TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.09.19

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.09.19 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending September 19, 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 Appreciation, Fuel, Oil, and Takedown:

Appreciation

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week 2026 takes place from Sunday, September 13, through Saturday, September 19, 2026.

DAT TruckersEdge - Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off your first 12 months. New customers only.

This annual event led by the American Trucking Associations honors the millions of professional truck drivers who safely and securely move essential goods across the United States.

If they make sense for you, see if you can take advantage of the bonuses, discounts, freebies, giveaways, goodies, and other incentives being offered this week!

Fuel

Many of the articles in this section have to do with the soaring price of diesel.

Please see the section below called “Takedown” for more commentary on the diesel situation.

Oil

Takedown

Two of the three articles in this section have to do with a “takedown” over the problem having to do with diesel, which stems directly from refinery shut downs.

Courtesy of Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com, here is an AI depiction of Trucking’s Triple Crisis:

Trucking’s Triple Crisis: Diesel Prices, Regional Scarcity, and the Autonomous Threat

Two sections from the conclusion in the article from which it came (linked below):

Everything is going to get more expensive in the short term as diesel prices and trucking bankruptcies mount. Food, clothing, consumer goods, and even gasoline deliveries depend on diesel-burning trucks, and when the trucks stop, the economy suffers dearly. …

The time to start is now. If you are waiting for the government to fix the diesel crisis or the trucking industry, you will be waiting forever. The government is the problem, not the solution. The only lasting solution is for individuals and communities to take back control of their own lives and build the systems that they need to survive and thrive. This is the path to freedom, and it is the only path that leads to a future worth living.

Now for the articles…

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:

Just for giggles, I Googled this question:

How long would it take an army of robots to build a diesel refinery?

The long answer was interesting.

Is this the way to go?

Please comment through the form below.


2. Regarding Amazon, Broker, Business, Canada, Capacity, Container, and Recalls:

Amazon

Broker

Business

Canada

Capacity

Container

Recalls

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


3. Regarding Economy, Employment, Federal Reserve, Pay, Rates, Recovery, Shortage, Tariffs, Taxes, and UCR Fee:

Economy

Employment

Federal Reserve

Please note that the U.S. Constitution never authorized the creation of the Federal Reserve and that “The Fed” needs to be ended.

Pay

Rates

Pay attention to rates and please make sure that the increased price of fuel is built into your calculations.

Recovery

Shortage

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…

Taxes

UCR Fee


4. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Hybrid, and Hydrogen:

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.

Hybrid

Hydrogen


5. Regarding Alcohol, Crashes, Distracted Driving, Drugs, Ejected, and Fatalities:

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.

Distracted Driving

For reference purposes:

Distracted Driving: Beware of Attention Diverters That Can Be Fatal

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

Ejected

As I wrote in this post — Seat Belt Use and Seat Belt Laws For Truckers — I have “never read an article about a trucker being ejected from his/her truck in which the he/she was wearing a seatbelt.”

Both drivers and passengers in commercial motor vehicles are required to be properly restrained, per 49 CFR § 392.16 – Use of seat belts.

Now for the article:

Fatalities

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, as it concerns a “highway”:

Fatality means any injury which results in the death of a person at the time of the motor vehicle accident or within 30 days of the accident.

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?


6. Regarding Fatigue, Fire, Fraud, Smuggling, Theft, and Violence:

Fatigue

One source says: “Drowsy driving and fatigued driving are essentially the same thing, often used interchangeably to describe operating a vehicle while impaired by sleepiness or exhaustion, which slows reaction time, impairs judgment, and reduces awareness, making it as dangerous as drunk driving.”

Although the article in this section does not specifically mention being drowsy, for your convenience, here’s a post on this site on this topic:

Drowsy Driving: Dangers, Statistics, and No Substitutes

Fire

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.

Smuggling

Never ever transport people made in the image of God as if they were cattle or cargo — no matter how large of an incentive you’ve been offered.

And don’t attempt to smuggle illegal products.

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.


7. Regarding Enforcement, Inspections, Securement, and Violations:

Enforcement

Inspections

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

Securement

It is the professional truck driver’s responsibility to make sure that his/her load is secure before driving.

The Code of Federal Regulations 49 CFR Part 393 covers “Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation”.

Subpart I details “Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo”.

It covers everything from § 393.104 Standards for cargo securement devices and systems to very specific kinds of loads including boulders, containers, metal coils, etc..

If you have not been trained on how to secure your load, demand that your trucking company provide you with that training before you drive a single inch!

Why? Because you as the trucker will be held responsible for it if something goes wrong.

Violations

A lot of violations are found during truck inspections while others are spotted on the road.

Make it your aim as a trucker to do everything in compliance with the law and regulations — even if your trucking company is trying to get you to compromise.

For your convenience, please review these posts:

Now for the news article on this topic:


8. Regarding Language/Related, Motus, Politics, Ports, and Roads:

Language/Related

Motus

Although I oppose this increase of bureaucracy, beware of Motus scam registration sites!

Politics

Ports

Roads


9. Regarding ATRI, Future, and Technology:

ATRI

Future

Technology


10. Regarding Tires, Training, Truck Drivers, and Truck Stops:

Tires

Training

If you’re considering becoming a professional truck driver, be aware that some truck driver training schools may have been shut down, at least temporarily.

Please do your due diligence!

Truck Drivers

Truck Stops


11. Regarding Operations, Parking, Safety, Speed, Stranded, and Weather:

Operations

Please make sure that you know everything necessary to safely drive and operate the Commercial Motor Vehicle assigned to you — and that you abide by the rules of the road.

Parking

Safety

Speed

Let there be no double standards regarding speeding in trucking!

Stranded

Weather

The caption on the article in this section reads:

“Lytx® data shows construction sector collisions climbing as factors like data center projects strain crews.”


12. Regarding Award:

Award

The article in this section opens with:

Progressive Insurance has awarded a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia to commercial driver and U.S. military veteran Fahad Al-Kadhim through its Keys to Progress program.

Congratulations!

The article further says:

According to Progressive, today, Al-Kadhim is an experienced commercial driver and trainer who is passionate about developing safe, disciplined and accountable professional drivers while remaining active in organizations that support veterans and military families.

Wonderful!


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: 2026.09.19 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.