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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.08.01

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.08.01 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending August 1, 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 Training and Veterans:

Training

In recent years, there has been a lot of disagreement about Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) or Minimum Entry Level Training (MELT) for those seeking to become a professional truck driver.

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

And for good reason!

A lot of newbie truckers have been sent out on the job with very little knowledge about what is required to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).

For more information, please see info on this site about:

Now for the articles…

Veterans

If you are a military veteran in the USA and have a desire to become a professional truck driver, this information may be of interest to you.

2. Regarding Brokers, Business, Business – UPS, Capacity, and Chameleon Carriers:

Brokers

According to the first article in this section:

C.H. Robinson said it will immediately appeal a $604 million verdict that’s being seen as significant following the U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this year in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport.

A Texas jury found the megabroker, the trucking company it brokered freight to, and the driver of the truck negligent in a 2021 crash that killed three people.

This isn’t over, folks, so hang on!

Business

Business – UPS

Capacity

If needed, look up the definition of “capacity” on the glossary on this site.

Chameleon Carriers

For background on chameleon carriers, please read:

The Anatomy of a Chameleon Carrier Empire. How They Build It.

Now for the articles this week:

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

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.

Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help prevent being involved in a fatal large truck crash?

Fatigue

One source says: “Drowsy driving and fatigued driving are essentially the same thing, often used interchangeably to describe operating a vehicle while impaired by sleepiness or exhaustion, which slows reaction time, impairs judgment, and reduces awareness, making it as dangerous as drunk driving.”

For your convenience, here’s a post on this site on this topic:

Drowsy Driving: Dangers, Statistics, and No Substitutes

The article…

Fire

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.

4. Regarding Recovery, Scam, Smuggling, Theft, Violations, and Violence:

Recovery

I’m pleased whenever a load that has been stolen is recovered and restored to the entity to whom it belongs!

Scam

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

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.

And don’t attempt to smuggle illegal products.

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.

5. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, DEF, Fuel, Fuel Economy, and Oil:

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 my readers to help us stay current on the topic.

DEF

Fuel

Fuel Economy

This article says:

[John Bickner’s] bold push for fuel efficiency has moved his average fuel mileage from 4.54 mpg 10 years ago to better than 9 mpg (Imperial) today.

Way to go, John!

Oil

6. Regarding Bridges, Ports, Roads, and Routing:

Bridges

This coming November 8 will be the 10th anniversary since I announced “Low Clearance Awareness Day” and provided a “CMV GPS Low Clearance Truck Route Form” through which professional truck drivers could report a documented problem.

I’m glad that others have started to stress awareness about the need to stop bridge strikes, like this article does:

Multiple states join vehicle height awareness campaign to stop bridge strikes

Please see the section on Routing below.

Other articles in this section include:

Ports

Roads

Routing

When it comes to truck routes, I have addressed this issue on this posts on this site:

Now for the articles in this section:

7. Regarding Economy, Employment, Rates, Recalls, Recruiting, Tariffs, and Tolls:

Economy

Employment

Rates

Recalls

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

Recruiting

You may get benefit from these posts on this site:

Now for the articles on this topic this week…

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…

Tolls

8. Regarding EPA, HOS, Language, Legal, Politics, and Seat Belt:

EPA

HOS

Language

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;

Legal

The inclusion of this article in this section is a reminder:
Sixteen drivers cited for using cell phones while passing scene of fatal crash on I-10 in Arizona.

According to the FMCSA’s website, Mobile Phone Restrictions Fact Sheet | FMCSA:

Fines and Penalties – Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in driver disqualification. Penalties can be up to $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a hand-held communications device while driving.

So, please bear this in mind.

Politics

Seat Belt

For reference purposes:

Seat Belt Use and Seat Belt Laws For Truckers.

9. Regarding Equipment, Inspections, Last Mile, and Parking:

Equipment

Inspections

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

Last Mile

Parking

10. Regarding Operations, Safety, Speeding, Statistics, and Supply Chain:

Operations

Please be aware of the need to operate your truck legally in all respects.

Safety

The article in this section says:

A lot of people in and around trucking have argued for a long time that this is backwards, that validating a new carrier’s safety knowledge should come before authority is granted, not after. FMCSA is now revisiting exactly that question, and the rulemaking that would address it, dormant for more than 15 years, has a new target date.

Good!

Speeding

No matter how “hot” your load is, obey the speed limit in every jurisdiction where you travel.

Statistics

Supply Chain

11. Regarding Surveillance and Technology:

Surveillance

I mentioned this in my July 25, 2026, TDMST Weekly Round-Up under “License Plate Reader”:

There has been a huge backlash across the United States over the automated license plate reader (ALPR) system set in place by “Flock Safety“.

In fact, I wrote and presented a speech against this violation of The Fourth Amendment to The Constitution of the United States, at the Aiken County (SC) County Council meeting on Tuesday evening, July 21, 2026, based on statements made by the county Sheriff at a meeting on July 9.

The Fourth Amendment reads:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

According to the first article in this section:

On July 15, Rep. Keith Self (TX-03) introduced the Protecting Rights in Video and Equipment Acquired Discovery (PRIVACY) Act.

If passed, the bill would restrict federal access to surveillance data collected by state and local systems, including that gathered by Flock cameras and similar driver-monitoring technologies.

That’s a good start, but, in my opinion, the entire surveillance system needs to be dismantled — without vandalism or violence — through defunding the operation and voiding/rescinding contracts where they originated based on unconstitutionality.

Now for the articles this week…

Technology

12. Regarding Tires, Towing, and Weight:

Tires

Towing

The article in this section says, in part:

The truck is gone. The bill keeps growing. States are now moving to stop towing companies from turning roadside trouble into a financial trap.

From North Carolina to Arizona, lawmakers are making new rules to stop unfair towing practices and give truckers a fighting chance.

Good! As I have said numerous times:

Predatory towing is a violation of the commandment to “love your neighbor” as you love yourself.

Weight

Every professional truck driver needs to be aware of his/her truck’s numbers:

  • width,
  • length,
  • height,
  • weight,
  • distribution of that weight on/in the trailer(s),
  • where to place load securement devices,
  • etc.

Furthermore, he/she needs to know the weight and height limit for all routes he/she plans to take.

And please do thorough pre-trip inspections on your rig.

A cracked trailer frame is an automatic no-no!

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: 2026.08.01 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



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