TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.11.08 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending November 8, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding plane crash and shutdown:
Plane crash
Although I usually do not include in my trucking commentaries any articles about cargo being transported by air, I have decided to include articles about the UPS cargo jet crash in Louisville, Kentucky, because UPS is known for their trucks and package delivery service.
I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died in this crash.
- Death Toll From UPS Plane Crash Climbs to 13
- Death Toll Rises to 12 in UPS Cargo Jet Crash in Kentucky
- LATEST: NTSB crash investigators try to minimize disruption for UPS customers
- Officials scour charred site of Kentucky UPS plane crash for victims and answers
- Search Continues for Victims of UPS Cargo Jet Crash
- Shipping Delays Expected After UPS Cargo Jet Crash
- UPDATE: UPS plane crashes and explodes at a Kentucky airport, leaving at least 9 dead and others missing
- UPS and FedEx grounding MD-11 planes following deadly Kentucky crash
- UPS and FedEx halt MD-11 flying to conduct safety review
- UPS cargo jet crashes during takeoff from Louisville hub
- UPS cargo plane explodes in Kentucky
- UPS restarts Louisville air hub operations for Thursday deliveries
Shutdown
I am also including this week articles about air transport of packages being reduced due to the government shutdown for two reasons:
- After COVID, a number of airlines took over some pick-up and delivery of freight; and
- According to Brookings.edu: “[Air Traffic] Controllers are employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and as essential employees, they must work without pay. By law, they will receive back pay once the shutdown ends. Predictably, the number of controllers calling in sick has gone up, forcing flight delays and cancellations, as happened in the last lengthy shutdown.”
As long as the government shutdown continues,
the number of air traffic controllers may be reduced,
meaning that the number of planes flying may be reduced,
meaning that the amount of freight being shipped by planes may be reduced,
meaning that truckers may end up taking loads that would have been shipped by plane.
So, be on the lookout for opportunities to stand in the gap.
- Cargo airlines, shippers face mixed impact from FAA flight restrictions
- Duffy Warns of ‘Mass Chaos’ in Skies if Shutdown Continues
- FAA Cuts Flight Capacity by 10% at Major US Airports
- Flight Cancellations Ramp Up as Airlines Comply With FAA Order
- Most Major US Airports Among 40 Facing FAA Flight Cuts
2. Regarding language:
Language
I am including in this section articles about:
- English proficiency problems among some truckers;
- illegal aliens driving commercial motor vehicles in the USA;
- immigration issues; inability of some truckers in the USA to speak, read, and write in the English language; and
- “Non-Domiciled CDLs”.
Here are the articles:
- 614,000 truck drivers may flee Trump’s immigration blitz in trucking: Study
- Another ICE raid in Oklahoma arrests dozens of illegal truckers
- California Disputes FMCSA on Non-Domiciled CDL Compliance
- California explains why Jashanpreet Singh’s CDL was upgraded before crash
- California Loses $40 Million in Truck Safety Funds Over English Language Rules
- California officials drop DUI charge from Singh’s criminal complaint
- California refuses to revoke 20,000 wrongly issued CDLs in note to DOT
- CARB sues truck makers | ICE operation leads to more ‘illegal alien’ truck driver arrests
- CDL overhaul tailspins Ukrainian truckers
- DHS: Nearly 150 Illegals Driving Trucks Arrested in Indiana in Second Major Operation
- DOT fires back at lawsuit seeking to keep 200,000 non-domiciled CDL holders driving
- DOT Renews Criticism of Immigrant Drivers After Fatal California Crash
- FMCSA to states over non-domiciled CDLs — shape up or pay up
- ICE arrests 34 ‘illegal alien’ truck drivers in a second raid on I-40 in Oklahoma
- Indiana to Expand Commercial Vehicle Enforcement With ICE
- Judge rejects DOT’s immigration enforcement tie
- Legal Battle Over FMCSA’s Non-Domiciled CDL Rule — What the Lawsuit Claims and What’s at Stake
- Nevada phasing out non-domiciled CDL program
- Non-domiciled CDL rule draws ’emergency’ challenge
- Non-domiciled CDLs: Illinois paused all issuance/renewal in September
- Tackling the issues: TCA provides tools to help carriers clarify rules regarding English proficiency and contractor classification
- Why California Is Disputing FMCSA’s English Proficiency Enforcement Claim
3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, CARB, clean, emissions, fuel, and fuel economy:
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.
