TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.05.31 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending May 31, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.
I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.
1. Regarding tariffs and trade:
Tariffs
Since at least 2020, I’ve been very concerned about elected officials in the highest office of their jurisdiction wielding what seemed to be unlimited power.
This began when South Carolina Henry McMaster wrote Executive Order after Executive Order shutting down parts of my home state supposedly in the name of safety or health care.
Too many people in the state legislature did not stand up to him or work to correct what (in my opinion) was too much control under the “Emergency Health Powers Act” of 2002 (not coincidentally in the aftermath of 9/11).
Once the fervor of C0VID-19 blew over and it seemed that things got “back to normal,” those tyrannies were forgotten by many.
Enter the 2024 election of President Donald Trump, which gave rise to his rash of Executive Orders and a slew of tariffs in 2025.
I wrote to my Congressman and two U.S. Senators about the damage that would ensue were shipments from China blocked, as described in this article:
I can share links to other articles that describe the same kind of situation.
Then, we read the opening paragraph of the May 29, 2025, article entitled:
“Trump’s Tariffs Overturned: A Victory for the Rule of Law“:
In a moment of rare clarity and courage, a federal judicial panel has struck a blow for constitutional fidelity and the rule of law by ruling that President Donald Trump exceeded his lawful authority in imposing steep tariffs on a host of foreign countries. The decision, handed down by the U.S. Court of International Trade, is more than just a slap on the wrist for one president’s economic adventurism — it is a desperately needed reminder that no man, no matter how popular or powerful, is above the law.
Then came this quote in the May 30, 2025, article entitled:
“The Pen, the Phone, and the Presidency: A Roman Warning Against the Rise of the American Caesar“:
“I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president.”
— President Donald J. Trump, July 23, 2019
According to Britannica (links not preserved in quote):
divine right of kings, in European history, a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism, which asserted that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament.
This is NOT the way the USA was set up!
This quote followed the formation of the United States by our Founding Fathers, but which they understood very well:
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
— John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, 13th Marquess of Groppoli, … better known as Lord Acton
That is the reason why our Founding Fathers crafted The Constitution of the United States with separate branches of the federal government, with checks and balances so that no branch was able to rule absolutely.
Therefore, I was elated to read that a court had stood up to and “ruled against” the unconstitutional usurpation of Congressional authority wielded by President Trump regarding tariffs.
This is not about Democrat vs. Republican politics, but about ruling according to The Constitution that one has taken an oath of office to uphold.
Remember this quote from The Declaration of Independence:
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,
All men are created equal, Governments are instituted among men to secure our Creator-endowed and unalienable rights, Governments are to have “just powers” (not unjust ones), and Governments come into being at the consent of the governed. Case closed.
- A Lego approach helps prepare Manhattan Associates’ TMS for tariff chaos
- Appeals court halts trade court’s tariff injunction: What it means for freight
- Appeals court stays ruling that blocked Trump tariffs
- Borderlands Mexico: Tariffs, language rule hit cross-border trucking
- Canada, China praise court ruling striking down Trump’s tariffs
- Court blocks Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, calls them unconstitutional
- Farmers Press for Biofuels Boost to Counter Tariff Losses
- Federal Appeals Court Overturns Tariff Pause, For Now
- Tariff threats temper cross-border freight
- Tariff Truce Has Kept China-US Trade Flowing Across the Pacific
- Trade Court Blocks Most Trump Tariffs, Ruling They’re Illegal
- Trump says he will double tariffs on steel imports to 50%
- Trump Says He’ll Delay Threatened EU Tariff Until July
- Trump Tariffs Blocked: Court Ruling Explained
- Trump Tells US Steelworkers He’s Going to Double Tariffs
- Trump to Appeal Ruling Against Tariffs
- Trump to impose 50% tariff on imported steel
- Trump Trade Tariffs: A Legal Setback Explained
- Trump’s tariffs hanging by a thread
- U.S. federal court rules against Trump’s fentanyl and ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
- US consumer confidence rebounds after five straight months of declines amid tariff anxiety
- Volkswagen to Offer Investments to US to Ward off Tariffs
- Weather, tariffs, and housing slump weigh heavily on truck freight
Trade
- Northern US Mayors Call for End to Trade War With Canada
- Reducing internal trade barriers tops priorities for businesses: KPMG poll
- Sysco Helps Restaurants Caught in Trade War
- The courts are unlikely to end the trade war
- Trump Says China Violated Its Trade Agreement With US
- US Ports Log Strong April Despite Trade Policy Shifts
2. Regarding inspections and language:
Inspections
If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.
