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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.12.20

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2025.12.20 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending December 20, 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 Future, Language, Trends, Trucking Industry, and Weather:

Future

Toward the end of every year, prognosticators predict what the coming year will likely hold or be like.

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As 2025 draws to a close, there is some concern, hesitancy, or uncertainty about the future.

Language

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

This is part of “General qualifications of drivers [who drive a commercial motor vehicle]” 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2):

Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records;

Here are at least some of this week’s articles on this topic:

Trends

The first 3 trends listed in the article in this section are:

  • Trend #1: Rising Costs
  • Trend #2: Labor Shortages
  • Trend #3: Cyber-Facilitated Cargo Theft

Please see the article for details and the 4th trend.

Trucking Industry

The article in this section opens with:

State and national trucking associations from across the United States have created a “policy blueprint” to help prevent fraudulent and illegal operators from exploiting regulatory gaps.

The action plan developed by the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC) is entitled The Fight for Fairness and Safety: Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence, and focuses on seven major vulnerabilities.

The website linked in the article is:
Trucking Resurgence – The Fight for Fairness and Safety

Weather

A number of articles in this section address what was captured in this post on this site:

On Driving in Wind — Strong Winds — in a High Profile Truck.

2. Regarding Economy, Employment, Federal Reserve, Health Insurance, Inflation, Rates, Shut Down, Surcharge, Taxes, Tolls, and Wait Times:

Economy

Employment

Please also see the “Shut Down” section below.

Federal Reserve

The article in this section describes that the Federal Reserve made another move.

Please note that the U.S. Constitution never authorized the creation of the Federal Reserve and that “The Fed” needs to be ended.

Health Insurance

The title of the article linked in this section appears to be different than that which shows up in the tab.

On the page, the title reads:

‘Costs are just crazy’: 42% of truckers expect to be priced out of health coverage as ACA subsidies expire

“ACA” stands for Affordable Care Act.

Please do your due diligence regarding health insurance, including not overbuying or underbuying.

On this website, you will find these two articles:

As I write this trucking commentary, I personally have my health insurance through the health insurance broker described above.

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 5+ years.

According to FiscalData.Treasury.gov, the U.S. debt:
– exceeded $37 Trillion on August 11, 2025; and
– exceeded $38 Trillion on October 23, 2025;
meaning that the U.S. national debt is now increasing by $1 trillion about every 75 days.

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.

Rates

Shut Down

Please also see the Employment section above.

Surcharge

Upon my inquiry, one response to my search read:

The primary difference [between a toll increase and a surcharge] is that a toll is a base price for using a specific service (like a road or bridge), while a surcharge is an additional fee added on top of that base price for specific reasons, often temporary or avoidable.

Regarding the situation described in the articles in this section, I expect that some group(s) and/or individual(s) will sue because the surcharge was added with no public notice, which may be a violation!

Taxes

Tolls

Wait Times

3. Regarding Alcohol, Crashes, Drugs, Fatalities, Fatigue, Fraud, Theft, and Violence:

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.

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?

Fatigue

The article in this section says:

The analysis found that fatigue events consistently peak in the early hours of the morning, typically between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., which “underscores the predictability of circadian-related fatigue risk.” There is also clear evidence that fatigue risks are higher on Saturdays and Sundays, which could reflect irregular sleep patterns and operational pressures associated with higher weekend demand.

…

Driver distraction tends to be higher during the daytime, with most regions showing peak levels in the morning. And while almost every region saw a decrease in distraction from cell phone use compared with prior periods, distraction from other sources is increasing.

Other details and definitions are included.

The article cites 2024-25 Guardian Insights Report from Seeing Machines.

The article below says:

Seeing Machines recommended that fleets look for patterns of fatigue and distracted driving across specific routes, schedules, and peak-congestion periods. That can help to guide driver-coaching strategies or lead to scheduling adjustments that could boost safety and save lives.

My question is that if truckers are being run according to their ELDs instead of paper log books and flexible Hours of Service regulations, will “scheduling adjustments” ever become a reality?

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.

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.

Violence

It is never right to perpetrate violence upon someone in an unprovoked manner.

All perpetrators of violence must be dealt with in a just legal manner.

