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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.10.03

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.10.03 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending October 3, 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 Diesel, Fuel, Fuel Economy, Fuel Taxes, Oil, and Strike:

Diesel

The opening paragraphs of this article — The Diesel Domino Effect: Why 16 Trucking Bankruptcies Signal a Coming Food Crisis — are as follows:

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I have been warning for years that the American food supply chain is far more fragile than the corporate media will ever admit. Diesel is the bloodstream of that supply chain, and right now the patient is bleeding out. Sixteen trucking companies have already filed for bankruptcy in just the last month because they can no longer afford to keep their rigs on the road, and industry analysts expect hundreds more to follow.

What most Americans fail to understand is that trucking is not just another industry. It is the connective tissue of everything they eat, wear, and consume. The commercial vehicles that move food from farms and warehouses to grocery shelves burn roughly 36.5 billion gallons of diesel every year [1]. When those trucks stop moving, the shelves empty fast. This is a direct threat to national food security that the White House and its media allies seem to be ignoring, because admitting the truth would require acknowledging that their own energy policies helped engineer this crisis.

I paste here an image that is similar to many that I’ve seen through the years, and which is linked somewhere on Reddit:

If trucks stoped...

Please see the sections below on fuel and the strike over diesel costs.

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:

Now this week’s articles on this topic:

Fuel Economy

For more information on this topic, please see:

Fuel Economy Comparison: Savings Include Truck Lubricant Cost?

Fuel Taxes

Oil

Based on my limited reading, it seems to me that people around the world are reeling from the illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran that was started by U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

Supply chains have been disrupted and the price of fuel, oil, other products, and various services have risen sharply, as shown in the articles in this section.

If this situation bothers you, please contact your federal elected officials.

Strike

Opinions vary on the trucker strike that was supposedly scheduled to take place on October 1.

I referenced in my trucking commentary last week this article on this site:

Trucker Protest: 10 Reasons Why Parking Your Truck Can Be Costly.

And I wrote:

Before you go “on strike” against the high price of fuel, be aware of what your strike might do to your job, especially bearing in mind one goal of the powers-that-be: to eliminate human truck drivers from the process of the transportation of goods.

The articles and links:

2. Regarding Ban, Bankruptcy, Border, Brokers, Business, Chameleon Carriers, Ports, Verification, and WEX:

Ban

Does the situation at the facility described in the article in this section, involve the federal Hobbs Act?

18 U.S. Code § 1951 – Interference with commerce by threats or violence

(a)Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Please read the explanation in the letter in the article.

Bankruptcy

Border

Brokers

Business

Chameleon Carriers

For background on chameleon carriers, please read:

The Anatomy of a Chameleon Carrier Empire. How They Build It.

Ports

Verification

According to the website in this section:

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision on broker liability, the trucking industry has been forced to answer an important question: How should freight brokers vet motor carriers?

More importantly, how can brokers assess carriers in a way that provides some legal protection while not weeding out smaller, safe carriers and owner-operators? It’s a difficult question, but one company believes it may have some answers.

I seem to recall other attempts to vet freight brokers in the past.

But did they hang around?

If so, who are they?

If they didn’t hang around, why not?

Please share your thoughts through the form below.

WEX

3. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, and Tesla:

Autonomous Vehicles

I most definitely 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.

Tesla

4. Regarding Bottlenecks, Breakdown, Intermodal, and Parts:

Bottlenecks

Is this the correct way to deal with the issue?

Are federal funds the way to deal with this issue?

Where are the states on this issue?

How long with the projects take?

Breakdown

Intermodal

Parts

5. Regarding Alcohol, Crashes, Distracted Driving, Drugs, Ejection, Fatalities, Fatigue, and Fraud:

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.

Ejection

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

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the family of those whose loved one died.

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

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.”

For your convenience, here’s a post on this site on this topic:

Drowsy Driving: Dangers, Statistics, and No Substitutes

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.

6. Regarding Impaired, Near Miss, Scheme, Smuggling, Speeding, Theft, and Violations:

Impaired

According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators: “Impaired driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle while being impaired by alcohol, or any drug (prescribed or illicit).”