- 38% of inspected trucks placed out of service in Texas oil patch
- Arizona troopers conduct blitz on highway ‘notorious for commercial vehicle fires’
- Blitz week breakdown: top violations; authority approvals down 50%; tariffs? |
- CVSA’s Brake Safety Week set for Aug. 24-30; focus on drums and rotors
- Four out-of-service violations discovered during Iowa State Patrol commercial vehicle traffic stop
- Illinois troopers conduct over 1,800 commercial vehicle inspections during Roadcheck
- Inspectors to focus on drums and rotors during weeklong nationwide brake blitz
- ‘Maximum Enforcement’ commercial motor vehicle inspection operation in Arizona uncovers 196 violations
- Over 6,800 cited during 6-state seat belt enforcement effort
Language
I am glad that this topic is getting the attention it deserves!
- Bill would codify Trump’s order regarding English standards for CDL holders
- CVTA calls on USDOT to disqualify CDL schools that flout driver training requirements
- Lawmakers float bill to codify ELP for truck drivers
- New bill seeks to strengthen and codify English language requirements for commercial truck drivers
- Transportation Secretary Targets Unsafe Trucking Practices with New English Proficiency Rule
3. Regarding FMCSA, legal, Oregon, politics, regulations, and speed limit:
FMCSA
- FMCSA crackdown on carrier fraud halves newly published authorities
- FMCSA proposes removing rear guard label requirement
- FMCSA Repeals Obsolete Carrier Routing Rules, Updates Civil Penalty Guidelines
- FMCSA streamlines regulations on truck routing, civil penalties
- FMCSA takes first deregulatory actions under Trump | NYC truck tolls to continue: Court
- FMCSA unveils 18 proposed rule changes
- FMCSA unveils first deregulatory actions
- The Practical Breakdown: FMCSA’s Newest Rule Changes and Proposals
Legal
- California trucking company owner pleads guilty to PPP fraud
- California trucking company owner pleads guilty to theft of government property
- Trucker charged after doing $10,000 damage in WV cemetery
- Trucking & power company both shirking responsibility for low-hanging power lines dragged down by semi truck
Oregon
- Oregon DOT accepting oversize permits online
- Oregon Expands Oversight of Medium-Duty Trucks
- Oregon Oversized Load Permits Made Easy Online
Politics
- Bill raising trailer registration fees in Louisiana advances in House Committee
- Texas bill, a trucking priority for tort reform, dies in House committee
- Transportation-funding budget signed into law in Washington
- Trucking industry would benefit from Louisiana bills
- Washington Proposes Truck Pollution Regulation Updates to Support Zero-Emission Transition
Regulations
Yay! Some regulations that affect trucking are being repealed!
- DOT issues dozens of deregulatory notices
- DOT Moves to Slash Dozens of Trucking Regulations
- DOT’s deregulation barrage raises compliance concerns for trucking
- Lawmakers reintroduce ban on hauling horses in double-deck trailers
- Mastering Recap Hours and Sleeper Split Rules in 2025
- Motor carrier routing regulations repealed because ‘they exceed FMCSA’s statutory authority’
- U.S. DOT to axe more than 50 ‘burdensome’ regulations at agencies including FMCSA
- USDOT plans to slash more than 50 ‘burdensome’ regs across its agencies
Speed limit
According to the first article in this section:
North Dakota voted to raise the speed limit to 80 mph on select multi-lane highways effective Aug. 1, becoming the ninth state in the country to do so.
… Higher posted limits also means speeding violations will come with higher fines…
So, please be watching out for the following:
- Traveling so fast that you cannot adequately control your truck;
- The extra expenses that may be associated with faster travel; and
- The need to navigate around vehicles on the road that are going more slowly (including those with a speed governor installed, which limits the maximum speed a vehicle can travel).
I’m curious regarding what kind of response will be received from those who want to pass legislation requiring that speed limiters be installed on large trucks.
4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and fuel:
Autonomous vehicles
I absolutely 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 my readers to help us stay current on the topic.
- Legislation aims to jump-start rollout of driverless vehicles
- Michigan County Board Opposes I-94 Self-Driving Corridor
- Volvo surpasses 220,000 km of autonomous mining haulage in Norway
Electric vehicles
Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.
- Congress pulls the plug on California’s electric vehicle mandate
- Toyota to Sell Seven EV Models in US
Fuel
- Diesel Price Sheds 4.9¢ to $3.487 a Gallon
- Partnership Brings Small Fleets and Owner-Operators Fuel Savings and More
- Retail diesel benchmark price resumes downward momentum
5. Regarding congestion pricing, economy, inflation, lottery, rates, tolls, and utilization:
Congestion pricing
According to the first article in this section:
A federal judge in New York has barred the Trump administration from taking action against the state for not ending congestion pricing, allowing the cameras to stay on without repercussions.
