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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.07.04

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.07.04 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending July 4, 2026, written by Vicki Simons.

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

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding 250, CORCA, and Theft:

The 250th Anniversary of the Signing of The Declaration of Independence

If you have not read this historic document in a while, I strongly recommend that you read it.

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My favorite section of The Declaration of Independence is:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —

From just this section, we understand that:

  • our unalienable rights have been endowed to every human being by our Creator;
  • what some of those rights are;
  • it is the purpose of Governments instituted among men to secure those rights;
  • Governments are to have “just” powers (not “unjust” ones); and
  • those Governments derive those powers from the consent of the governed (we the people).

As of this writing and because I believe that I have been called to do so, I have spoken at every meeting of the County Council in the county where I live — on a topic of freedom and liberty — for over 5 years.

I realize that truckers on the road do not have the opportunity to do that.

However, truckers do have the power of picking up their phones and calling their elected officials to ask for action!

If you live in the USA, please do not think that there’s nothing that you can do from the cab of your truck.

Be resourceful, learn what’s going on, and speak up. You can!

CORCA

The first paragraph of the first article in this section reads:

A bipartisan bill that supporters say would strengthen the federal response to organized cargo theft now awaits action in the U.S. Senate. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, better known as CORCA, passed the House of Representatives by a 348-60 vote in May with broad bipartisan support. Since then, recent criticism of the legislation has questioned whether documented cargo theft data justifies expanding the federal government’s role in investigating organized retail crime and supply chain theft.

Just so you know, Rep. Thomas Massier — a strict Constitutionalism — voted in favor of this.

What are your thoughts about CORCA?

Theft

Please be on your guard against cargo theft, including during holidays like Independence Day weekend.

It may not sound flattering, but you may need to “think like a would-be thief” in order to reduce and then eliminate potential points of theft against your tractor, trailer, and the cargo within.

Use appropriate high quality locks to protect your rig.

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.

2. Regarding 2290, Border, Business, Capacity, CDL, Factoring, Insurance, Load Board, Seasonal, and USPS:

2290

According to the article in this section:

The IRS Form 2290 deadline is rapidly approaching, kicking off the busiest compliance season of the year for truckers. If you operate a vehicle with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, it’s time to pay your Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HUT) and secure your IRS-stamped Schedule 1.

Please see the article for help on this topic.

Border

Business

In the sixth article in this section, we read:

Prime says that it seeks “recovery of taxes wrongfully collected under the internal revenue laws” with respect to diesel used to power refrigerated units on the company’s trailers.

Huh! I’ll be interested to see how this works out!

Capacity

The article in this section says:

After the longest freight down cycle in recent memory, the trucking industry is finally turning the corner. Capacity is down and freight rates are moving upward. Analysts predict truck sales will increase during the second half of 2026 as carriers look to expand, taking advantage of a more favorable market.

Do you think that the trucking industry is “turning the corner”?

Please comment through the form below.

CDL

Factoring

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Insurance

Load Board

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Seasonal

The article in this section says:

Booming load volumes, soaring rates, and carriers off like a shot to find more drivers all point to fireworks on the load boards this week.

USPS

One of the bullet points in the summary on the article in this section reads:

Looming shutdown: The U.S. Postal Service faces a severe cash crisis, having amassed nearly $31 billion in cumulative defaults through fiscal year 2025 against just $8.9 billion in remaining cash. Without structural reforms, the agency warns it will run out of liquidity and could eventually stop paying its employees and contract transportation providers, forcing a halt to mail operations.

If you’re a contract provider for the U.S. Postal Service, what are your thoughts on this?

3. Regarding Brokers, C.H. Robinson, Florida, and Language:

Brokers

C.H. Robinson

Florida

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;

Thoughts?

4. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Emissions, Fuel, Hydrogen, Iran, and Oil:

Autonomous Vehicles

I totally 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 my readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Electric Vehicles

It could be that with the price of fuel being so high right now, that truckers and trucking companies are looking at alternatives.

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

Emissions

Fuel

So that you can track the price of fuel:

In an effort to save as much fuel as possible, here are a few of the articles on this site dealing with aerodynamics:

Furthermore, I responded to a post on Facebook that came from this post on X, which revealed:

“U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve drops to 331 million barrels”.

My response:

Tapping our own reserves to keep fuel prices low to lull people into artificial comfort.

The foundation is literally being ripped out from under our feet.

We all know what the answer is, but the PTB refuse to back down from illegal, immoral, unconstitutional actions!

The Bible records historical accounts of stubborn leaders who refused to back down and ended up paying the price.

Among them were Ahab, Sennacherib, and Herod.

I implore those who are true children of God to:
– get on their knees and pray; and
– contact their elected officials to do what is right in the sight of our Creator!

Now this week’s articles on this topic:

Hydrogen

Iran

According to a July 3, 2026, article:

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, combined with the destruction of oil and gas refineries in the Middle East, has severed the flow of this critical industrial chemical. As I have warned for years, the vulnerability of the sulfur supply chain is a direct threat to global food production and national self-reliance. This is not an abstract risk. It is a ticking time bomb that could trigger mass starvation on a global scale.

This closure was triggered by the illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional war of aggression perpetrated on Iran by President Trump.