Near Miss

Based on the description in the article in this section, I perceive that the “near miss” described was not due to skillful driving, but rather either “luck” or “providence”.

Scheme

I think this is the first time that I’ve ever read that this kind of fraud could lead to prison time!

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.

Speeding

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

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.

Please bear in mind that, should the economy worsen, the temptation will increase for people to hijack trucks and steal the contents.

Desperate people do desperate things.

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 articles on this topic:

7. Regarding Canada, Economy, Employment, Inflation, Loads, Rates, Shortage, and Tariffs:

Canada

Economy

Employment

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 6+ years.

Although the dates may be shifting over time, according to FiscalData.Treasury.gov, the U.S. debt:
– exceeded $36 Trillion on November 21, 2024;
– exceeded $37 Trillion on August 11, 2025;
– exceeded $38 Trillion on October 21, 2025;
– exceeded $39 Trillion on May 18, 2026; and
– exceeded $40 Trillion on August 18, 2026.

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.

Loads

Rates

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…

8. Regarding CDLs, Enforcement, Industry, Legal, Motus, and Trucking:

CDLs

Enforcement

Industry

Legal

Motus

[Ragged sigh!]

Trucking

9. Regarding Cold, ELDs, Inspections, Logs, Parking, Rewards, Training, Veterans, and Waiver:

Cold

One paragraph in the article in this section reads:

Inspectors discovered that the seafood was outside of the acceptable temperature range, so “officers denied the shipment entry into Florida and directed it back out of state.”

If you haul refrigerated trailers, please stay in touch with your fleet manager.

ELDs

Well, well, well…

The third article in this section reveals something interesting:

Concerns about these white label ELD devices are not new. Back in January, trucking technology expert Tom Cuthbertson told trucknews.com that many noncompliant ELD devices were being self-registered and then relabeled under different names, even though they were essentially the same product.

These “chameleon” ELDs are why FMCSA’s self-certification registry had swelled to 1,000 devices, he said.

In my opinion, this whole huge mess could have been prevented if the regulations:

  • had not forced truckers onto Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs); and
  • had not allowed ELD entities to “self-certify” their devices.

In TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2017.12.09, I quoted Indiana’s Attorney General, Curtis Hill, regarding the self-certification provision regarding ELDs.

I also asked, “In what other industry besides trucking has the government ever mandated the purchase of a ‘self-certification’ product?“

So, I’m truly distressed for every trucker who invested in a “self-certified” ELD that used to be on the approved list, only to later have that certification revoked!

If you are such a trucker, I want to hear from you about how expensive this was for you.

Inspections

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

Logs

Please see the section on ELDs above, too.

Parking

Rewards

Quoting from the article in this section:

Samsara used September’s self-declared Driver Appreciation Month to launch Driver Perks, a national rewards program that gives professional drivers free access to discounts from more than 50 brands spanning food and beverage, fitness, wellness, and travel — with no cost to drivers or their employers. The rollout marks a deliberate expansion of Samsara’s platform beyond telematics and into workforce retention, a priority for fleets struggling to hold onto qualified drivers.

Please share your thoughts through the form below.

Training

Veterans

Waiver

In case you’re wondering…

A summary of this article from the FMCSA — What is a waiver? An exemption? — says:

A trucking waiver provides temporary regulatory relief for up to three months during unique, non-emergency events, whereas an exemption offers longer-term relief lasting up to five years and applies to individuals or entire classes.

I find it simultaneously interesting and frustrating that “waivers” are made regarding the Hours of Service regulations and other matters.

To me, allowing any kind of “waiver” is a slippery slope that can lead to problems.

Thoughts?

10. Regarding Politics, Roads, Safety, and Security:

Politics

Roads

Safety

Security

11. Regarding Supply Chain, Technology, and Trump:

Supply Chain

Technology

Trump

12. Regarding Awards and Recognition:

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 the articles:

Recognition

Thank you to everyone who helped out their fellow human beings in a time of need, whether it was the trucker doing the helping or the trucker being helped.

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: 2026.10.03 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



Truckers, for all that you do all year long... thanks!
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.