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The Oicial Publication of
the Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association
OOIDA
June 2025
LandLine.Media • ooida.com
iStockphoto/Shaunl
JUNE 2025
LAND LINE
‘Your safety.
My safety.
Everyone’s safety.’
CVSA votes to return
English proficiency
to out-of-service criteria
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2 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 3
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4 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
on most major brands no matter your fleet size
NATIONAL ACCOUNT TIRE SAVINGS & BENEFITS
FedUp
24 FMCSA denies group’s request to
correct underride review
26 States begin implementation of
medical certification rule
27 FMCSA removes two medical
examiners from registry
28 FedUp Briefs
1 2
13
Look, Ma, no driver
BY MARK SCHREMMER
Truckers ask for
regulations to be
repealed, modied
Opinion
StateLine
30 OOIDA’s State Watch
32 Nevada, Texas legislation addresses
truck liability issue
34 Multiple states act on license plate
readers; others could follow
36 Predatory towing focus of new
Arkansas law
HotTopics
InIn VOLUME 50 NUMBER 4
16 Compliance chaos
States passing English-
proficiency regs threaten to
create new regulatory patchwork
for truckers
BY JAMI JONES
18 The chopping block?
Truckers welcome DOT’s eorts
to remove overly burdensome
regulations
BY MARK SCHREMMER
20 Political tug-of-war
DRIVE Act would put speed
limiter issue to rest
BY MARK SCHREMMER
22 ‘Truckers have paid
enough’
Congressman tells lawmakers to
look elsewhere for Highway Trust
Fund revenue
BY MARK SCHREMMER
37 Department of Labor
issues guidance on
worker classication
BY TYSON FISHER
38 Gimme shelter
Surviving a severe storm
on the highways
BY TYSON FISHER
39 A helping hand
Hauling FEMA loads can be a
‘good revenue stream’
BY RYAN WITKOWSKI
41 ‘It’s irreconcilable’
OOIDA says out-of-state
leased owner-operators can’t
overcome AB5’s burden
BY MARK SCHREMMER
42 Parking Zone
Local roadblocks
BY TYSON FISHER
44 Supreme Court sides with
truck driver
Victory does not mean truckers
are now free to take CBD
BY TYSON FISHER
46 ‘You’re asking for some
sort of catastrophe’
Bigger trucks will lead to
disastrous results, industry
leader says
BY MARK SCHREMMER
48 Dire concerns
Despite deployment of driverless
tech in Texas, research reveals
problems
BY TYSON FISHER
MEMBERS
ONLY
DISCOUNTS
PAGES 67-69
PitStops
8
EDITOR’S DESK
84
OOIDA ON THE ROAD
85
EVENTS CALENDAR
87
LIFE & SENIOR MEMBERS
92
OOIDA GEAR
93
CLASSIFIEDS
96
TRUCKING HISTORY
‘Your safety.
My safety.
Everyone’s
safety.’
CVSA votes to return English proficiency
to out-of-service criteria
pkproject.jpg/stock.adobe.com
14
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1a_ June 25.indd 51a_ June 25.indd 5 5/8/25 2:32 PM5/8/25 2:32 PM
6 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
71 Trucking jobs increase in April, but
uncertainty looms
80 Not as nuclear?
86 Bills include tax ramications for
truckers
89 ‘Plenty of trucking history’
IN OTHER NEWS
TruckTalk
62 Kenworth announces
plans to sunset three
models
63 Reporter met his rst
‘W9’ 47 years ago
Competition, driver
expectations force
improvement
BY TOM BERG
74 Caught on the Lot
Busted
BY BRYAN MARTIN
LighterSide
88 ‘Fourth Wing’ has
something for everybody
BY SAWYER JACOBS
90 Slight Detour
Lost and found
BY RYAN WITKOWSKI
98 Roses & Razzberries
BY SJ MUNOZ
YourBiz
52 Cybersecurity challenges
Owner-operators viewed as ‘prime
targets’ by fraudsters
BY RYAN WITKOWSKI
60 Scam, scam, everywhere
a scam
Fraudulent messages sent
all over United States
65 The ABCs of
establishing authority
Truck To Success details steps for
starting out as an owner-operator
BY ERIN WISDOMWATSON
66 ‘Worrying signs’
Freight market resurgence
hindered by uncertainty
BY SJ MUNOZ
72 Business Briefs
76 Trucking & Taxes
Tax deadlines to put on
your calendar
BY BARRY G. FOWLER
78 Road Law
Worth your time
BY JEFF MCCONNELL & JAMES MENNELLA
79 Money: It’s what
prospective truck
drivers want
BY TYSON FISHER
82 ‘Epidemic proportions’
Cargo theft issue can’t be tackled
alone, stakeholders say
BY RYAN WITKOWSKI
62 Kenworth announces plans Kenworth announces plans
to sunset three modelsto sunset three models
People
51 SCF names new
executive director
54 All in a day’s work
OOIDA’s Shipping and Receiving
Department wears many hats
BY RYAN WITKOWSKI
56 OOIDA member Jay Hosty
among 2025 Citizen
Drivers
BY SJ MUNOZ
58 A truck to give back
What started as a ‘basic build’
went well beyond
BY SJ MUNOZ
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 year – $32 (9 issues); 2 years
– $52 (18 issues); Canada: 1 year – $42; 2 years – $68
LAND*LINE Vol. 50, No. 4, June 2025 (ISSN 0279-
6503) is published bi-monthly/monthly (9 issues in
2025 – February, March/April, May, June, July, August/
September, October, November, and December/
January) by Land*Line Magazine, 1 NW OOIDA Dr., Grain
Valley, MO, 64029. Ph: 816-229-5791. Copyright 2025 by
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Inc.
Reproduction in any manner in whole or in part, without
permission, is strictly prohibited. Periodicals postage paid
at Grain Valley, MO, and additional mailing oices.
POSTMASTER – send address changes to Land*Line,
PO Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO, 64029-9998.
60 56
OOIDA Member Jay Hosty OOIDA Member Jay Hosty
among 2025 Citizen Driversamong 2025 Citizen Drivers
Scam, scam, Scam, scam,
everywhere a scameverywhere a scam
Photo courtesy of TA; vector_master/stock.adobe.com; Photos courtesy of Kenworth Truck Co.
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 7
Protecting your drive.
Advocating for your journey.
Visit us online at ooidatruckinsurance.com or call for a quote at (816) 229-5791.
Experience, knowledge and outstanding customer service
OOIDA provides owner-operators valuable insurance advice on protecting their
trucking operation and a comprehensive range of coverage at competitive rates.
l Immediate binding and fast updates to FMCSA filings on many policies
l Convenient monthly installments without large up-front payments,
no additional finance costs and no hidden renewal terms
l An experienced team just a phone call away, ready to assist you whether
you’re at a dealership or on the road
OOIDA is your Association.
All revenue generated through its insurance programs goes toward helping
OOIDA defend your rights and lobby on behalf of your interests.
The value of insuring with OOIDA is our experience and knowledge.
OOIDA provides owner-operators valuable insurance advice on protecting their
trucking operation and a comprehensive range of coverage at competitive rates.
