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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.04.11

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.04.11 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending April 11, 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 Fuel, Iran, Oil, Postal Service, and Surcharge:

Based on my limited reading, it seems to me that people around the world are reeling from the illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran that was started by U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

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Supply chains have been disrupted and the price of fuel, oil, other products, and various services have risen sharply, as shown in the articles in this section.

If this situation bothers you, please contact your federal elected officials.

Fuel

So that you can track the price of fuel:

The articles:

Iran

Oil

Postal Service

Surcharge

2. Regarding Adjustment, Amazon, Border, Brokers, Business, and Volvo:

Adjustment

Amazon

Border

Brokers

Business

Volvo

3. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles and Electric Vehicles:

Autonomous Vehicles

I totally 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 my 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.

4. Regarding Consumers, Economy, Employment, Fees, Inflation, Rates, and Strike:

Consumers

I speculate that this loss of “consumer sentiment” stems from the war of aggression against Iran and the negative consequences arising from it.

Economy

Employment

Fees

About the UCR fee…

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;
– exceeded $38 Trillion on October 23, 2025; and
– exceeded $39 Trillion on March 27, 2026.

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

Strike

5. Regarding Crashes, Distracted Driving, Drugs, Fatalities, Fires, and Fraud:

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.

Distracted Driving

For reference purposes:

Distracted Driving: Beware of Attention Diverters That Can Be Fatal

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?

Fires

According to the Code of Federal Regulations — § 393.95 Emergency equipment on all power units — commercial motor vehicles must be equipped with a fire extinguisher.

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.

6. Regarding Retirement, Securement, Staged, Strike, Tariffs, Theft, Violations, and Violence:

Retirement

For reference purposes:

The Future of Social Security: Considerations for Trucker Retirement

Now for the article:

Securement

If you need a refresher, please see:
Code of Federal Regulations: Subpart I—Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo

Staged

According to one source:

A “staged” truck crash is an intentional, premeditated collision orchestrated by fraudsters to fraudulently claim insurance money, often targeting commercial vehicles.

Criminals maneuver a car to force a truck into an accident, typically using tactics like the “swoop and squat” (cutting off and braking) or “sideswipe” to blame the truck driver.

Be on your guard regarding these kinds of maneuvers.

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.

There’s also a short video on Telegram with this description:

Peter Schiff on Trump’s punitive tariffs against U.S. allies and why all tariffs are paid by the American people, not foreign manufacturers

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.

Violations

A lot of violations are found during truck inspections while others are spotted on the road.

Make it your aim as a trucker to do everything in compliance with the law and regulations — even if your trucking company is trying to get you to compromise.

For your convenience, please review these posts:

Now for the news articles on this topic:

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 CTA, DEF, ELDs, Politics, Ports, and USMCA:

CTA

DEF

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

Ports

USMCA

8. Regarding Inspections, Language, Legal, and Regulations:

Inspections

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

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:

Legal

Regulations

9. Regarding GPS, Safety, Speed Limit, and Technology:

GPS

In my opinion, two interesting parts of this unfolding account are:

  • “He communicated with officers through Google translator…”
  • “Investigation revealed that Aguilar fled Ecuador and entered the United States illegally in November 2023.”

So, the GPS situation ended up being the means by which he was caught.

Safety

Speed Limit

Technology

10. Regarding In-Cab Showers, Parking, and Supply Chain:

In-Cab Showers

This is interesting!

Parking

Supply Chain

11. Regarding Landslide, Maintenance, Tires, and Trucks:

Landslide

Yow!

Maintenance

For reference purposes, please see:

Big Truck Preventive Maintenance Reduces Breakdowns, Added Cost

Tires

Trucks

12. Regarding Recognition and Transition:

Recognition

Thank you to everyone who helped out their fellow human beings in a time of need, whether it was the trucker doing the helping or the trucker being helped.

Transition

For reference purposes:

Trucker Transition Tips on Full-Time Move From Home to Truck

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: 2026.04.11 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



Factor with more freedom. Non-recourse + no annual contracts. DAT Outgo.
Rate Match Guarantee. We'll meet or beat your current rate. DAT Outgo.
Factor smarter, faster, and save. Keep more of what you earn. DAT Outgo.
Factoring that pays faster. Super fast funding speeds. DAT Outgo.