- Autonomous overload?
- California moves to rein in rogue autonomous vehicles
- Driverless trucks surpass 100,000 miles in Texas
- Glid Unveils Autonomous Road-to-Rail Freight Vehicle
- Going fully autonomous
- International Partners with PlusAI, Nvidia to Commercialize Level 4 Autonomous Trucks
- Kodiak AI and ZF Expand Autonomous Partnership
- Kodiak’s virtual drivers ace a human safety test
- PlusAI, International and NVIDIA move closer to autonomous truck commercialization
- Volvo Integrates Waabi Driver into the VNL Autonomous Truck
- ZF supplying redundant steering system to autonomous truck maker Kodiak AI
CARB
- Judge blocks CARB’s Clean Truck Partnership enforcement
- OEMs score first win in legal battle with CARB over Clean Truck Partnership
Clean
- California Sues OEMs Over Clean Truck Partnership
- The wheels come off California’s clean truck agreement
Emissions
- 2027 EPA emissions rule for heavy-duty trucks expands warranty and service life requirements
- Senate bill takes aim at diesel emission rules
Fuel
- Benchmark diesel price rises again, market showing signs of tightening
- Class 8 hydrogen truck demonstration underway in B.C
- Diesel prices keep climbing
- Diesel prices up more than 13 cents in last two weeks
- Fleets Grow More Confident About RNG Powertrains
- Fuel Ain’t Just Fuel — How Smart Small Carriers Save Thousands with Station Choice and Burn Rate
- Midwest state sounds alarm over dwindling fuel supplies
- N.Y., N.J. Grant Key Permits for Williams Gas Pipeline
- Proponents push RNG as trucking’s most sustainable alternative fuel
- UPS Scales RNG for Cleaner Long-Haul Operations
Fuel economy
4. Regarding aero extenders, classification, economy, employment, insurance, rates, shortage, and tolls :
Aero extenders
Classification
Economy
- ACT: Preliminary Class 8 orders down 17% y/y
- Ag industry in one state faces emergency conditions
- Americans Grow More Uneasy About Job Market, Economy
- Bob Costello to give an economic update at Truckload 2026
- Cardboard Box Sales Slump, Stoking Lackluster Holiday Fears
- ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Class 8 orders remain weak, capacity contraction quickens
- Economy Tops Trucking Industry Issues Ranking as New Concerns Emerge
- Economy Tops Trucking Industry Issues Ranking as New Concerns Emerge
- FTR: Preliminary Class 8 order numbers down 22% y/y
- How Best Fleets are adapting to down market without pulling rug out from under drivers
- Hub Group Revenue Dips 5% on Weak Freight Demand
- Is the goods economy in a recession? Freight data suggests so
- Port Houston CEO: Maritime industry must adapt as trade markets shift
- Trucking Grows More Confident About Freight Market Upturn
- Trucking Grows More Confident About Freight Market Upturn
- U.S. freight market reverses gains in third quarter as volumes fall
- US Holiday Spending Projected to Eclipse $1 Trillion in 2025
- US Steel Says Japanese Ownership to Unlock $3B in Value
- What Midland’s $5 Million Write-Off Teaches About the Next Phase of the Trucking Slow Down
- Why shippers are pulling back: inside CarrierSource’s latest demand data
Employment
- Benefits and Incentives for Hiring Veterans for Your Trucking Business
- Layoffs Rise to Highest Level Since 2003
- ‘No hire’ job market leaves unemployed in limbo as threats to economy multiply
- Nova Scotia carriers use overseas recruiting, internships to hire truck drivers
- Steering toward tomorrow: Navigating the future of truck driving jobs
- US Companies Added 42,000 Jobs in October, ADP Data Shows
Insurance
- Daimler Truck Financial Services and Geico Launch Connected Insurance Program for Trucking Customers
- How ELD-data engagement will impact trucking insurance premiums
Rates
- FTR, Truckstop: Spot rates weaker for all equipment types in the latest week
- How stable are contract rates?