We also offer:
•
Direct underwriting, so the quote you receive is the actual amount
you will pay. No surprises! It also means fast turn-around on binding.
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Convenient monthly installments without large up-front payments and
no additional finance costs. And no hidden renewal terms.
•
Outstanding customer service from industry specialists.
And remember – OOIDA is your Association. All revenues generated through
its insurance programs go toward helping OOIDA defend your rights and lobby
on behalf of your interests.
Find out how much OOIDA has to
offer you and your business.
Call us at 816-229-5791
for a truck insurance quote.
ooidatruckinsurance.com.
Protecting your Drive.
Advocating for your Journey.
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OOIDA TRUCK INSURANCE
Advocating Journey Ad 5_2024 6/13/24 11:43 AM Page 1
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8 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Jami Jones
MANAGING EDITOR
Editor’sDesk
Yelling from the cheap seats
I love sports, and I always have. I played point guard in
basketball, pitched softball and dabbled in many other
sports for fun.
My rst “big” break in journalism was as a sports
editor for a local paper. I got the job because I grew
up there and knew all the coaches. But all the same, as
that bright, shiny cub reporter, I felt like I had arrived.
I eventually worked my way through the ranks and
started covering college sports, specically Southeastern
Conference football and basketball.
My kids all played some sort of ball. For some of
those sports, I had an intricate knowledge of the game
from playing or covering it. For others, I was more or
less just a sports junkie who knew
enough to know I didn’t know it all.
That’s not the case for a lot of
fans. Boy howdy, is it not the case.
I always laugh at fans after
games, especially a loss, second-
guessing every coach’s decision and
critiquing every player’s move.
Many times, I’m tempted to whip
out a “Blindside” line: “Who died
and made you Bear Bryant?”
This advocacy gig is like being
in a big game every day. There’s always some major
issue blowing up that either needs attention and is being
ignored or that is completely misunderstood in how it’s
being addressed.
This magazine is full of articles detailing those very
scenarios.
Take our lead story on English prociency. It’s a
situation that’s not only been ignored for a decade but
also now has an entirely new audience misunderstanding
it.
We break down the position of the Owner-Operator
Independent Drivers Association starting on Page 14.
Enforcement of 391.11(b)(2), the English-prociency
standard, has always been about one thing and one thing
only: safety.
Now we have a bunch of uninformed mainstream beat
writers jumping in to cover the hottest game in town,
and they don’t even understand the basic concepts of
what they’re covering.
Mainstream has and always will grind agendas counter
to those of truck drivers. It creates more clickable news
to cash in on tropes. It’s easier to point ngers and lean
on stereotypes than to understand what they cover.
Move on to speed limiters.
(Let’s all pause and take a deep breath before we yell
it.)
Speed limiters won’t make roads safer. Period.
Mainstream and casual highway users, again not
understanding the rules of the road and the absurd
behaviors of ill-informed drivers, don’t even want to get
it. But there they are screaming from the cheap seats to
“slow those trucks down.”
Fortunately, OOIDA has found champions in Congress
to assist with efforts to shut down
any of the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration’s lingering
attempts to mandate speed limiters.
Catch up on the latest actual news
on Page 20.
Speaking of champions in
Congress: Every once in a while,
you sit in the stands by a fan who
knows the game you are watching.
These fans are rarely the ones
yelling at coaches or players.
They quietly analyze what they see and apply strategic
thinking to the game ahead. These people usually have
“been there, done that.”
Kind of like Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga.
Collins owns a trucking company. And, rather than
sit quietly in congressional hearings and let others who
know nothing about trucking blather on, he’s quick to
point out the plight of the trucker.
He went to bat big time for truckers in a recent House
hearing on the Highway Trust Fund. I won’t steal his
thunder; you can read all about it on Page 22.
Trucking is anything but a game. Yet, truckers
experience no shortage of armchair quarterbacks and
cheap-seat coaching.
That’s why we all must keep our heads down and
focus on the next steps ahead. We have to be able to rely
on our teammates (that’s you, readers, if you’re lost in
the analogy) to step up when the battle heats up.
As long as we stay together, all that yelling from the
cheap seats stays what it is – just a bunch of noise. LL
Trucking is anything
but a game. Yet,
truckers experience no
shortage of armchair
quarterbacks and
cheap-seat coaching.
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 9
WE’VE GOT
NEWS FOR YOU!
Ofcial magazine, radio show and podcast of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
Your magazine. Your way.
Keep up to date with all the industry news.
Visit LandLine.Media to sign up for your free subscription today.
1a_ June 25.indd 91a_ June 25.indd 9 5/8/25 2:32 PM5/8/25 2:32 PM
10 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
MEDIA
Land Line Magazine is written for professional truckers operating trucks and semitrailers in for-hire transportation of exempt and
regulated commodities.
The publisher accepts unsolicited artwork, photographs and manuscripts, but assumes no responsibility for return of materials. All
materials submitted for publication are subject to editing at our discretion. The act of mailing material shall be considered an expressed
warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement on the rights of others.
Advertiser correspondence should be directed to Land Line Magazine Inc., PO Box 1000, Grain Valley, MO 64029. Phone 816-229-5791.
The publisher and/or OOIDA do not necessarily
endorse or make claim or guarantee the
validity or accuracy of any advertisement
herein contained.
The publisher reserves the right to reject any
advertising materials which he feels are not in
keeping with the publication’s standards.
2017-2018 Winners
LAND LINE
PUBLISHER ........................................
Todd Spencer
MANAGING EDITOR ................................
Jami Jones
jami_jones@landlinemag.com
SENIOR EDITOR ............................
Mark Schremmer
mark_schremmer@landlinemag.com
STATE LEGISLATIVE EDITOR ..................
Keith Goble
keith_goble@landlinemag.com
COPY EDITOR .......................
Erin Wisdom-Watson
erin_wisdom@landlinemag.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR ............................
Tyson Fisher
tyson_fisher@landlinemag.com
STAFF WRITERS ..........................................
SJ Munoz
sj_munoz@landlinemag.com
Ryan Witkowski
ryan_witkowski@landlinemag.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AT LARGE .......
John Bendel
john_bendel@landlinemag.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ............................
Tom Berg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ...................
Bryan Martin
info@4statetrucks.com
Je McConnell & James Mennella
info@roadlaw.net
Barry Fowler
info@truckertaxtools.com
Sawyer Jacobs
GENERAL MANAGER .............................
Kim Borron
kim_borron@landlinemag.com
ART DIRECTOR ....................................
Debbie Kirby
debbie_johnson@landlinemag.com
PROD. ASST. & PHOTOGRAPHER ....
Nikohle Barnes
nikohle_barnes@landlinemag.com
PROD./AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR ....
Sharon Costanza
sharon_costanza@landlinemag.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ..........................
Bret Miller
bret_miller@landlinemag.com
PROGRAM DIRECTOR/HOST .................
Mark Reddig
mark_reddig@landlinemag.com
NEWS ANCHOR .............................
Scott Thompson
scott_thompson@landlinemag.com
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT ...........
Ashley Blackford
ashley_blackford@landlinemag.com
TRAFFIC COORDINATOR ......................
Teneille Flick
teneille_flick@ooida.com
SOUND ENGINEER ...............................
