TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.05.03

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.05.03 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending May 3, 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 language, politics, tariffs, and trade:

Language

An April 28, 2025, Executive Order entitled “ENFORCING COMMONSENSE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR AMERICA’S TRUCK DRIVERS” has sent a mixture of emotions throughout the trucking industry, including, but not limited to:

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  • a tremendous sense of relief (by those who have been concerned about the danger that existed prior to this point by truckers not proficient with English);
  • a hearty agreement (by those who have known all along that this situation was lawful, but not being enforced — as in, “It’s about time!”);
  • a profound sense of shock (by truckers lacking English proficiency, that they might soon be caught and removed from their trucking jobs, as well as trucking companies who would have to find replacements for the displaced truckers); and
  • a feeling of vindication (small or large) (by those who have been wronged in some way — including those who have lost a loved one at the hand of someone lacking English proficiency).

While I’m glad that this situation has been addressed, I must point out that:

  • The President of the United States does not have the authority — according to The Constitution of the United States — to address this (even if Congress supposedly gave the President the authority by passing some unconstitutional law); and
  • According to Article I, Section 1, of The Constitution “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives”, which means that this Executive Order is not “law” in the true legislative sense and thus can be undone in the future.

It remains to be seen how quickly truckers without English language proficiency (ELP) are removed from the trucking industry.

Politics

Tariffs

While I have been covering the topic of President Trump’s tariffs and port fees for weeks, I’m not sure that the trucking industry has fully braced itself — or spoken out against — what these two articles cover:

As readers of this trucking commentary know, I am not an alarmist, but I am a realist.

The second article immediately above in this section states:

If Trump doesn’t reverse his announced trade embargo on China, Amazon.com will go bankrupt. According to CNBC, “up to 70% of goods on Amazon come from China, according to Wedbush Securities. With nearly all imports from China being taxed a staggering 145% under the latest tariffs, Amazon sellers are having to decide whether to raise prices or absorb the vastly increased cost of importing their goods.”

So, what can be done?

I encourage you to contact your Congressman/Congresswoman and your two U.S. Senators regarding this move.

I found that when I contacted my federal elected officials, there was an option on their contact form regarding “trade.”

It would also be good if truckers would “melt down the phone lines” through many and repeated phone calls in Washington regarding this topic.

We are not mindless sheep who have to “put up with” whatever comes our direction.

We need to be knowledgeable and take action.

Another aspect to consider is that if imports from China stop, many truckers may experience:

  • less freight to haul;
  • longer times for truck repairs (if repairs can even be done);
  • longer wait times for fixes to broken technology; and
  • health issues due to a lack of pharmaceutical products.

Please do your due diligence and take action.

Trade

2. Regarding emissions and regulations:

Emissions

I am glad that it seems as though the emphasis on emissions — that in my opinion had been taken to an extreme — seem to be leveling out a bit now.

Regulations

3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, employment, and shortage:

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 our readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Some people will now claim that we don’t know how many truckers in the USA will be thrown out of the trucking industry due to their lack of English proficiency and therefore we need to have driverless trucks to take their places.

See farther down in this section, the link to an article where OOIDA is correcting the narrative about the true cause of the trucker “shortage.”

Employment

Shortage

4. Regarding Amazon, Clarios, Hyundai, Kenworth, Peterbilt, Pilot, Tesla, and UPS:

Amazon

Clarios

Hyundai

Kenworth

Peterbilt

Pilot

Tesla

UPS

5. Regarding batteries, electric vehicles, fuel, hybrid, and hydrogen:

Batteries

Electric vehicles

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

Fuel

Hybrid

Hydrogen

6. Regarding APUs, maintenance, and parking:

APUs

Maintenance

Parking

The article in this section describes a situation in California.

7. Regarding ATRI, border, business, exemption, legal, and shut down:

ATRI

Border

Business

Exemption

Every time there is a perceived “emergency” of some kind, someone in a position of authority extends an exemption or suspension or waiver of the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations.

My point of view is that if government officials can suspend the HOS in particular situations — trusting the truckers to make correct decisions during emergencies — they should be able to trust the truckers full-time!

Legal

Shut down

8. Regarding CDLs, FMCSA, inspections, and recalls:

CDLs

FMCSA

Inspections

Recalls

9. Regarding congestion pricing, economy, pay, rates, taxes, and Trust Fund:

Congestion pricing

Economy

Pay

Rates

Taxes

Trust Fund

10. Regarding crashes, drugs, fatalities, fraud, road rage, scam, staged, and theft:

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?

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.

Road rage

Scam

Please do your due diligence so that you do not become the victim of a scam.

Staged

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.

11. Regarding roads, technology, and weight:

Roads

Technology

Weight

12. Regarding awards, positivity, and recognition:

Awards

I applaud and congratulate all professional truck drivers who have achieved a level of accomplishment and have been honored by others.

Positivity

Recognition

I recognize those professional truck drivers who have helped their fellow human beings in a time of need.

I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.






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