- Maersk’s surprising strategy amid falling freight rates
- RXO faces a rate squeeze: what it means for the 3PL
- Spot truckload rates cooled ahead of Halloween
Shortage
Tolls
- Eastbound Blue Water Bridge Toll Increases in December
- Illinois Lawmakers Approve 30% Truck Toll Hike
5. Regarding broker, business, capacity, China, and containers:
Broker
- How To Find Freight Brokerage Customers
- The Perfect Storm: Why freight brokerages face a wave of failures in 2026
Business
- BP Profit Signals Turnaround Is Gathering Pace
- Buying Advice for Semi Cabs and Trailers
- Every Load You Haul Starts Here — Don’t Skip the Fine Print
- Find New Trucking Customers With This One Weird Trick!
- How playing the long game builds trucking sales success
- How to Choose the Right Authority to Lease Your Truck With
- How Trucking Fleets Benefit from the Next Generation of Speed Management
- How Trucking Fleets Benefit from the Next Generation of Speed Management
- Operating Ratio 101 — The Small Carrier Metric That Tells the Real Story About Your Profitability
- Questions to Ask When Buying Your Truck Completely Online
- Roadside war stories, truck-ownership advice: Small Fleet Champs deliver
- Should You Lease Farm Vehicles? Pros & Cons
- TFI’s Bedard sees a stronger 2026 after a weak 4Q
- Tips for Selling Your Used Utility Van
- Top Delivery Vans on the Market
- Uber Misses Estimates Even as Rideshare, Delivery Trips Soar
- Wabash, tied down in a weak trailer market, gets a debt downgrade
- Why Trucking Companies Fail — and How Dealers Can Avoid the Same Fate
Capacity
- ACT Research reveals how fast trucking capacity is shrinking
- Cargojet, Latam add new freighter routes, capacity to Europe
- Consensus Forming in Trucking ?– What the Big Guys Are Saying About the Near Future
- Is Trucking Capacity Tighter Than It Looks?
- October LMI shows price increases outpacing capacity growth
China
- China Renews Soybean Imports From US Suppliers
- China Seeks to Buy US Wheat for First Time in a Year
- China to Remove Retaliatory Tariffs on Some US Farm Products
- China to Resume Nexperia Chip Exports, Dutch Leader Says
- China Trade Pact ‘Ambiguity’ Leaves US Tractor Makers in Limbo
- Trump Plans 1-Year Pause on Port Crane Duties, China Ship Fees
- US to Pause Port Fees on China Ships Starting Nov. 10
Containers
6. Regarding crashes, explosion, fatalities, fraud, theft, and truck crash data:
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.
- Dense fog a factor in Louisiana fatality
- New York authorities investigating injury crash involving semi truck
- Possible ‘medical episode’ could be cause of semi crash
- Semi crash injures driver and damages overpass in Idaho
Explosion
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?
- Driver cited in Texas train collision
- Driver dead after rolling off Colorado culvert
- Jashanpreet Singh’s DUI charges dropped after fatal I-10 crash
- One dead in crash with Freightliner in Oregon
- Suit Claims Faulty Tesla Doors Led to Deaths in Fiery Crash
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.
- License plate flippers focus of new laws in eight states
- Ontario bill cracks down on fraudulent driver’s licenses
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.