James Fetzer
james_fetzer@landlinemag.com
AUDIO/VIDEO ENGINEER ...................
Keegan White
keegan_white@landlinemag.com
ISSN 0279-6503 Vol. 50, No. 4 June 2025
Todd Spencer OOIDA President & CEO
Lewie Pugh OOIDA Executive Vice President
The Ofcial Publication of OOIDA
PUBLICATION HEADQUARTERS
1 NW OOIDA Drive • PO Box 1000 • Grain Valley, MO 64029
816-229-5791 • Fax 816-443-2227 • LandLine.Media • ooida.com
LandLineLine
NOW
l
New look,
same trusted news
In mid-May, LandLine.Media’s new website rolled out. Sure,
it looks dierent, but it still has all of the fact-filled news and
analysis you’ve come to trust.
Each business day, we post online news and podcast content
to keep you in the know. Each issue
of the magazine also goes online,
giving you a deeper dive into the
news that matters most to you.
One new addition: You now have
access to our video podcasts right
there on the website if you don’t want to cruise over to YouTube
to watch our latest content.
You probably would guess this if asked, but did you know that
90% of all of our website traic to LandLine.Media comes from
mobile devices?
With that in mind, when it came time to update our
website, our mobile users were the top priority. We wanted
a fast-loading site that’s easily customizable to your viewing
preferences.
One new feature you’ll find is an accessibility widget. Nothing
is more frustrating than when font sizes aren’t exactly to your
liking. Want a dark theme or a light theme? You have the
control to personalize your LandLine.Media experience.
Check it out. LL
Scanrail/stock.adobe.com
Includes
virtual medical
and
behavioral
health
solutions
1a_ June 25.indd 101a_ June 25.indd 10 5/8/25 2:32 PM5/8/25 2:32 PM
Todd Spencer OOIDA President & CEO
Lewie Pugh OOIDA Executive Vice President
Contact the Life & Health Benefits Department
at 816-229-5791 for more information or a quote
on this or other life and health benefits available.
&
life
health
benefits
Helping you
stay
healthy.
OOIDA oers a Minimum Essential
Coverage (MEC) Plan, a self-insured
health and welfare benefit plan that gives
access to important medical screenings,
vaccines, counseling and more to help
participants stay healthy.
l Year-round enrollment
l Affordable Care Act compliant
l Provides a wide range of
wellness and preventative
services for:
Children
Women (including pregnant women)
Adults over age 18
STATE REQUIREMENTS: Please note that some states have
already re-enacted the individual mandate requiring preventative
care coverage. Call the OOIDA Life & Health Benefits Department at
816-229-5791 for details on your state’s requirements.
Some state restrictions may apply.
Pharmacy benefits (available from two providers)
EHIM has over 62,000 participating pharmacies
and covers 100% up to $30 for generic
prescriptions. Citizens Rx provides up to a 75%
discount on FDA-approved medications.
Virtual medical and
behavioral solutions
Allows you to reach a medical doctor, physician
assistant or a nurse practitioner by phone, app
or webcam when access to your regular doctor
is not available for acute-care needs and
ACA-covered prescriptions.
H
Includes
virtual medical
and
behavioral
health
solutions
CA-0F08481
CA-0B80297
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12 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Chances are that as you are reading this,
an 80,000-pound truck with no one in
the driver’s seat is traveling in Texas at
highway speeds. What could possibly go
wrong?
Well, the answer is a lot. But before we
get into all of that, let me provide a little background.
On April 27, Aurora Innovation deployed its rst
driverless truck on public roadways. In an announcement
released on May 1, Aurora said it had successfully
launched its commercial self-driving trucking service
in Texas. The rst run was conducted on Interstate
45 between Dallas and Houston. Unlike previous test
runs, there was no “safety driver” in the driver’s seat.
However, Aurora Chief Executive
Ofcer Chris Urmson was seated in
the back for this initial trip.
Citing U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission regulations,
Aurora did not publicly announce
its rst driverless run in advance.
But the company said it briefed
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration, as well as Texas
ofcials and other federal agencies,
about the readiness of its driverless operations.
As of press time in early May, details on the initial
voyage and subsequent trips were still limited. One area
that denitely demands further clarity is whether Aurora
is able to fully comply with federal regulations.
In December 2024, FMCSA denied Aurora’s request to
exempt autonomous trucks from a regulation regarding
the placement of warning devices. Current regulations
require drivers of commercial motor vehicles stopped on
the shoulder of a highway to place warning triangles in a
certain manner.
In January, Aurora President Ossa Fisher wrote in a
blog post that the exemption denial would not prevent
the company from complying with existing regulations
when its driverless trucks were deployed. However,
Aurora declined requests from Land Line at that time to
specify how it would comply.
On May 8, Aurora told Land Line that some of its
trucks have humans on board and that the trucks are
“often” within 10 minutes of each other.
The fact that Aurora deployed driverless trucks in
this manner without receiving a federal exemption is a
perfect example of the lack of transparency surrounding
autonomous tech.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
has repeatedly called for greater transparency when
it comes to autonomous vehicles. Making all of that
information public is all the more important when you
consider that the general public is leery of driverless
vehicles.
More than 60% of Americans surveyed by AAA
indicated that they are afraid of self-driving vehicles.
About a quarter are unsure about the new technology.
That leaves only 13% of Americans who trust driverless
vehicles.
George Mason University Professor Missy Cummings
has called out concerns about
“phantom braking,” which
she said can cause a truck to
jackknife and lead to “carnage on
the road.” And earlier this year,
Advocates for Highway and Auto
Safety President Cathy Chase
shared concerns with a House
subcommittee.
“I want to reiterate that
Advocates (is) not pro or against
autonomous vehicles,” Chase said. “We just want to
make sure it’s done safely. We believe the downsides are
that if they are put on the roads before there are proper
safeguards, it could endanger the unknowing public.”
OOIDA said that much more needs to be done to prove
that 80,000-pound trucks with no driver are safe for
public roads.
“Road users are understandably very concerned
about Aurora unleashing driverless trucks on public
roads,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “While
the company has shared a voluntary safety report with
test results and computer simulations, OOIDA doesn’t
believe that’s enough to prove these trucks are ready for
real-world driving. One example is ‘phantom braking,’
when a driverless truck suddenly stops for no reason –
which can be extremely dangerous for anyone on the
road. Until this technology is held to clear, enforceable
safety and cybersecurity standards, it’s too soon to tell
the public that 80,000-pound vehicles with nobody
behind the wheel are safe. Safety reporting should
be mandatory, not optional, before these vehicles are
allowed on our roads.” LL
Opinion
Look, Ma, no driver
Making all of that
information public is all
the more important when
you consider that the
general public is leery of
driverless vehicles.
Mark Schremmer
Senior Editor
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 13
Opinion
Compiled by Land Line sta
In April, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the
public an opportunity to let it know which regulations are
overly burdensome and costly and do little to improve
safety.
To no one’s surprise, truck drivers chimed in. Below is
a sampling from the hundreds of comments submitted by
truckers and the general public.
Hours of service need modified
“If you are driving 11 hours a day and taking a 30-minute
break within the rst eight hours and working a total of 14
for the day, there is no need to have the 70-hour rule. As a
driver, I get plenty of rest following the other three rules, not
being overworked.”
