Stay Up to Date on Trucking Industry Laws & Regulations
Trucking regulations are determined by several government agencies in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the lead agency responsible for trucking laws, regulating and providing safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles (including over 500,000 commercial trucking companies. The FMCSA’s mission is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
There’s also the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which supports state and local governments in the design, construction and maintenance of the country’s highway system. FHWA programs include the Federal-Aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program.
Other agencies involved in transportation regulations include the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the Maritime Administration (MARAD).
Find more news and information on our Trucking Industry page.
A new audit of trucking contractors for the U.S. Postal Service recommends reforms for verifying safe drivers and triggers a call for new regulations.
An owner-operator claims ELDs, required by regulators to measure hours of service, are too expensive.
Routes, service and driver safety could be at risk if federal regulators allow California and Washington state laws to supersede federal work laws, according to FedEx.
Federal safety regulators have advised owners of older anhydrous ammonia tanks to conduct pressure testing to avoid catastrophic failure.
A federal task force wants contract details from truck drivers to help expose and combat predatory lease practices in the trucking industry.
An administrative law judge ruling against the current system of chassis pools was upheld by the full Federal Maritime Commission.
Transportation and manufacturing groups are warning federal regulators against using driver-assist data in developing a rule that could determine a trucking company’s ability to stay in business.
Small and large trucking companies will see benefits restored if the Senate advances a new tax package.
This week on FreightWaves we look at whether UPS is struggling or not; a convoy rallying for stricter border patrol takes over Texas; the FMCSA cracks down on sham towing fees; another trucking company files for bankruptcy and truckers in Mexico strike against cargo theft.
The nation’s top truck safety regulator wants towing companies that overcharge truckers to be held accountable by the FTC.
Federal regulators are responding to complaints that the government is not doing enough to protect women and minority truck drivers.
Tearing down the Interstate 81 viaduct in Syracuse, New York, and replacing it with an urban boulevard moved closer to fruition after a Friday court decision.
New Jersey is raising its truck liability insurance requirement to $1.5 million, one of the highest in the U.S.
Federal regulators are proposing to ease requirements for new truck drivers — but crash victim advocates warn safety will be compromised.
The latest agenda from DOT delays rules on truck speeds and automated driving systems.
Detention time is one of trucking’s most pernicious issues. Two former retail executives explain why the industry can’t seem to fix it.
Nation’s top truck safety regulator, Robin Hutcheson, will step down Jan. 26, according to DOT.
Lawmakers are told that criminals are registering as fake trucking companies with FMCSA.
FMCSA is providing a rare glimpse into documents it will consider in formulating a significant safety rule.
The final Department of Labor rule on independent contractors was mostly unchanged but with some small wins for the trucking industry.
Relaxing CDL testing rules could get drivers on the road faster without risking safety, according to a training school group.
A rule on warehouse emissions that the California Trucking Association viewed as like a zero-emission vehicle mandate has been upheld in court.
California won’t enforce its rule that only zero-emission vehicles can be registered as drayage trucks after the start of 2024.
After truck parking and broker transparency grabbed headlines in 2023, experts see independent contractor status and truck emissions as top issues next year.
The California Clean Truck Check registration deadline has been extended to Jan. 31.
We take a look back at some of the FreightWaves stories that captured your attention this year.
A lawsuit challenging the waiver granted by the EPA to California for its Advanced Clean Trucks rule will be delayed.
A small victory in court over a new California rule doesn’t slow another part of the state’s march toward zero-emission refrigerated trucks … but not trailers.
California has asked the Environmental Protection Agency for a waiver to implement the Advanced Clean Fleets rule.
FMCSA chief Robin Hutcheson was grilled by Republicans on the safety implications of a federal rule to effectively mandate truck speeds.
DOT’s latest regulatory agenda reveals regulators will be taking no action on a costly new safety equipment proposal for almost a year.
Trucking regulator reminds states of federal laws disqualifying convicted felons from having a CDL.
The first deadline for a little-noticed environmental rule affecting all trucks traveling in California is Dec. 31.
CDL testing in Florida could get easier if regulators grant an exemption to driver instructors.
A government system that leaves most of the trucking industry without a safety rating needs an overhaul, carriers and brokers tell regulators.
The electric grid holds more potential for electric truck charging than utilities currently allow. A big rethink is under way.
A new study looks at the causes and severity of excessive heavy-duty truck towing fees.
The Teamsters and crash victim advocates say claims that parking shortages will be made worse by California’s and Washington’s rest break rules are unfounded.
A final rule issued by federal regulators aims to protect truckers from broker fraud.
A federal advisory panel promoting women in trucking weakened its stance on removing an exemption that currently allows carriers not to pay overtime to their drivers.
Legislators want to overturn an 85-year-old law that says companies do not need to pay truck drivers overtime.
It’s back to the courtroom for the CTA and OOIDA as they continue their legal battle against California’s AB5.
Improving road safety and public health is the goal of a new push to help teen drivers learn to share the road.
In a keynote address to the F3 conference, Alex Epstein laid out the case for continued fossil fuel use.
Fleets waited two years for back-ordered Class 8 trucks. Now largely met, demand has shifted to replacement needs.
Military veterans are closer to gaining more access to a CDL with the passage of legislation aimed at cutting GI Bill red tape.
Truck drivers are pressing regulators to require brokers to pay them for time lost waiting to pick up or drop off loads.
A new federal labor standard opens up trucking companies to a wider range of costly employee liabilities, according to a legal expert.