- A single cargo theft can ruin a small trucking company
- American Trucking Industry Urges Lawmakers to Act as Online Cargo Theft Surges
- Bitcoin and Butterballs — stories of cargo theft
- Cargo Theft Costs Trucking, Logistics Firms $18M Daily
- Cargo thefts top US$111 million as New York metro area becomes leading hotspot
- Combating Cargo Theft: Emerging Trends and Prevention Strategies
- Elevated Cargo Theft Landscape Settles Into New Normal
- Guy Fieri’s $1M Tequila Heist Reveals Rising Cargo Theft in Trucking
- Hackers, Crime Rings Team Up on Cargo Theft, Report Finds
- Hackers, Crime Rings Team Up on Cargo Theft, Report Finds
- Organized crime drives surge in high-value cargo theft
Truck crash data
7. Regarding inspections, maintenance, and parts:
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- 15% of Trucks Put Out of Service During 2025 Brake Safety Week
- 15% of trucks sidelined with OOS violations during Brake Safety Week
- Annual brake inspection blitz nets 15.1% out of service rate across North America
- Brakes Lead Out-of-Service Violations in 2025 Roadcheck
- Brakes Top 2025 Roadcheck Out-of-Service Violations
- Truck inspection leads to massive meth, cigarette bust in Saskatchewan
Maintenance
- How extended lifecycles could catch up to some fleets
- Maintenance Tips for Flooded and Hurricane-Damaged Vehicles
- TravelCenters of America suspends roadside assistance
- Truck Maintenance Logs For Winter Prep
- When a Breakdown Turns Deadly — Why TA-Petro’s Roadside Pause Should Shake Up the Whole Industry
Parts
- “Let an engine be an engine”: How International’s S13 redefines diesel efficiency
- The risk of rushing automatic emergency braking onto the highway
8. Regarding issues, legal, parking, and roads:
Issues
Legal
- Avoiding Nuclear Verdicts: How Fleets Can Protect Themselves in an Era of Rising Risk
- First Brands Sues Founder Over $700M in ‘Pilfered’ Funds
- First Brands Wins Access to Last $600M of Emergency Funds
- Meatpacker JBS to Pay $1.1 Million to Settle N.Y. Climate Suit
- Nuclear verdicts against trucking companies hurt broader economy, report finds
- Perspective: Trucking Battles Lawsuit Abuse
- Truck OEMs Score Win Over CARB in Clean Trucks Lawsuit
- Trucking Combats Soaring Nuclear Verdicts and Insurance Costs
- Trucking lawsuits driving up food prices, killing jobs
- Yellow’s $137M-plus lawsuit against Teamsters revived
Parking
- Florida to Add 100 Truck Parking Spaces Along I-4 Freight Corridor
- Pilot opens two new travel centers with 165 truck parking spaces
- Room to rest: new truck parking spots open up
Roads
- I-80 Westbound tunnel reopening in Wyoming
- I-90 WB open in Washington state after bridge strike
- Oklahoma, ICE Launch Second I-40 CDL Crackdown
- Teton Pass detour prohibits trucks
- Worst roads, states, parking: Truckers’ 2025 Highway Report Card
9. Regarding politics, ports, regulations, supply chain, and tariffs:
Politics
- ATA’s Spear Celebrates Lobbying Wins for Trucking
- Bill would cement FMCSA’s emergency CDL rule
- Federal budget contains funding for trucking employers: Trucking HR Canada
- Motor Vehicle Commission services focus of New Jersey bills
- OOIDA to DOT: Good start, but complaint system still needs work
- Transportation funding focus of fall ballot questions
- Trump Asks Justice Department to Probe Meatpacker Prices
Ports
Regulations
Supply chain
- Cencora makes $1 billion investment in pharma supply chains
- Texas supply chain sector hit by more than 920 layoffs
- Carney Apologizes to Trump for Anti-Tariff Ad
- Honda’s Profit Slips as Trump’s Tariffs Take Toll
- Japan’s ocean lines face profit decline amid tariff impact
- Key Supreme Court Justices Question Trump’s Global Tariffs
- Lineage trims full-year outlook on tariff overhang
- Shares of largest US container line buoyed by tariff outlook
- Supreme Court Considers Trump Tariffs
- Supreme Court Hears Tariff Arguments This Week
- US Supreme Court hears arguments on Trump’s tariffs
10. Regarding technology, training, trucking, and trucking industry:
Technology
- AI safety solutions see 73% reduction in crash rates, Samsara report
- Amazon Demands Perplexity Stop AI Tool’s Purchasing Ability
- AscendTMS Partners With Highway on Carrier ID
- Beautiful women, open doors and drivers: trucking cybersecurity risks proliferate
- Drivewyze by Fleetworthy now provides real-time alerts for truckers in Louisiana
- eBook: Is Driver Resistance to Dash Cams Shifting?