– Stacey Dain
“If a driver is capable of safely operating the vehicle for
12 or 13 hours instead of having to speed through road
construction, bad weather conditions or simple trafc
slowdowns, it makes the roads safer. At no point has the
implementation of hours-of-service regulations nor the
electronic logging device made the motoring community
safer. In fact, statistics show they have the opposite effect
and make the roads less safe.”
– Michael Pletscher
“Most drivers wanted a choice to take a (30-minute) break –
not mandatory.”
– Donna Dawes
“Hours of service in the trucking industry is poor in that
much productive time is wasted waiting at shippers and
receivers. The 14-hour max work per day is not exible
enough, and the result is drivers going faster than they
should for the conditions to make up time.”
– Mark Carouso
End the ELD mandate
“We are not robots. Every driver is different, and every job
is different. The ELD forces drivers to drive when they are
tired and try to sleep when they are not tired. That clock is
always ticking once it starts for the day, and drivers make
bad decisions under the stress and pressure the ELD creates.
It creates a dangerous environment on the road.”
– Joe Potratz
“Eliminate ELDs. The stated reason for them was increased
safety and fewer log violations. According to the FMCSA’s
own ndings, accidents have steadily increased and people
are still nding ways to cheat their logbook. So, neither
mission was accomplished.”
– Jim Walker
“The ELD is the most dangerous thing to be forced on the
trucking industry. Everyone is racing the clock, speeding
through towns, construction zones, parking lots, etc. Every
safety category got worse after the ELD was mandated.”
– David Freed
Stop the speed limiter proposal
“Another rule that has been proposed but not enacted is the
speed limiter proposal. If enacted, this will destroy many
lives, because car drivers have become so impatient and
dangerous nowadays. They cut slower-moving vehicles off
and perform very dangerous maneuvers to get around trucks.
Accidents will increase, and then the FMCSA and DOT will
blame trucks and implement more useless regulations.”
– Dwayne Pope
“Get rid of the FMCSA speed limiter mandate proposal. It
is unsafe for semitrucks. OOIDA even had a video about it.
Speed limiters on semitrucks will cause more road-raging,
shootings, trafc … rear-end collisions and more accidents
overall. Plus, it will delay the supply chain of America.”
– Edward Vazemiller
Problems with DEF
“As an owner-operator husband-and-wife team, our biggest
concern is the DEF (diesel exhaust uid) system in our
trucks mandated by the state of California. All trucks from
the factory come with this expensive and breakdown-prone
system … DEF is a very corrosive chemical and has harmful
environmental implications. The longer a truck needs to idle,
the more damage is done to DEF system.”
– Gregory Slater LL
Truckers ask for regulations
to be repealed, modified
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By Jami Jones Managing Editor
Speaking and understanding English sufciently
to comply with the federal English-prociency
regulations for truck drivers is about one thing:
safety.
Prompted by an OOIDA petition that was followed
by a presidential executive order, the Commercial
Vehicle Safety Alliance voted to make a lack of English
prociency part of the out-of-service criteria for truckers
and to shore up CDL testing standards.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
has remained steadfast in its stance that compliance with
391.11 is all about safety for all highway users.
Citing highway safety, OOIDA petitioned the alliance
on March 12 to make non-compliance with the English-
prociency regulation, 391.11(b)(2), part of the out-
of-service criteria. It was previously an out-of-service
violation from 2005 until 2015, when CVSA voted to
remove it from the North American Standard Out-of-
Service Criteria.
The alliance met in late April in New Orleans, and
things really heated up the afternoon of April 28, when
President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling
for enforcement of the English-prociency regulation.
Following a March 1 executive order declaring English
the ofcial language of the United States, the April
executive order calls for upholding English-prociency
requirements as outlined in 391.11(b)(2). In order to
accomplish this, the order also directs the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration to work with “the relevant
entities responsible for establishing the out-of-service
criteria,” meaning CVSA.
The order gave a 60-day deadline for affected parties
and agencies to get to work.
On April 29, the Driver and Trafc Committee voted to
recommend the CVSA Executive Committee make non-
compliance with the English-prociency requirement an
out-of-service violation.
Because of Trump’s executive order, the Driver
and Trafc Committee also voted to recommend that
the Executive Committee petition FMCSA to change
391.11(b)(2) to specically state lack of English
prociency is an out-of-service violation, similar to how
392.5 is structured.
Additionally, the Driver and Trafc Committee also
recommended that the Executive Committee petition
FMCSA to require harmonization of CDL testing in the
English language.
At the heart of that request is the current ability of
states to give the written portions of CDL exams in
languages other than English. In its recommendation to
‘Your safety.
My safety.
Everyone’s safety.’
CVSA votes to return English proficiency
to out-of-service criteria
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the Executive Committee, the Driver
and Trafc Committee noted that if
drivers take the test in a language
other than English and are given a
CDL, “they are immediately faced
with an (out-of-service) condition for
driver qualications, because they do
not speak English.”
The Executive Committee adopted all three
recommendations on May 1.
OOIDA support
This issue has always been about safety in the eyes of
OOIDA.
“This isn’t about where someone’s from – it’s about
safety. Your safety. My safety. Everyone’s safety,” OOIDA
President Todd Spencer said in a video about OOIDA’s
stance. “If you can’t communicate with law enforcement or
read a road sign, you’re creating a dangerous situation on
the highway.”
The fact that the regulation has been on the books since
1936 proves it’s been a safety concern for a long time.
“Of course, we are pleased to see CVSA take these
very commonsense and practical steps to getting control
of a situation that all highway users face,” Spencer said
following the nal votes adopting the recommendations.
“This has never been about where someone is from; this
has been about safety,” he added. “Turning a blind eye to
enforcement for whatever the reason was never the right
answer. Now, not only do we have English prociency back
in the out-of-service criteria, CVSA is smartly pointing
at the CDL-licensing process. It is the gateway for non-
compliant drivers to obtain CDLs, and it needs to be shut
down. The training and testing required to get a CDL should
be comprehensive and thorough enough to assure all that
this driver has what it takes to operate safely.”
Spencer also said OOIDA is committed to backing
CVSA’s efforts to shut down loopholes that allow unsafe
drivers on the road and to holding FMCSA and the
Department of Transportation accountable for their roles in
highway safety.
Why did it start with CVSA?
Many may wonder why this process started with CVSA.
It is not commonly understood how enforcement
of regulations is determined. While FMCSA sets the
regulations, it hands over to CVSA the responsibility to
enforce most of them and determine
whether vehicles or drivers will be
put out of service for violating them.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations states (emphasis added):
Out-of-service order means a
declaration by an authorized enforcement ofcer of a
Federal, State, Canadian, Mexican or local jurisdiction that
a driver, a commercial motor vehicle or a motor carrier
operation is out of service pursuant to 49 CFR 386.72,
392.5, 392.9a, 395.13 or 396.9, or compatible laws, or the
North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria.
CVSA is the keeper of the North American Standard
Out-of-Service Criteria. At workshops, its members review
regulations and existing out-of-service criteria to determine
worth.