According to this post on Telegram:

It’s official: the US war against Iran is now the most unpopular major war in US history. Support for the war started underwater in February and only went downhill from there. But where is Congress? Where are the protests?

If this concerns you, please contact your federal elected officials.

Oil

5. Regarding APUs, Economy, Employment, Fines, Rates, and Tolls:

APUs

Economy

Employment

Fines

Rates

Tolls

6. Regarding Crashes, Drugs, Fatalities, Fraud, 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.

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.

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

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 Bridges, Containers, Intermodal, and Parts:

Bridges

According to the article in this section:

In an ad launched June 24, candidate Mallory McMorrow says Trump won’t open the Gordie Howe Bridge and accuses him of taking money from a billionaire family that owns a competing bridge.

While I don’t know the details, this kind of allegation deserves some serious investigation!

Containers

Intermodal

Parts

8. Regarding Inspections, Maintenance, Medical, Operations, Parking, Restrooms, Securement, Testing, Training, and Weight:

Inspections

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

Maintenance

Medical

Operations

Please make sure that before you drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle, you are authorized to do so!

Parking

Restrooms

OK, y’all. I’ve seen objects like this on Amazon.com, but they do absolutely nothing for those “number two” jobs that we all have to do from time to time.

Truckers who drive box trucks or day cabs do not have the room to have a portable toilet in their tractors.

However, for decades, I have written about having a portable toilet in one’s sleeper berth truck.

For review:

Of course, one needs to keep one’s portable toilet cleaned and maintained.

Just saying.

Securement

Every trucker needs to learn how to properly secure the cargo in his/her truck.

One may learn more here:

eCFR :: 49 CFR Part 393 Subpart I — Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo.

Testing

Training

Weight

9. Regarding Legal, Motus, NACFE, Speed, Speed Limit, and Weather:

Legal

Motus

Still having problems. I see…

No surprises.

NACFE

Speed

No matter how “hot” your load is, obey the speed limit in every jurisdiction where you travel.

Speed Limit

Weather

I wrote the following in my June 13, 2026, issue of Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips Email Newsletter:

Hot Temperatures Necessitate Special Care

Every year — and especially in the summer — high temperatures soar in certain parts of the USA (and around the world).

While temperatures may rise to triple digits, they don’t have to get that high to cause problems.

Continually pay attention to various temperatures, including:

– Your own body temperature (hot truck, empowerment, drinking water, stay cool);

– Sleeping conditions (sleep better, idling-related series, proposition);

– Your truck’s temperature (keep water and oil levels optimized, keep the fuel topped off);

– The temperature in any refrigerated trailer you haul (keep the fuel level topped off); and

– The temperature of any perishable food you carry with you (thermoelectric coolers vs. ice chests vs. compact refrigerators).

Becoming dehydrated and/or suffering from heat-related illness is very serious.

Do not allow a trucking company to cause you to lose your health!

Your health and wellness are paramount, so take care of yourself!

The articles in this section include:

10. Regarding ELDs, HOS, Politics, Right To Repair, Tariffs, and USMCA:

ELDs

HOS

Politics

FYI, the full name of the “GHOSTRUCK Act” is “the Guarding Hours-of-Service Oversight and Stopping Tampering by Remote Unofficial Carrier Keeper [Act]”.

Right To Repair

I am in favor of the “Right to Repair”.

From my May 23, 2026, TDMST Weekly Round-Up trucking commentary:

=====

Organizations representing truck stops and small-business truckers are throwing their weight behind a bill that would grant truckers access to vehicle maintenance and repair data. …

Known as the REPAIR Act, HR1566 would prohibit manufacturers from using technological or legal barriers to prevent motor vehicle owners from accessing vehicle-generated data, choosing a towing or service provider or diagnosing, repairing or maintaining a vehicle in the same manner as a manufacturer or dealer.

I have come across a similar situation regarding my HP printer.

In years gone by, the only ink jet cartridges that would “fit” in my printer were made exclusively by HP, at what I considered to be inflated prices.

I could not help but wonder: How much can plastic and ink actually cost?

Mike found a solution which I still use: “generic” ink jet cartridges that work just as well as the name brand ones, but at a fraction of the cost.

=====

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.

There’s also a short video on Telegram with this description:

Peter Schiff on Trump’s punitive tariffs against U.S. allies and why all tariffs are paid by the American people, not foreign manufacturers

Now for the articles in this section…

USMCA

For reference purposes, I include this article:

USMCA’s Future in Doubt as Renewal Deadline Approaches

11. Regarding Roads, Robotaxi, Supply Chain, and Technology:

Roads

Robotaxi

I find this interesting…

Why would an “autonomous car” pilot program be ending?

Supply Chain

Technology

12. Regarding Awards:

Awards

Congratulations to all truckers who have:

  • demonstrated skill and achievement in their work as professional truck drivers;
  • been recognized for that skill and achievement, perhaps for safe driving;
  • been given a tangible reward; or
  • been nominated for or given an award.

Here are articles about some of the winners of awards.

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: 2026.07.04 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



Factor smarter, faster, and save. Keep more of what you earn. DAT Outgo.
Rate Match Guarantee. We'll meet or beat your current rate. DAT Outgo.
Factoring that pays faster. Super fast funding speeds. DAT Outgo.
Factor with more freedom. Non-recourse + no annual contracts. DAT Outgo.