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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.01.10

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.01.10 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending January 10, 2026, 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, and Top:

Future

Toward the beginning of each new year, prognosticators predict what that year will likely hold or be like.

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Sometimes, those speculations are based on what the previous year was like.

Language

It looks like the USA’s federal government is cracking down on states that permit drivers without English Language Proficiency to get/keep Commercial Drivers Licenses.

And it also looks like some drivers/organizations are fighting back.

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:

Top

Even though this article touched on the English language proficiency issue, it did not touch on the fatality that blew this issue into the spotlight, the perspective of which disappointed me.

2. Regarding Autonomous vehicles, Electric vehicles, Emissions, Fuel, Oil, and Venezuela:

Autonomous vehicles

I completely 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.

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

Oil

Venezuela

In his sermon on January 5, 2026, Pastor Chuck Baldwin stated:

“Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world.”

He also stated that an attack on Iran is coming, that 25-30% of the oil that the USA uses comes out that area, and that the country will react with “the temporary if not elongated… reduction or stoppage of oil…”

“So if that happens, we have to have a oil backup plan. Enter Venezuela. So we are setting it setting the stage so we can have the oil reserves from Venezuela to make up for the lack of oil coming out of Iran and the Persian Gulf…”

As you may know, The Constitution of the United States does not give the president the authority to require any other country to give us its oil.

Also, no one has the right to fight an offensive war, only defensive.

So, this meddling in other countries’ affairs is a very dangerous situation.

On the other hand, I have noticed that the price of gasoline has decreased a bit over the last couple of weeks.

Has the price of other types of fuel decreased, too?

Please share your thoughts through the form below.

Thanks.

3. Regarding Border, Brokers, Business, Capacity, First Brands, and Insurance:

Border

Brokers

Business

Capacity

First Brands

Insurance

4. Regarding Age, Ban, ELDs, Politics, and Supply Chain:

Age

Ban

ELDs

How many times will the FMCSA reject the use of certain ELDs after they once previously required only self-certification of the products?

Others within the trucking industry were speaking out against the Electronic Logging Devices “mandate” long before December 4, 2017, but you may read my commentary on the mandate.

In TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2017.12.09, I quoted Indiana’s Attorney General, Curtis Hill, regarding the self-certification provision regarding ELDs.

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

So, I’m truly distressed for every trucker who invested in a “self-certified” ELD that used to be on the approved list, only to later have that certification revoked!

If you are such a trucker, I want to hear from you about how expensive this was for you.

Politics

Supply chain

5. Regarding Chains, Securement, Speed, Ports, and Training:

Chains

For other posts on this topic, please see:

Now for the more recent articles:

Securement

Speed

Ports

Training

6. Regarding Crashes, Drugs, Fatalities, Theft, and Violence:

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.

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.

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.

7. Regarding Economy, Pay, Payment, Rates, Tariffs, Tolls, and Trade:

Economy

Pay

Payment

Rates

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.

Tolls

Trade

8. Regarding Guns, Hazmat, Repairs, and Roads:

Guns

From the article in this section:

Long-haul truck drivers with guns face a confusing mix of state laws. Reciprocity laws vary: some states accept permits from others, while some do not. A trucker can be legal in one state but face serious criminal charges once crossing a state line.

Federal legislation to create a uniform reciprocity law has been introduced multiple times in the last 10 years alone. Each time, the bill failed. Two truck drivers decided to tackle the problem in court.

Hazmat

Repairs

Roads

9. Regarding HOS, Inspections, Medical, Parking, and Weather:

HOS

Inspections

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

Medical

Well, technology on this front is not advancing as quickly as some people would like in this regard. No surprises.

Parking

Weather

10. Regarding Legal and Legal – Vindication:

Legal

Legal – vindication

I am absolutely thrilled every time I read of how a trucker was vindicated after not doing something illegal

According to the fourth article in this section:

The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered Fort Worth, Texas-based trucking company Balkan Express to reinstate and compensate a worker who was terminated after reporting safety concerns, in violation of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act, which protects commercial motor vehicle safety complaints.

Yay!

For more on whistle blowing truckers and pushy driver managers, please read these posts on this site:

Meanwhile, here are the articles on the current situation:

11. Regarding Robots and Technology:

Robots

Care to share your thoughts on this technology?

Technology

12. Regarding Employment, Recruiting, and Training:

Employment

Recruiting

Note: I was disappointed that there were no articles this week on truckers winning awards.

Perhaps that will resume soon.

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: 2026.01.10 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
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!
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.
DAT TruckersEdge Load Board: Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off for 12 months * New customers only.