With the exception of ve specic regulations, CVSA
determines out-of-service criteria for all other regulations.
English prociency used to be an out-of-service violation.
Starting in 2005, CVSA considered non-compliance with
the regulation an out-of-service violation. The problem was
that there weren’t a lot of out-of-service orders handed out.
The English-prociency regulation, which was then
enforced as part of CVSA’s out-of-service criteria, resulted
in 101,280 violations in 2014. But only 4,036 of those
drivers were placed out of service.
Rather than start issuing more out-of-service orders,
CVSA voted in 2015 to drop the enforcement of the
English-prociency regulation from the out-of-service
criteria.
So, this meeting was returning English-prociency non-
compliance to the out-of-service criteria by the group tasked
with holding the keys to the out-of-service criteria.
Next steps
During the vote, a secondary motion was offered and
accepted to invoke the emergency clause to have it put
into the out-of-service criteria within 60 days, setting an
implementation date of June 25.
As for the petitions, there will be some wait-and-see-
what-happens once they are ofcially presented to the DOT
and FMCSA.
“There’s more work to be done on this issue,” Spencer
said. “But what we have today is a really, really good rst
step in the right direction.” LL
‘Your safety.
My safety.
Everyone’s safety.’
“If you can’t communicate
with law enforcement or
read a road sign, you’re
creating a dangerous
situation on the highway.”
– Todd Spencer, OOIDA president
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By Jami Jones Managing Editor
States, apparently fed up with a lack of federal
leadership on the enforcement of the English-
prociency standard for truck drivers, are starting to take
matters into their own hands.
The Oklahoma Senate passed SB20 on Feb. 26. In
its original form, the bill addressed the use of street-
legal utility vehicles to travel on U.S. highways with a
speed limit of 50 mph or less. After passing the Senate
unanimously, the bill moved to the House on Feb. 27.
Once in the House, the bill was referred to the
Commerce and Economic Development Oversite
Committee, and a proposed committee substitute
amendment changed the bill entirely to address the
English prociency of truck drivers. The committee
voted to accept the substitute on April 23 and then the
next day voted 14-3 to send the bill to the House oor.
What’s in the bill?
There is no longer anything in the bill about utility
vehicles traveling on Oklahoma highways. Authored
by Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Dist. 43, and Sen. Brian
Guthrie, R-Dist. 25, the substituted amendment stripped
all of the original language and pivoted to the issues of
English prociency and non-domiciled CDLs.
The language for an English-prociency standard
mirrors the federal regulation in 391.11(b)(2).
The penalty for non-compliance outlined in the bill
would be towing and impoundment of the vehicle the
individual was driving.
The bill also addresses non-domiciled CDLs issued by
states other than Oklahoma.
“A non-domiciled commercial driver’s license or non-
domiciled commercial learner’s permit issued by any
other state shall not be considered valid authorization to
operate a commercial motor vehicle within this state,”
the bill states.
There is no penalty outlined in the bill for operating in
Oklahoma on a non-domiciled CDL issued by another
state. There could be hurdles for this particular section of
the legislation depending on any reciprocity agreements
accepting out-of-state CDLs or non-domiciled CDLs
with other states.
SB20 also seeks to prohibit truckers with B-1 or B-2
visas from operating in the state. Currently, federal
regulations allow truck drivers from Mexico to operate
cross-border operations with a B-1 visa. The bill
proposes up to a $2,000 ne for truckers operating in the
state with a B-1 or B-2 visa.
The legislation also prohibits Oklahoma trucking
companies from employing or contracting with B-1 and
B-2 visa holders. The penalty outlined in the bill would
be no more than $5,000.
The next stop for the bill is the House oor for possible
debate and a vote.
The threat of inconsistency
Arkansas recently passed English-prociency standards
for CDL holders.
On April 14, the Arkansas governor signed HB1745
into law. Now ofcially Act 604, the new law requires
English prociency among truck drivers. Drivers not in
compliance will face a ne between $500 and $1,000.
The new law also makes improper documentation a
felony for foreign-domiciled drivers.
Rather than a state-by-state attempt at regulating
the English-prociency standard on truck drivers, the
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is
calling for nationwide enforcement to return.
“We have a long history of battling the patchwork of
state regulations in trucking,” OOIDA Executive Vice
President Lewie Pugh said. “English prociency and
its toll on highway safety is a national problem and
should be addressed at the federal level. Not only should
CVSA immediately put English prociency back into the
out-of-service criteria, but FMCSA should compel law
enforcement to abide by those criteria.
“We can’t afford to continue ignoring the situation. It’s
not going away.” LL
Associate Editor Tyson Fisher contributed to this report.
Compliance chaos
States passing English-proficiency regs threaten
to create new regulatory patchwork for truckers
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back pocket.
(816) 229-5791
Calling...
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file maintenance system
Interpreting federal
regulations
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review
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provide you with guidance and information
to help run your business more eiciently.
Whether you need help with
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you believe to be unfair business
practices and treatment, we are
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816-229-5791
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By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
One of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises was
to reduce regulations across all industries.
So far, his administration has taken steps toward that goal.
Less than two weeks into his second term, Trump issued
an executive order requiring that at least 10 regulations be
identied for elimination before a new regulation is issued.
The U.S. Department of Transportation began its
deregulatory process in April by asking the public to help
identify regulations that could be modied or repealed
without hindering safety.
Truckers, who have complained for years about the
abundance of regulations they believe do little or nothing to
improve safety, welcomed the opportunity.
“Trucking is one of the most heavily regulated industries
in America,” the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association wrote in comments submitted on May 5. “While
compliance with this dizzying amount of regulations has
never been higher, many of these policies have failed to
improve highway safety and efciency.”
OOIDA and many of the nearly 900 comments submitted
to the DOT said that it’s time for a new commonsense
approach to regulations and highway safety.
“These ineffective rules have driven up costs for small-
business truckers, pushing many safe and experienced
operators out of the industry,” the Association wrote in
comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “OOIDA is
supportive of U.S. Department of Transportation priorities
that will remove excessive burdens, modernize regulations
and enhance safety and improve working conditions for
professional truckers in a commonsense, cost-effective
manner. We believe the administration’s efforts to
provide regulatory relief to critical industries will help
drive economic growth across the country, creating new
opportunities and greater job security for millions of hard-
working Americans.”
OOIDA submitted 17 pages of comments with suggestions
about regulations that the Association believes could be
repealed or modied. The organization also spent some
time acknowledging regulations it believes could actually
improve safety if strengthened. Following is a condensed
overview of OOIDA’s recommendations.
REPEAL
Speed limiters
Technically, a speed-limiter mandate on commercial motor
vehicles has not reached the regulation stage. However,
OOIDA wants to make sure that the DOT doesn’t allow the
resilient proposal to ever become a nal rule.
Proposals to require heavy trucks to install speed limiters
were issued in 2016 and again in 2022. As of press time,
the 2022 proposal remained active. Although a top speed
was never determined, safety groups have advocated for
preventing heavy-duty trucks from going any faster than 60
mph. Truckers point to the drastic speed differentials that
such a regulation would cause.