As I’ve stated in the past, the Tenth Amendment is in place for a reason.
If New York City wants to commit financial suicide by leaving this pricing scheme in place, in my opinion, they are welcome to do so and pay the consequences that come with it!
- Congestion pricing lives on after federal court ruling
- NYC Wins Order Against US Funding Freeze in Congestion Fight
Economy
- ECONOMIC TRUCKING TRENDS: Weak for-hire freight environment persists
- Economic uncertainty, tariff threats continue to depress freight rates
- Economy Falls 0.2% in First Quarter
Inflation
Lottery
Wow!
Rates
Tolls
This is something to watch: truck-only tolls in Rhode Island.
Utilization
The article in this section opens with:
A new Flock Freight and Drive Research study reveals a significant surge in truckload underutilization.
While I understand that “underutilization” is a problem, I also understand that a shipper may choose to pay for the entire use of a trailer.
I recall vividly the time when my husband Mike picked up a single 200-pound pipe — that was anchored in place on the floor of the trailer he was hauling — and transported it for quite a distance.
Yes, 99% of the space in the trailer was “empty,” but according to what he heard, the shipper paid for the use of the entire trailer and didn’t want anything else in the trailer with the pipe!
So, as someone with an analytical mind, I think this topic bears more consideration.
6. Regarding 4PLs, business, Canada, leasing, maintenance, and recalls:
4PLS
I’ve heard of 3PLs, but 4PLs?
According to the article, 4PLs are fourth-party logistics providers.
Business
- ACT Research: Used truck prices rise again in April
- ACT: April Pricing Index decline the third largest in survey history
- Ford Says Michigan Battery Plant at Risk if Tax Credits Cut
- How To Get The Most Out of Your Farm Truck and Trailer
- Trucker Success with Trucker Stats™
- White Paper: Proven Ways to Increase Fleet Safety and Profitability with Analytics
Canada
Leasing
Maintenance
Recalls
If your tractor or trailer is under a recall, please have the work attended to as soon as possible.
7. Regarding AB5, containers, ports, and supply chain:
AB5
This is another Tenth Amendment issue, in my opinion.
And if California wants to face the consequences of this law, let them!
Truckers who live in California, if this sounds unreasonable, perhaps — even though it may be costly to you personally — it may be time to relocate.
If the state doesn’t stand up for your right to work as you have in the past, will you allow yourself to be put in an economic/employment prison?
Containers
- CMA CGM developing $600M Vietnam container terminals
- ‘Fear and uncertainty’ driving up China-US container rates
Ports
- Port of Los Angeles announces clean trucks spending plan
- Port of Los Angeles Plans Clean Truck Spending For Next 3 Years
- Port of Savannah introduces mobile app
- Texas, Louisiana Gulf Coast ports post mixed results for April
- Three More Years of Clean Truck Fees Approved at Port of LA
- Three More Years of Clean Truck Fees Approved at Port of LA
Supply chain
- How shippers can prepare for supply chain disruptions
- Russia wages silent cyberwar on Western supply chains
8. Regarding crashes, fatalities, fire, fraud, scams, smuggling, 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.
- 1 injured in bus crash with tanker in Florida
- Bridge buckled after impact from crane-hauling semi truck
- Buckled bridge has now collapsed as result of collision with crane-hauling semi truck
- Buzzed driving? 14 million honeybees escape after big rig rolls in Washington State
- Day cab semi truck left balancing between highway bridges
- Five children injured in crash involving van and semi truck in Virginia
- Freight train crashes into stalled semi in Florida
- Hit-and-Run Crash Investigation in Queen Anne’s County
- Hit-and-Run Crash: Help Identify the Vehicle
- Idaho troopers seek pickup that fled after striking semi in I-90 construction zone
- Lone log trailer left blocking two lane road
- POLICE: Truck driver fled onto the Bay Bridge after pile up crash
- Sedan knocks off semi truck axle, causing swerve into oncoming traffic
- Semi truck rollover in Kansas City results in no injuries
- Truck Carrying Hazardous Materials Overturns in Georgia
- Washington road closed for 250 million bees loose after early morning semi truck wreck
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?
- 100 deadliest days of summer; do truckers know their pay?; carrier bankruptcy |
- 2 dead in crash involving semi and car in Indiana
- Motorist dead after striking parked semi truck on shoulder, truck driver to face charge, Virginia troopers say
- Two dead in crash on Interstate 70 in Maryland
- Two dead in crash sparked by BMW rear-ending box truck on I-70, sending it into path of oncoming semi, Maryland troopers say
- Women Dies After Crashing Into Semi in Mulberry
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.
