Chains: Preparation for Winter Driving

Tires

8. Regarding comfort, operations, and parking:

Comfort

Operations

Parking

9. Regarding debt, economy, inflation, pay, tariffs, tolls, and trade:

Debt

Economy

Inflation

One source (pages 17 and 18) says that inflation is:

  • both “an increase in the amount of currency, resulting in rising prices”;
  • and “theft.”

Take a look at the M1 money supply — and what happened in early 2020 — and you’ll realize immediately what has happened to prices in the USA over the last 5+ years.

According to FiscalData.Treasury.gov, the U.S. debt:
– exceeded $37 Trillion on August 11, 2025; and
– exceeded $38 Trillion on October 23, 2025;
meaning that the U.S. national debt is now increasing by $1 trillion about every 75 days.

Obviously, this is unsustainable and some people have indicated that the collapse of the U.S. dollar is imminent.

If you have not already done so, please make preparations regarding your financial future.

Pay

Tariffs

For a much better and more thorough explanation about the problems with Trump-issued tariffs, please search for the word “tariffs” in Peggy Hall’s Substack archive.

Tolls

Trade

10. Regarding events, health, and technology:

Events

Health

According to the article in this section:

The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) recently released findings from a new nationwide consumer awareness survey that shed light on the health and financial struggles of America’s truck drivers.

…

Among the survey’s [findings]:

Income Loss: 37% of Americans believe truckers lose $10,000–$24,999 in income if sidelined for just one month due to illness or injury.

This is one reason why I recommend that truckers seriously look at earning a second income from the cabs of their trucks…

Technology

11. Regarding training, trucking, and truckers:

Training

Trucking

Truckers

12. Regarding awards and recognition:

Awards

According to the first article in this section (with a slight formatting change for easier reading):

The Truckload Carriers Association is looking for those exceptional drivers who have made a significant impact over the past year on the industry, their driver colleagues, their community and the company that employs them.

TCA Professional Drivers of the Year nominees should also have superior safety records, be strong role models and have inspiring stories that have made a difference in their lives and the truckload industry.

If you know someone who qualifies, please feel free to nominate him/her!

Recognition

I recognize those who helped a fellow human being in a time of need, whether that person is a trucker or is helping a trucker.

Thanks!

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: 2025.10.25 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.


Get 35+ FREE downloads for truckers now! Get links to everything from a spending diary to a beginner budget; from 3 packing lists to 2 to-do checklists; and MUCH MORE!
BougeRV 12 Volt Refrigerator w/ 23 Quart Cover, Truck Fridge, Portable Freezer Compressor Cooler, 12/24V DC, 110~240V AC, -7F-50F. 4.6 Star Rating. Best Seller. Buy Now. #ad
Rand McNally 2026 Deluxe Motor Carriers' Road Atlas - spiral-bound, laminated, with reliable truck routes. Buy now. #ad
Portable Solar Charger Power Bank, 63200mAh, Dual Outputs & Dual Inputs, Charge via USB, Solar, or Hand Crank, 4 LEDs Flashlight, Fast Charging Battery Pack, for Truckers, Outdoor Camping, Survival Gear. This is the exact unit Vicki bought, uses, and recommends. Buy Now. #ad
BIT Air Scale: Real load weights anytime, anywhere. 99% accurate weights (proper calibration). Customers: reduced scaling by 80%(+).
DAT TruckersEdge Load Board: Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off for 12 months * New customers only.
Own a piece of Atlanta for as little as $100. The only real estate portfolio that creates wealth for You and its Residents. Roots. Referred by Investor ID 52797.
BELTTT 1500W Pure Sine Wave Inverter 12V to 120V AC, Power for Truck, Solar, Off-Grid with Dual AC Socket, 5V 2.1A USB, Surge 3000W, Connect to Battery With Cables. 4.4 Star Rating. Buy Now #ad