“Professional truck drivers strongly object to any speed
limiter mandate for several other reasons based on their own
experiences,” OOIDA wrote. “Speed limiters take control
of the truck away from drivers, denying them the ability to
use the truck’s capabilities to avoid accidents and unsafe
road and trafc conditions. Speed limiters increase driver
stress and make drivers more fatigued because in order to
complete the schedule expected of them, they must operate
additional hours under the hours-of-service rules.”
Electronic logging devices
A regulation mandating ELDs to track a trucker’s hours
of service took effect in December 2017. OOIDA, which
challenged the mandate all the way to the U.S. Supreme
Court, has long contended that regulation would be costly
while providing no proven safety benets.
The mandate has an estimated annual cost of $1.8 billion.
“The ELD mandate provides no economic or safety
benet for small-business truckers or their wide range
of customers who rely on truck transportation,” OOIDA
wrote. “The rulemaking was approved based upon the false
premise that ELDs will reduce the risk of fatigue-related
crashes. Since the mandate’s implementation in December
2017, there has been no data suggesting that ELDs actually
reduce crashes even if hours-of-service compliance has
improved. Given the lack of substantive highway safety
improvements, DOT should repeal this costly mandate.”
The chopping block?
Truckers welcome DOT’s eorts to remove
overly burdensome regulations
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Unified Carrier Registration
The UCR system, which imposes taxes on motor carriers
and distributes the revenue to 41 participating states,
was established by Congress in 2005 for the purpose of
maintaining a single national register of motor carriers
conducting interstate travel.
OOIDA said the system no longer meets its objectives and
“does nothing more than generate slush fund revenue” for
states.
“Rather than returning surplus funds to the depository,
several ‘donor states’ are currently outing the UCR
agreement and keeping revenues that exceed their
entitlement,” OOIDA wrote. “As DOT reviews wasteful
spending programs, UCR is a prime candidate for repeal.”
Others
As it did with speed limiters, OOIDA asked the DOT to
not move forward with proposals to mandate automatic
emergency brakes and side underride guards.
The Association said that automatic emergency brakes
should be perfected before being mandated and that side
underride guards are “impractical and costly.”
MODIFY
Hours of service
Prompted by a petition from OOIDA, the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration modied its hours-of-service
regulations to provide truck drivers more exibility within
the rules.
Now, OOIDA would like the DOT to take more steps
toward making the hours of service practical and safe for
truckers.
“For years, our members have told lawmakers and FMCSA
that existing HOS rules are not sensible for today’s trucking
industry,” OOIDA wrote. “HOS regulations that dictate a
truck driver’s work schedule are overly complex, provide
little exibility and in no way reect the physical capabilities
or limitations of individual drivers. They effectively force
truckers to be on the road when they are tired, during busy
travel times, during hazardous weather and road conditions
or when they simply are not feeling well.”
OOIDA wants the regulation modied to allow truckers
to “pause” their clock and to utilize expanded split sleeper-
berth options.
Out-of-service criteria
OOIDA said that steps should be taken to make the out-
of-service criteria transparent and to hold the Commercial
Vehicle Safety Alliance accountable. The Association said
that current system gives CVSA “extraordinary police
power,” while FMCSA takes no responsibility.
“Incorporating the CVSA criteria into the FMCSRs
would reduce the imposition of secret law on truck drivers,
help drivers operate more safely by informing them what
conditions are believed to be the most likely to cause an
accident or breakdown and protect drivers from regulatory
overreach during inspections and in the issuance of
unauthorized out-of-service orders,” OOIDA wrote.
STRENGTHEN
Broker transparency
For years, there have been regulations on the books that
require brokers to keep transaction records that can be
viewed by each party of the brokered transactions. However,
these regulations are rarely followed.
OOIDA petitioned FMCSA in 2020 to enforce and
strengthen broker transparency regulations. The previous
administration started the rulemaking process, and OOIDA is
asking the Trump administration to take the proposal across
the nish line.
“If implemented properly, this rulemaking will contribute
to a more ethical, fair and efcient freight brokerage
marketplace,” OOIDA wrote.
Entry-level driver training
If the DOT wants to improve highway safety, a quality driver
training program is the place to start, OOIDA said.
A driver training rule took effect in 2022, but it doesn’t
even include a minimum number of behind-the-wheel
training hours.
English proficiency
OOIDA said that the regulation requiring truck drivers to be
able to read and speak English efciently must be enforced
in the name of safety. Additionally, “we urge DOT to gather
more information on the number of non-domiciled CDLs
currently operating on our roads, how these drivers are being
recruited, compensated, treated and the safety records of
carriers utilizing these CDL holders.” LL
The chopping block?
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Fed
Up
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
For nearly a decade, there has
been a political game of tug-of-
war in regard to whether speed
limiters should be mandated on
commercial motor vehicles.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration and National
Highway Trafc Safety
Administration rst issued a joint
proposal to require speed-limiting
devices in 2016, while Democratic
President Barack Obama was in
ofce.
President Donald Trump, a
Republican, rst took ofce in
January 2017. Soon after, the speed
limiter rulemaking was left off the
spring 2017 regulatory agenda.
Under Democratic President Joe
Biden’s administration, FMCSA
resurrected the effort in 2022.
Although no ofcial
announcement had been made as of
press time in early May, Trump is
expected to again take the proposal
off the table.
However, a member of Congress
has introduced a bill to end the
political game and create certainty
for the nation’s truck drivers, who
largely oppose a speed limiter
mandate.
Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla.,
reintroduced the DRIVE Act,
HR2819, on April 10. The
Deregulating Restrictions on
Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen
Wheelers Act would prohibit the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration from issuing any
rule or regulation that requires
speed limiters on large commercial
motor vehicles.
“Under the Biden Administration,
we saw blatant federal overreach
that would have required speed
limiters as low as 60 mph for
heavy-duty vehicles,” Brecheen
said. “I have spent years hauling
heavy equipment and materials in a
semi. I know from experience that
road safety is best maintained by
keeping with the ow of trafc as
determined by state law, not on a
one-size-ts-all mandate enforced
by Washington bureaucrats. The
DRIVE Act ensures future
administrations cannot revive this
dangerous rule.”
Opposition to
speed limiters
Opponents of FMCSA’s speed
limiter proposal argue that the rule
would create unnecessary
congestion and dangerous speed
differentials between large trucks
and passenger vehicles, resulting in
increased vehicle interactions and
crashes.
The Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association supports the
DRIVE Act.
“Nobody understands and
appreciates road safety more than
truck drivers,” OOIDA President
Todd Spencer said. “We want to
get to our destination as safely as
possible just like everyone else on
the road. A federal speed limiter
mandate would force trucks to
speeds below the ow of trafc,
increasing interactions between
vehicles and leading to more
crashes. It would be like an
obstacle course for passenger
vehicle drivers on our highways.
OOIDA and our 150,000 members
in small-business trucking across
America thank Rep. Brecheen for
his leadership in working to keep
our roadways safe for truckers and
for all road users by ghting to
prevent a speed limiter mandate.”
In 2022, FMCSA issued an
advance notice of supplemental
proposed rulemaking that
considered requiring commercial
motor vehicles with a gross vehicle
weight of 26,001 pounds or more
to be equipped with speed-limiting
devices. A top speed was not
determined in the advance notice,
but safety groups advocated for a
top speed of 60 mph. Doing so
would force trucks to travel as
much as 25 mph slower than the
speed limit on some U.S.
highways. In slower zones, such as
construction zones, speed limiters
could motivate truck drivers to
make up for lost time.