- German court convicts 4 ex-Volkswagen managers of fraud in emissions scandal
- Owner accused of depositing fake $421,000 U.S. Treasury check into trucking company’s account
- Relay Payments Prevents Fuel Fraud Through ELD Integrations
- Senate committee approves anti-freight-fraud bill
Scams
Be on your guard against scams of all kinds.
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.
- California freight forwarder charged with smuggling billions in goods
- California freight forwarder company execs charged in massive scheme to defraud Mexico out of hundreds of millions of dollars in duties
Theft
Never take something that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from the owner.
With as much surveillance equipment in place in the 21st century, it’s only a matter of time before the thieves are apprehended.
- Four men in distinctive shoes & gold semi truck linked to multiple rounds of cargo theft in AZ
- Freight Fraud and Cargo Theft: The Epidemic Nobody Wants to Talk About
- Memorial Day meat thief makes off with $150k in beef as both co-drivers slept
9. Regarding operations I, operations II, parking, technology, and transition:
Operations I
The article in this section describes a preventable tragedy.
Quoting the article:
Police say that an investigation revealed no issues with the truck braking system.
While I don’t know exactly what happened, I speculate that the trucker didn’t properly set his brakes before exiting the tractor.
I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the family of the trucker who died.
Operations II
I could be wrong, but based on what I understand from this article, the trucker was a bit too loose in his description of what he was hauling.
As one description says:
“Loose lips sink ships” is an American English idiom that means being careful about what you say, especially when it comes to sensitive or confidential information.
Be careful about what you say — in person, on the phone, by text, or by some other means — to anyone (or can be overheard/read by anyone) who is not in the direct need to know about what you’re hauling.
Why? You can make yourself the target of a hijacking!
Parking
- 2 I-75 rest areas in southern Ohio to close for a year to be replaced
- Arizona Adds Real-Time Truck Parking Info at 4 Stops on I-10
- New Shell Flying J brings additional truck parking to Monte Creek, B.C.
Technology
- Bezos-backed robotics firm teams with Veho on e-commerce delivery
- Clean Truck Check Pre-Scan Featured in JPro Update
- Driver Monitoring Tech Won’t Prevent Crashes Without Fleet Oversight
- EpicVue rolls out new in-cab, high-speed internet connectivity service
- Fellow trucker shown confronting driver moments after fatal I-35 pile up that killed 5 in Austin
- Project to build connected and automated vehicle express lane on I-94 between Ann Arbor and Detroit earns key federal approval
- Tesla doxxing attacks wrongly target innocent people across the US
- Traffic cams catch the moment that semi truck tips, shears off trailer roof in downtown Minneapolis tunnel
Transition
- Deadline for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award nears
- Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence in 2024
10. Regarding truck parts, truck stops, truckers, trucking, and trucks:
Truck parts
Truck stops
- Love’s remodels seven truck stops in 2025
- New Flying J Travel Centers opens in British Columbia, Canada
- Watch these truckers find a moment of connection just by cooking out in a truck stop parking lot
Truckers
- Closing the Loop on Truck Driver Communication
- How A Legal Team Fights For Owner-Operators: No One Should Lose Income Because Of Downtime!
Trucking
- Capacity, courtrooms and caution — what’s really driving the market this week
- Carriers have a West Coast bias
- Check Call: ‘Uncommon Carriers’ brings the freight — and the history
- Shippers’ market conditions held neutral in March
Trucks
- Commercial Truck Spotlight: Freightliner Cascadia
- VIDEO: Guy puts a 6,000 pound plow on a 1988 Freightliner named ‘Buttercup’ and demolishes over a dozen cars with ease
11. Regarding employment, shortage, strike, and training:
Employment
- Driver Background Checks: Ensure Safety and Compliance
- Ontario act gives WSIB more power to crack down on driver misclassification: OTA
- Strategic partnerships help companies navigate recruitment challenges
- Trucking’s historic slump: How overcapacity and undocumented drivers reshaped the industry
- Volvo Cars to Cut 3,000 Jobs to Reduce Cost
- Volvo Cars to slash 3,000 workers amid global trade uncertainty
Shortage
The article states:
Let’s set the record straight: There is no widespread truck driver shortage in 2025. There. I said it. If you’ve been anywhere near the supply chain over the past four years, you know exactly why that sentence deserves to be said. Again. Louder.
Folks at OOIDA have been saying this for how long?
Strike
Well, I hope this ends well.
Training
12. Regarding recognition:
Recognition
- Back in biz: Owner-operator Rufus Morris, Trucker of the Month
- Trucker named TCA Highway Angel for extinguishing truck fire
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: 2025.05.31 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.