- Efficient Trucking Software
- Grote Unveils H.E.L.P Safety Technologies at ATA 2025
- House Chairman Wants Highway Bill That Looks to Technology
- How to Win Over Dash Cam Skeptics
- How Tucker Freight Lines Modernized Its TMS and Integrated Its Fleet Systems
- Kooner Fleet Management: New FleetIQ Improves Customer Uptime
- Largest Fleet of Police Cybertrucks to Patrol Las Vegas
- Motive Launches AI Answers, a conversational AI for physical operations
- Motive Unveils Conversational Artificial Intelligence
- PCS Rolls Out AI Dispatch, Freight Tools
- Phillips Connect SolarNet 8000 Series Combines Smart Trailer Functions in One Platform
- Roadrunners jump to a tech-forward LTL carrier
- Robots and Road Rage
- Smarter Cold Chain: Fleet Telematics Create Predictive Advantages
- States still lagging behind on medical certification rule
- States target use of red-light, speed cameras
- Teamsters union to press UPS over Roadie use of gig drivers
- Trucker Path App Users Get Wex Fuel Savings
- WattEV Unveils Solid-State Transformer for MCS
- WattEV Unveils Solid-State Transformer for Megawatt Electric Truck Charging
- Why shippers are consolidating their tech stack for long-term growth
Training
- Atlantic Canada trucking schools emphasize need for instructor standards, internships
- CDL mills in the hot seat; lawmakers demand higher standards
- Congressmen call for DOT scrutiny of ‘CDL mills’
- DOT Sets Sights on CDL Mills After Safety Audit Findings
- DOT to CDL mills: We’re coming after you
- DOT to ‘go after’ CDL mills, companies that hire ‘illegal alien’ drivers along with more ICE raids
- FMCSA Targets CDL Mills as Transportation Secretary Questions Truck Driver Shortage Narrative
- Lawmakers Urge DOT Crackdown on Fraudulent CDL Mills
- Strategies to Make Driver Training Stick Beyond Traditional Classroom Presentations
- The Trucker Media Group launches digital CDL training school directory
- Two truck driving school operators avoid jail in Ontario MELT fraud case
Trucking
Trucking industry
- Trucking Industry Update October 2025: Key Insights for Shippers
- What to Expect When Trucking in Alaska
11. Regarding weather and weight:
Weather
- Iowa’s ‘standing corn snow fence’ helps keep roads safer in winter weather
- National Weather Service offers reminders as weather turns frigid
- Ohio bill would outlaw radioactive brine road treatment
- Winter Trucking on the Road
Weight
12. Regarding America’s Road Team, and Awards, Nominations, and Voting:
America’s Road Team
The article in this section opens with:
The American Trucking Associations is releasing the names of the 31 professional truck drivers who are finalists for the 2026-2027 America’s Road Team.
“These [people] were selected as finalists for America’s Road Team because they have outstanding safe driving records, share a passion for the trucking industry, and serve as role models among their peers,” said Chris Spear, ATA president, CEO.
I congratulate all finalists on this list!
Awards, Nominations, and Voting
I congratulate truckers who have achieved a level of proficiency in their jobs.
I also congratulate those who will be nominated for a special trucking award, and encourage truckers to vote for a fellow trucker who truly deserves recognition.
- NASTC’s ‘America’s Best Drivers’ team, new ambassadors named for 2025
- Pilot gives Road Warrior champs Kenworth truck, cash prizes
- TCA Opens Nominations for 2026 Professional Drivers of the Year Awards
- Voting now open for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award
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: 2025.11.08 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.