The proposal received more than
15,000 comments, and the majority
of those came from truck drivers
who oppose a mandate. Although
the overwhelming amount of
opposition did not stop the
previous administration from
moving forward with the
rulemaking, it did prevent the
administration from nalizing a
rule before its term was over.
Political tug-of-war
DRIVE Act would put speed limiter issue to rest
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OOIDA is not alone in its
opposition to a speed limiter
mandate. A coalition of 17
organizations, including OOIDA,
told Trump in January that a speed
limiter mandate would be “bad for
road safety, driver retention and
supply chain performance.” The
coalition represents several
industries that would be subject to
a mandate, including agriculture,
construction and materials, along
with small, medium and large
trucking companies.
As of press time, the DRIVE Act
had 21 co-sponsors in the house.
Additionally, Sen. Steve Daines,
R-Mont., was in the process of
reintroducing the Senate version of
the bill.
“We don’t want this back-and-
forth every time there’s a change in
administrations,” said Bryce
Mongeon, OOIDA’s director of
legislative affairs. “What the
DRIVE Act would do is let
Congress assert its authority on this
issue and tell FMCSA simply that
you’re not going to move forward
with this rulemaking. So, this really
is an opportunity to put this issue to
rest once and for all.” LL
“We don’t want this back-
and-forth every time there’s
a change in administrations.”
- Bryce Mongeon,
OOIDA director of legislative aairs
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Photos courtesy of Internal Revenue Service
Fed
Up
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
If Congress wants to look for ways to generate more
revenue for the Highway Trust Fund, it shouldn’t look in
the direction of truck drivers.
That was the message from Rep. Mike Collins to
fellow lawmakers during a House Highways and Transit
Subcommittee hearing on April 29. The Republican from
Georgia, who owns a trucking company, said that truckers
need to be treated fairly.
“Truckers have paid enough into the tax system,” Collins
said.
He then relayed some of what truckers have to pay.
“I just want to take a few minutes and speak from
the perspective of a trucker because I’m in the trucking
business … The rst thing I want to start out with is just a
list of taxes we pay in the trucking industry,” Collins said.
“First of all, we pay for IRP tags, which is supposed to
be the International Registration Plan for every truck and
every tag every year. Then we’ve got (Federal Excise Tax)
taxes on new purchases, which is based on the purchase
price. When I bought my rst truck in the early ’90s that
was fully loaded and decked out, it was $81,000. Now,
it’s pushing over $200,000 per truck. Trailers are the same
way.
“We pay FET tax on every tire we buy – and by the way,
there are 18 tires on an 18-wheeler, and we use a lot of
them. We pay fuel tax based on fuel mileage in every state
across this country no matter whether you buy fuel in that
state, and the tax rate is based on the tax rate for that state.
We also pay the federal Highway Use Tax, which has gone
up over years. We used to pay it based on how many trucks
you had over the past year. Now you pay it up front on
how many trucks you have today in one lump sum. There
is no refund if you wreck or sell the truck … That’s what
we have to pay to stay on the road.”
Collins then criticized the government for using taxpayer
funds to create bike paths and support electric vehicles
rather than investing in traditional infrastructure.
“We had to watch as our taxpayer dollars were spent
on something that was unnecessary when we’re out there
sitting in congested roads, can’t move … Roads with
potholes that need xed … Bridges that need replaced,”
Collins said.
Highway Trust Fund
The Highway Trust Fund, which is the main funding
source for highway and bridge projects, generates revenue
through fuel taxes.
Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., said that Congress must
take steps to address shortfalls in the current system.
For instance, electric vehicles – despite having heavier
batteries – do not contribute to the fund.
“Obviously, gas tax revenue will continue to decline as
cars become more fuel efcient,” Rouzer said. “Electric
vehicles obviously require no fuel and therefore are not
paying into the Highway Trust Fund. (Congressional
Budget Ofce) estimates gas tax revenues, the majority of
Trust Fund receipts, will decline by nearly 40% over the
next decade.”
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., introduced a proposal
to assess new annual fees of $200 on electric vehicles,
$100 on hybrid vehicles and $20 on most other passenger
vehicles. On April 30, Graves amended the proposal,
removing the $20 fee on passenger vehicles and increasing
the fee on electric vehicles to $250.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
supports efforts to make the Highway Trust Fund more
equitable.
“America’s truckers are the backbone of our supply
chain and make signicant contributions to maintaining
our roads and bridges by paying several taxes that support
the Highway Trust Fund,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer
wrote. “However, truckers remain frustrated that electric
vehicles currently pay nothing to the Highway Trust Fund
‘Truckers have paid enough’
Congressman tells lawmakers to look elsewhere
for Highway Trust Fund revenue
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 23
despite having equal access to the roads and highways
maintained by taxpayers.”
Although OOIDA supports efforts to make sure that all
road users pay their fair share into the Highway Trust Fund,
the group opposes a provision that would impose a new
$100 annual fee on small motor carriers.
OOIDA said the new fee would be used to duplicate
freely accessible U.S. Department of Transportation data.
“Motor carriers should not be forced to pay $100 a year
to access a website that tells brokers and other industry
professionals whether or not they are permitted to operate,”
OOIDA President Todd Spencer wrote in a letter to
committee leaders sent ahead of the April 30 vote. “If
FMCSA has determined that a carrier isn’t t to operate,
then the agency should notify carriers directly and take
appropriate action. Furthermore, this system is designed to
provide liability protections to brokers. In essence, carriers
will be footing the bill to protect brokers from lawsuits.”
OOIDA said that the $100 annual fee would be another
way to tax truckers.
“Small-business truckers already pay numerous taxes
and fees to the Highway Trust Fund, and as part of this
reconciliation process, we believe Congress should
eliminate unnecessary fees,” OOIDA wrote. “There is broad
agreement that program beneciaries, such as road users
with the Highway Trust Fund, should be the ones paying
into it. Instead, motor carriers will view (the provision) as
a fee they pay to provide liability protections for brokers.
If Congress wants to enact this protection for brokers, it
should do so with a well-dened program that isn’t funded
on the backs of small-business truckers.”
Despite the opposition, the overall proposal advanced by
a party-line vote of 36-30 on April 30. As of press time, the
measure had been sent to the House Budget Committee. LL
“Truckers have paid enough
into the tax system.”
– Rep. Mike Collins, R - G a .
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24 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety petitioned
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to
correct the agency’s review of side underride guards. In
April, FMCSA denied the request.
On April 17, FMCSA posted its response letter to IIHS
President David Harkey, who requested in December
2024 that the agency withdraw its own report and replace
it with the Volpe Center’s analysis of how tractor-
trailer side guards and skirts could reduce fatalities of
pedestrians and cyclists.
“FMCSA has determined that no correction is necessary
under the Information Quality Act,” the agency wrote.
FMCSA review and IIHS request
Underride crashes most commonly occur when a car
slides underneath a tractor-trailer. Regulations already
require rear underride guards, but truck safety groups
have long advocated for a side underride guard mandate.
