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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.05.30

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.05.30 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending May 30, 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, and Oil:

Fuel

So that you can track the price of fuel:

DAT TruckersEdge - Most Loads. Best Rates. Serving Owner-Operators Since 1978. 10% off your first 12 months. New customers only.

In an effort to save as much fuel as possible, here are a few of the articles on this site dealing with aerodynamics:

Now this week’s articles on this topic:

Iran

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.

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.

Oil

2. Regarding ATRI, Border, Brokers, Business, Capacity, and Parts:

ATRI

The first article in this section says:

According to ATRI, commercial auto liability insurance premiums increased 18.6% between 2021 and 2024. As a result, average insurance costs climbed to 10.2 cents per mile for motor carriers across the industry.

If you’re an owner-operator or independent trucker, are you seeing this?

Please comment through the form below.

Border

Brokers

Business

Capacity

As a reminder, last week, I wrote:

The question that I didn’t see answered in the article was: Why would rates jump during that week as opposed to any other week?

I suspect — but do not know for sure — that some truckers simply prefer not to drive professionally during International Roadcheck week.

And while it’s good not to “wave a red flag in front of a bull” with respect to making yourself or your rig a target, I maintain that one needs to keep one’s rig in great operational condition.

Now we read from the second article in this section:

Total load posts on DAT One eased to 4.16 million last week, down 7% from the prior week, as freight volume normalized following CVSA’s International Roadcheck inspection event the week before.

“Equipment posts rose 2% to 202,042 as carriers that had parked their trucks during Roadcheck week returned to the market,” said DAT Freight & Analytics. “National 7-day average broker-to-carrier spot rates increased for van and flatbed freight and held firm for reefer freight.”

So, my “suspicion” or “hunch” was correct.

However, remember that inspections can take place just about anywhere at any time.

So, even though there may not be a big inspection event going on, you need to keep your rig in tip-top and inspection-worthy condition.

Parts

3. Regarding BUILD America 250 Act, Legal, Politics, and Recalls:

BUILD America 250 Act

According to the second article in this section:

“The BUILD America 250 Act lays the groundwork for long-term improvements in commercial motor vehicle safety by investing in enforcement, training, compliance and innovation,” said Collin Mooney, CVSA executive director.

After that point in the article, there is a list of bullet points of things that “the Alliance praised the bill for”.

Legal

Politics

Regarding the second article in this section, I disagree with allowing the overall weight of trucks on the highway to increase for these reasons:

  • greater strain on the infrastructure (roads);
  • trucks may need to be specially equipped (or retrofitted); and
  • drivers would have to be trained on how to compensate.

Regarding the fourth article in this section, please be aware of the federal Hobbs Act:

18 U.S. Code § 1951 – Interference with commerce by threats or violence

(a)Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

While this is a matter for attorneys and judges to decide, in my opinion, any action by people on a road that “shuts down” or “completely stops” commerce is a violation of federal law and the perpetrators need to be held responsible for their actions.

However, this article examines state laws regarding protests.

Now for the articles…

Recalls

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

4. Regarding Bypass, Economy, Employment, Inflation, Lottery, Pay, Rates, and UCR Fee:

Bypass

Economy

Employment

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.

Lottery

Let’s hope that lottery winner will exercise the financial discipline not to end up in a worse situation than he was in before he won!

Pay

Rates

I encourage you to read the bullet points in the second article in this section.

UCR Fee

The article in this section reads (although not in the original order):

UCR is an annual permit fee that most motor carriers are required to pay if they maintain an active U.S. DOT number, regardless of whether the DOT number is currently being used or designated for interstate operations, according to OOIDA’s Permits and Licensing Department.

…

With Unified Carrier Registration fees expected to increase by 20% in 2027, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is sharing its concerns regarding the fee with the federal government.

5. Regarding Crashes, Drugs, Fatalities, Scam, Skimmer, Smuggling, Tariffs, Theft, and Trafficking:

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?

Scam

Please be aware of and speak out against these and other types of scams that can impact truckers and trucking companies.

Skimmer

Before swiping your fuel card, debit card, or credit card on any fuel pump, watch out for skimmers!

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.

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

Now for the articles in this section…

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.

Trafficking

6. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, and Emissions:

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

It could be that with the price of fuel being so high right now, that truckers and trucking companies are looking at alternatives.

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

Emissions

7. Regarding Elds, Inspections, Language, Last Mile, and Motus:

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.

Inspections

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

Language

Not all of the articles in this section deal with non-domiciled CDL holders who can’t communicate in English, some of them do.

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;

Now for the articles…

Last Mile

Motus

What has been your experience with Motus?

Good, bad, a mix, meh, etc.?

8. Regarding Health, Parking, Ports, Roads, Snow and Ice:

Health

Parking

Ports

Roads

Snow and Ice

I wish that trailer manufacturers (and retrofitters) would adopt my proposed solution to this problem:

No Snow Roof – A Solution for Eliminating Snow and Ice on Trailer Roofs.

9. Regarding Robotaxi, Securement, Supply Chain, Technology, and Tires:

Robotaxi

Securement

Well, I wish that the article had stated how big the citations and fines actually were!

Supply Chain

Technology

Tires

According to the second article in this section, here’s why tires matter:

When a trailer tire fails on the highway, the ultimate cost to the fleet isn’t limited to maintenance. It’s also the missed customer delivery window, the rerouted backup, the damage to the brand, the potential hours-of-service impact, and the lost paid hours for the driver.

Now for the articles…

10. Regarding Qualifications, Training, Travel Stop, and Trucks:

Qualifications

The article in this section says:

The driver of the semi truck, Jam Garner Morales, 31, of Texas, was charged with “Drove Commercial Vehicle (When Not Qualified or Without CDL),” “Careless Driving Caused Bodily Injury,” and “Failed to Present Evidence of Insurance Upon Request.”

Hmm…

Training

Travel Stop

Any trucker stopping by, I’d appreciate having a truck stop review for any of the following:

Thanks!

Trucks

11. Regarding Waiver, and Weight:

Waiver

The first article in this section says:

An urgent fertilizer supply shortfall is affecting 35 states, according to a May 26 FMCSA waiver.

My understanding is that there is a fertilizer shortage is due to the USA’s war of aggression toward Iran and the resulting situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the lack of fuel.

One author indicated this as early as April 27.

Weight

Please know your rig’s “empty” weight — perhaps with and without fuel — so that you know how much weight you’ll be allowed to haul legally.

From the first article in this section, we read:

Under Wisconsin Statute § 348.21, the penalty for violating vehicle weight limits is as follows:

  • First conviction — between $50 and $200 dollars plus fifteen cents for each pound of total excess load if the excess is over 5,000 pounds
  • Second and subsequent convictions within a 12 month period — between $100 and $300 plus eighteen cents for each pound of total excess load if the excess is over 5,000 pounds

So, let’s do a little calculation as to the “potential” cost of being overweight…

Assuming that this was the trucker’s first conviction and that the maximum base fine is applied:

$200 + ((30,000 – 5,000 = 25,000) x $0.15) =
$3,950

Ouch!

That’s why it’s important to know your numbers!

12. Regarding Appreciation, Championship, and Recognition:

Appreciation

Thanks to everyone who recognizes truckers for the tremendous work they do!

Championship

Recognition

I recognize those who helped their fellow human beings (and others) in a time of need, whether the trucker was the one doing the help or receiving the help.

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: 2026.05.30 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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