TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.07.05

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.07.05 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending July 5, 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 ATRI, drowsy driving, operational costs, securement, and theft:

ATRI

The articles in this section may overlap with the “operational costs” section just below.

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The second article in this section contains:

“The trucking industry is facing the most challenging freight market in years, with loads down and costs increasing,” said Greg Hodgen, Groendyke Transport Inc. president, CEO.

Feel free to review other sections of this site for ideas to help you save money.

Drowsy driving

Although this may have happened before, this is the first “drowsy driving” crash and fatality about which I’ve ready that the bail was set so high.

Also, the last article in this section stated:

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companioni, 27, has been charged with five counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

So, from a legal standpoint, this is very serious.

Please feel free to read my post:
Drowsy Driving: Dangers, Statistics, and No Substitutes.

Operational costs

As opposed to the situation when COVID made trucking seem like a dream business, the trucking industry seems to have flopped over — economically — to the struggling side.

Securement

These articles all address loads that were not secured properly.

Regardless of what you haul, make sure that your load is properly secured and that you operate your truck such that you won’t lose any of the load or lose control of your truck.

Theft

Given that this is a holiday weekend — when those in the United States are celebrating Independence Day — the likelihood that trucks may be parked for a longer period of time is greater.

It sounds weird, but I recommend looking at your tractor and trailer as a would-be thief would, so that you secure everything before you leave them.


2. Regarding crashes, death, drugs, fatalities, fire, fraud, and smuggling:

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.

Death

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the family of the trucker who died.

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?

Fire

It seems to me that there are a lot more truck fires than there used to be. Hmm…

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.


3. Regarding economy, employment, lottery, pay, rates, and tolls:

Economy

Employment

Lottery

I hope that this trucker has great financial discipline!

Pay

According to the article in this section:

According to the latest data compiled by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), after increasing by 10.8% in 2021 and 15.5% in 2022, driver wages increased by 7.6% percent in 2023 and 2.4% in 2024.

“The rate of driver wage growth is on track to decelerate further during 2025,” ATRI noted in its trucking industry cost analysis update released on Tuesday, which revealed that wages increased only 0.9% during the first two months of 2025.

Has this been your experience?

Please feel free to comment through the form below.

Rates

Tolls


4. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and Tesla:

Autonomous vehicles

I emphatically 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 our readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Electric vehicles

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

Emissions

Fuel

Tesla


5. Regarding bankruptcy, brokers, business, DHL, Postal Service, recalls, shut down, and tires:

Bankruptcy

I find it shocking that one of the biggest names in food has filed for bankruptcy.

Brokers

Business

DHL

Postal service

Recalls

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

Shut down

Similar to bankruptcy, the articles in this section describe when a company shuts down operations.

Tires


6. Regarding Canada, containers, tariffs, and trade:

Canada

Containers

Tariffs

Feel free to see other posts on this site — including my commentary on — tariffs.

The articles in this section go along with the trade section above.

Trade

The articles in this section go along with the tariffs section above.


7. Regarding language, legal, and Werner:

Language

I’m glad that this topic is getting the attention it deserves.

Legal

Werner


8. Regarding DataQs, DOT, HOS, HVUT, politics, regulations, and speed limiter:

DataQs

Feel free to look up the definition of this word in the glossary.

DOT

HOS

HVUT

The second article in this section says:

The annual filing period for IRS Form 2290, the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT), officially opened on July 1, and J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. is helping fleets meet the Sept. 2 deadline with the top 10 helpful tips,.

Politics

Regulations

Speed limiter

According to the second article in this section:

Last week, the Trump administration listened to calls from OOIDA, small businesses and individual truckers by officially announcing the withdrawal of FMCSA’s speed limiter proposal.

I’m sure there have been and/or will be collective hoops for joy on this!


9. Regarding inspections, load boards, overweight, parking, towing, and truckers:

Inspections

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

Load boards

Overweight

Parking

Towing

Truckers


10. Regarding roads/bridges, safety, superloads, supply chain, and technology:

Roads/bridges

Safety

Superloads

Supply chain

Technology


11. Regarding disasters, road rage, and weather:

Disasters

The first article in this section says:

Disasters happen. They are often related to natural occurrences such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires. While these events cannot be prevented, you can take steps to ensure your business and your people are as protected and safe as possible.

It begins with a disaster preparedness plan covering a wide range of areas…

Please take appropriate precautions, including what is written on this site here:

Road rage

I’ll share a couple of sentences from the first article in this section:

… Preventing road rage starts with controlling your own responses behind the wheel. …

… When dealing with an aggressive driver, Lang advises professional drivers not to engage. …

Weather

This article contains good tips.


12. Regarding awards and recognition:

Awards

If you know of a “trucking frontline hero,” feel free to nominate him/her.

Recognition

I recognize truckers who help out their fellow human beings in a time of need — as well as those who help truckers.


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








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