TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.08.02

TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2025.08.02

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.08.02 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending August 2, 2025, written by Vicki Simons.

I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

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1. Regarding article spotlight, ELDs, and truck driver appreciation:

Article Spotlight

How big of a deal is drowsy driving?

Ask “27-year-old truck driver Alexis Osmani Gonzalez-Companion [who] fell asleep at the wheel” according to this article:

In a nutshell, this trucker who fell asleep at the wheel:

  • ended up causing a fatal crash that killed 5 people;
  • “was indicted on five counts of manslaughter and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon”; and
  • “is currently being held on bonds totaling $2.25 million.”

Ouch!

The article states:

Now, former truck drivers have come forward to state that Hope Trans would pressure them into unsafe driving practices such as falsifying log books, backdating paperwork, and exceeding HOS regulations.

While corroboration of the underlying situation may seem nice, it does not reverse the consequences of what happened.

The whole log book / exceeding HOS regulations situation was supposed to have been cleared up by the ELD mandate, but obviously, that didn’t happen.

Furthermore, I have documented numerous times that I oppose exemptions to HOS rules based on emergencies because of situations like this.

(Although I never read that this particular crash happened as a result of an emergency, those who drive trucks in an emergency:

  • often exceed the standard Hours of Service regulations,
  • can end up driving tired, and
  • can thus be involved in drowsy driving situations.)

There are numerous resources on this site that help truckers “stand their ground” against weaselly (and greedy!) trucking companies, including:

In case it hasn’t become obvious by now — and even though the company may be held responsible for their actions — it is the trucker who is on the line for this fatal crash.

I recommend learning enough so that you won’t be a pawn who is afraid to stand up for what is right.

ELDs

On December 4, 2017, I provided an Electronic Logging Devices Mandate Commentary.

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

I genuinely feel sorry for truckers who invested their money into an ELD system that has been kicked off the list.

If you used one or more ELDs that has been kicked off the list, I’d like to hear from you.

How much in direct dollars (for the cost of the ELD) and indirect dollars (the time that it took learning how to use the ELD) has it cost you to replace a now-delisted ELD system?

Please comment through the form below.

Truck driver appreciation

Quote from the article in this section:

U.S. truck drivers with a valid commercial driver’s license can enter the sweepstakes from August 4 to September 12, 2025.


2. Regarding border, business, load board, and private loads:

Border

Business

Load board

Private loads


3. Regarding autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, emissions, fuel, and hydrogen:

Autonomous vehicles

I totally 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

Hydrogen


4. Regarding crashes, drugs, embezzlement, fatalities, theft, and vandalism:

Crashes

Please look through this article 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.

Embezzlement

This resource provides a legal definition of this word.

Embezzlement is the fraudulent taking of personal property by someone to whom it was entrusted. It is most often associated with the misappropriation of money. Embezzlement can occur regardless of whether the defendant keeps the personal property or transfers it to a third party.

I wondered about the difference between this word and fraud. So an AI overview states:

While both embezzlement and fraud involve illegal acts intended to deceive and cause financial harm, they differ significantly in terms of the perpetrator’s initial relationship with the funds or assets. …

In essence, embezzlement is a type of fraud that specifically arises from a breach of trust where the perpetrator initially had legitimate control over the assets but then chose to misuse them. Fraud, on the other hand, is a wider term encompassing diverse deceptive activities not necessarily tied to a breach of trust.

Here are recent articles about this:

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?

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.

Vandalism

I am classifying the act of what is written about in the article in this section as vandalism.

If someone has a better description, I’m open to it.

It is never right to damage or destroy the property of someone else without his/her/their permission.


5. Regarding economy, lottery, pay, and tolls:

Economy

Lottery

In my opinion, it’s always wise to pay off debt because then the interest on that debt stops.

Pay

For those who like to “geek out” on numbers, this article has a bunch of different statistics.

Tolls


6. Regarding ATA and FMCSA:

ATA

FMCSA


7. Regarding inspections, language, and legal:

Language

The first article in this section states:

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, tasked with standardizing CMV inspections, explained how California’s $30 million in federal grants may depend on adopting federal regulations.

So the “language thing” is a big deal!

Legal


8. Regarding health, parking, roads, and weather:

Health

Parking

Roads

Weather


9. Regarding politics, speed limit, and tariffs:

Politics

Speed limit

Tariffs


10. Regarding ports, regulations, and technology:

Ports

Regulations

Technology


11. Regarding employment, recruitment, and shut down:

Employment

Recruitment

Shut down

In my opinion, it’s sad when a long-established trucking company is forced to shut down.


12. Regarding recognition:

Recognition

It’s inspiring when people help those who have been affected by a damaging weather event.


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











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