4. Regarding ATRI, CVSA, DOT Physical, ELDs, FMCSA, HOS, NDAA, and Teamsters:

ATRI

CVSA

DOT Physical

ELDs

In the fourth article in this section, I note the only reasonable justification I’ve ever seen about having an ELD:

Did you know that a trucker is required to have the equipment in their cab to prove their [detention pay] claim? ELDs provide the documentation a trucker get the detention pay the trucker deserves.

There is one part of the article that really upsets me:

…the ELD is the best tool a trucker has to prove that they were detained over two hours – the threshold for getting detention pay.

Why should truckers be denied being paid for two hours while the clock ticks for loading or unloading?

This is patently unfair!

FMCSA

HOS

NDAA

Teamsters

5. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Fuel, and Hydrogen:

Autonomous Vehicles

I totally oppose the operation of driverless, autonomous, 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.

Electric Vehicles

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

Fuel

Hydrogen

6. Regarding Border, Brokers, Business, Certification, Insurance, Rebrand, Recalls, and Supply Chain:

Border

Brokers

Business

Certification

Insurance

Rebrand

Recalls

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

Supply Chain

7. Regarding Age, Bridges, Farmers, Politics, Ports, Roads, ROUTE Act, Tariffs, and Trade:

Age

According to an article updated on Sept. 8, 2025, entitled “Auto insurance rates by age in 2025“:

18-year-old drivers on their own policy pay the highest car insurance premiums out of the age groups Bankrate analyzed.

Given this kind of statistic, I wonder how elected officials, insurance executives, and trucking company owners can seriously think that hiring teen truckers is a good idea.

Please see articles under ROUTE Act below.

Bridges

Farmers

Politics

Ports

Roads

ROUTE Act

The name of this bill is an acronym for Responsible Opportunity for Under-21 Trucking Engagement Act.

Please see articles under Age above.

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.

Trade

8. Regarding Cold, Congestion, Containers, and Same-Day Delivery:

Cold

Congestion

Containers

Same-Day Delivery

While this article focuses on services using “gig drivers” and “a network of independent drivers that make deliveries with their personal vehicles,” I sense that a growing number of consumers (at least in the USA) expect personalized attention regarding deliveries.

How will this apply to the trucking industry?

9. Regarding Inspections, Legal, Operations, Parking, Parts, and Tires:

Inspections

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

Legal

Operations

Years ago, when my now-late husband Mike was driving for a local trucking company, someone in the company’s leadership made the ridiculous comment that a trucker could prevent every crash.

Well, that statement can easily be refuted by the statistic that a majority of large truck crashes are the fault of the driver of the other vehicle.

(See older statistics in my Electronic Logging Devices Mandate Commentary.)

Based on what I see in the video embedded in the article in this section, the outrageous maneuver by the 4-wheeler did not result in a crash, but…

If you were the trucker in this situation, what would you have done?

Is there anything you could have done?

Parking

Parts

Tires

10. Regarding Colorado, Oregon, and Pennsylvania:

Colorado

Oregon

Pennsylvania

11. Regarding Pocket Guides, Safety, Self-Certification, Speed, Technology, Tesla, and Training:

Pocket Guides

These sound very interesting.

Safety

Self-Certification

The first article in this section opens with:

The self-certification processes for truck driver training schools and electronic logging devices have made it too easy for bad actors to exploit the system and need to be strengthened.

Here, here!

Speed

Technology

Tesla

Training

12. Regarding Recognition:

Recognition

Thanks to everyone who has helped out his/her fellow human being in a time of need, whether the helper is a truck driver or is helping a truck driver.

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: 2025.12.20 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.


Portable Solar Charger Power Bank, 63200mAh, Dual Outputs & Dual Inputs, Charge via USB, Solar, or Hand Crank, 4 LEDs Flashlight, Fast Charging Battery Pack, for Truckers, Outdoor Camping, Survival Gear. This is the exact unit Vicki bought, uses, and recommends. Buy Now. #ad
Hurdlr: Automatic Business Expense and Mileage Tracker. Attention O-Os: Hurdlr automatically tracks all of your mileage, expenses, income streams, and tax deductions in real-time. Get started now.
Rand McNally 2026 Deluxe Motor Carriers' Road Atlas - spiral-bound, laminated, with reliable truck routes. Buy now. #ad
Get 35+ FREE downloads for truckers now! Get links to everything from a spending diary to a beginner budget; from 3 packing lists to 2 to-do checklists; and MUCH MORE!
DAT TruckersEdge Load Board: Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off for 12 months * New customers only.