FMCSA’s latest crash data is a hopeful sign for safety as trucking regulators consider new rules to reduce deaths and injuries.
U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., argues that a long-standing tax on new trucks is an inefficient way to sustain the ailing Highway Trust Fund.
American Trucking Associations CEO Chris Spear uses his annual address to urge motor carriers to fight for industry well-being.
The California Trucking Association has filed suit in federal court, seeking to block implementation of the California Advanced Clean Fleets rule.
Data reveals 2023 will be a record year — by far — for commercial carrier shutdowns ordered by the government for new carriers.
Truckers under age 21 serving the agriculture sector will continue to receive an exemption to avoid interference from law enforcement.
Trucking companies and drivers will see shorter windows on regional emergency exemptions provided by the agency.
A new regulatory agenda sets dates for trucking sector rulemakings ranging from speed limiter mandates to automatic emergency braking.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sided with autonomous technology developers over organized labor and his own party in vetoing AB 316.
GAO recommends FMCSA improve its website so that it is more useful for truck drivers seeking remedies for alleged coercion by employers.
A too-cozy relationship between the trucking industry and regulators may be putting lives at risk, crash safety advocates contend.
Complaints about transparency and accuracy of safety data that affects the operations of truck drivers and carriers has caught the attention of federal regulators.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pressed the American Trucking Associations and tech companies over job and safety concerns associated with driverless trucks.
FreightWaves looks at prospects for trucking legislation as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill after the August recess.
The California Senate passed a bill to ban heavy-duty driverless trucks, leaving it to Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign or veto the legislation.
Nikola asks customers with electric trucks under recall for potential battery fires to return them to its plant.
A third Nikola battery-electric truck burst into flames inside a lithium supplier’s building, but the company says recalled trucks are still safe to drive.
Advocate for female truckers says new EEOC policies are overdue.
Mack Trucks filed a recall for 27,418 heavy-duty trucks because their turn signal visibility does not comply with a federal safety standard.
A new safety standard would change how FMCSA determines whether carriers and truckers are fit to operate.
FMCSA and NHTSA should incorporate braking technology to avoid crashes involving more than just other vehicles, AARP warns.
The governor of California appears to favor supporting autonomous trucking technology over labor objections.
Federal regulators will attempt once again to try to figure out the safety and cost effects of delaying truck drivers at shippers and receivers.
Cal Fleet Advisor mostly geared to smaller fleets; no fee for the service
Federal regulators are cracking down on trucking-related exemption requests that fail to provide safety justifications.
Regulators are leveraging their power to once again weigh in on state laws affecting truck drivers.
Hino Motors trucks have been recalled because of inaccurate readings on how much fuel remains in 70- and 90-gallon tanks.
Regulators may use waivers to give California and Washington more power over truck driver work rules that the Trump administration found were preempted.
A proposal requiring automatic braking on trucks needs more than a 60-day comment period, state agencies and brake manufacturers assert.
DOT’s inspector general recommends FMCSA take steps to clamp down on foreign carrier safety compliance.
Getting drivers on the road faster boosts productivity, says CRST, which was conditionally granted a CDL exemption renewal.
An NLRB action is being viewed by the Teamsters as providing an incentive for companies to consider independent contractors as employees.
Federal rules on driver instructor background requirements are hampering carriers’ ability to staff trainers, according to companies.
Federal regulators have been asked to significantly revise — or scrap altogether — a rulemaking requiring side underride guards for new truck trailers.
The autonomous industry’s losing streak is growing as Teamsters-backed legislation passes committee after committee in California.
The Diesel Technology Forum released data on trucks getting cleaner, but is it enough in the energy transition?
Exempting former prison inmates from certain CDL training rules could not ensure that safety standards would be upheld, according to federal regulators.
The first meeting of FMCSA’s Truck Leasing Task Force has put lease-purchase agreements under more intense scrutiny.
Yellow has reached a waiver deal with a group of lenders that will give it some breathing room as it seeks to right its sinking ship.
After months of carping, California and engine makers agree to flexibility on emissions but hold to the state’s tough mandates.
The voluntary structure of NHTSA’s automated vehicle testing initiative will hinder the agency’s ability to modify AV safety regulations down the road, OOIDA contends.
NHTSA and FMCSA are proposing that all new trucks over 10,000 pounds be equipped with automatic emergency braking systems.
California has made its case in the latest round of AB5 legal proceedings, and it can cite the past trucking year in its arguments.
Hair testing finds significantly more opioid, cocaine and meth use by truck drivers versus testing for those drugs using urinalysis, a recently updated study finds.
Move by federal regulators to crack down on broker scofflaws gets mixed reviews from broker and carrier groups.
A request by the Department of Labor in an ongoing legal appeal suggests its independent contractor rule won’t be made until August or September.
A 14-year-old petition filed by a truck safety group to strengthen new-entrant requirements has finally been greenlighted for public scrutiny.
FMCSA puts unfair burdens on truck drivers and carriers in accident reporting, the agency is told.
The Biden administration is using a flawed analysis to inform a potential rule mandating lifesaving equipment on truck trailers, according to safety and insurance groups.
Nineteen states want an appellate court review of an EPA waiver that allows California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule to proceed.
The latest federal data reveals that 64% of large-truck drivers killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
Regulators explain the rationale behind an upcoming rulemaking for third-party CDL knowledge testers versus issuing a permanent waiver.