In May 2020, FMCSA published a review of how
lateral protection devices on tractor-trailers are intended
to reduce pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.
In that report, the agency suggested that lateral
protection devices may be relevant to about 0.3% of
all pedestrian fatalities and 1.4% of all cyclist fatalities
in the U.S. each year. The review also revealed limited
effectiveness rates for collisions between large trucks
and vulnerable road users. It was estimated that lateral
protection devices would mitigate serious injury for
bicyclists between 3% and 9% of the time and 0% of the
time for pedestrians.
IIHS criticized FMCSA for omitting a cost-benet
analysis from the Volpe Center, which estimated that side
guards or skirts could prevent about 100 bicyclist and
pedestrian deaths each year. The Insurance Institute called
the DOT’s ndings on the effectiveness of side underride
guards “fundamentally awed.”
“The Volpe Report only bolsters our beliefs,” IIHS
wrote in December 2024. “Accordingly, we request that
the FMCSA report be withdrawn and replaced with the
Volpe report.”
FMCSA’s denial
The agency said that Volpe’s cost-benet analysis was not
included in its report because it was awed.
“The cost-benet analysis included in the Volpe report
was awed because it overestimated the target population
without detailing the source of the estimate, overestimated
the effectiveness of lateral protection devices in various
crash scenarios and underestimated the cost of (lateral
protection devices), installation and maintenance cost and
additional fuel cost due to the added weight of (lateral
protection devices),” the agency wrote.
Divisive issue
FMCSA’s rejection letter is the latest chapter in the
divisive issue of whether side underride guards should be
mandated.
In 2023, the National Highway Trafc Safety
Administration issued an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking that considered requiring side guards on
trailers. Although safety groups have long advocated for
the requirement, the preliminary research provided by
NHTSA indicated that the annual cost of the mandate
would be as much $1.2 billion, while saving fewer than
20 lives each year.
Congress launched the creation of an Advisory
Committee on Underride Protection to provide
recommendations on how to reduce the number of
underride crashes. However, the committee was never
able to nd common ground.
In July 2024, the committee submitted a 410-page
report that consists of recommendations from the majority
of members and dissent from those in the minority.
The majority report called for a side underride guard
mandate on all semitrailers and single-unit trucks. The
minority report suggested that additional investigation is
needed and that research should be conducted regarding
potential unforeseen consequences resulting from a side
underride mandate.
The committee, which was mandated by Congress, was
created with a natural divide. Three of the committee’s
original 16 members had family members who died in
underride-related crashes. In addition, several of the
members have long lobbied for a side underride guard
mandate. Doug Smith, an OOIDA board member, was the
only truck driver on the committee.
That divide often led to much of the meeting time being
spent on procedural motions rather than generating a
Fed
Up
Correction denial latest chapter in
divisive issue over underride guards
FMCSA denies group’s request
to correct underride review
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 25
hafid/stock.adobe.com
unied plan. At the February 2024 meeting, the committee
argued over the denition of a consensus. The members
representing safety groups argued that a simple majority
would sufce as a consensus even though previous DOT
committees have required thresholds of 75% or higher.
Inexplicably, the committee was then able to use a simple
majority vote to determine that the committee would
need only a simple majority to include something in its
“consensus” recommendations to the DOT. Explaining it
another way, it would be as if Congress failed to meet the
two-thirds threshold needed to override a presidential veto
and then used a simple majority vote to lower the veto
threshold.
The fractured report prompted the Owner-Operator
Independent Drivers Association to write a letter to
lawmakers. The July 2024 letter called out the lack of a
true consensus.
“NHTSA should not advance potential new underride
standards until further research, analysis and testing is
completed as directed in the bipartisan infrastructure law,”
OOIDA wrote. “The only recommendations that garnered
true consensus support among panel members generally
involved enhancing research and reporting. As such, these
are the only elements of the nal report Congress and the
U.S. DOT should take seriously.
“Over the course of these meetings, (the committee)
failed to work in a collaborative and consensus fashion,”
OOIDA wrote. “Safety advocacy representatives
manipulated their numerical advantage in committee
membership and approved a motion to dene ‘consensus’
as a simple majority that minimized opposing viewpoints
of other (committee) participants.” LL
The agency said that Volpe’s cost-
benefit analysis was not included in
its report because it was flawed.
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26 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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By Ryan Witkowski Sta Writer
The compliance date for the Medical Examiner’s
Certication Integration nal rule isn’t until June 23.
However, several states started operating under the new
regulations a little early.
Originally published to the Federal Register by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in April
2015, the Medical Examiner’s Certication Integration
nal rule set out to accomplish two things.
First, the nal rule requires medical examiners who
perform U.S. Department of Transportation physicals to
report the results to FMCSA “by midnight (local time)
of the next calendar day following the examination.”
Additionally, the nal rule allowed for FMCSA
to “electronically transmit driver identication,
examination results and restriction information
from examinations … to the state driver’s licensing
agencies,” eliminating the need for drivers to physically
present a medical examiner’s certicate to their state’s
licensing agency.
Since being published in 2015, provisions to the nal
rule have been delayed twice – once in June 2018 and
again in April 2021 – postponing the compliance date to
this June 23.
The most recent delay, according to FMCSA, was to
allow the agency “time to complete certain information
technology system development tasks for its National
Registry of Certied Medical Examiners and to provide
the state driver’s licensing agencies sufcient time to
make the necessary IT programming changes when
the new National Registry system is completed and
available.”
At the time of the delay, FMCSA had been dealing
with repeated IT shortcomings.
A second round of deadline extensions is “another
troubling setback” for the agency, OOIDA President
Todd Spencer wrote in 2021.
“These continued IT failures are unacceptable,
especially as more and more agency systems transition
to an online platform including the Entry-Level Driver
Training Provider Registry,” Spencer wrote. “We hope
that FMCSA will nally address these repeated IT
shortcomings to ensure highway safety for all road users
and protect personal privacy for drivers.”
Once the nal rule is in effect, CDL holders will no
longer need to carry a physical copy of their medical
certication card on their person. But drivers should
continue to carry a paper copy until the June 23
compliance date.
As of press time in early May, some states already
were operating under the new medical certication
regulations.
In March, the Texas Department of Public Safety
began implementing the requirements allowing for
electronic transmission of medical certicates from
the National Registry. While the state is already set
up for the new streamlined system, CDL holders will
still be allowed to submit a paper copy of their medical
certicate ahead of the June 23 compliance date.
Similarly, the Maryland Department of
Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Administration
has begun accepting medical examiner certicates
electronically from the National Registry and no longer
accepts cards directly from CDL holders. Drivers
are still required to provide the agency with a self-
certication status relating to the type of commerce in
which they engage.
On April 13, Wisconsin began implementing the
new system. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles
no longer accepts paper, in-person, email, faxed or
uploaded information relating to medical certicates.
“Wisconsin DMV has made it easier than ever for
commercial drivers to provide the necessary medical
information,” Wisconsin DMV Administrator Tommy
Winkler said in a statement. “Submitting the required
documentation is no longer a multi-step process.”
Missouri also began implementing the new medical
certication requirements. Beginning April 21, the
state’s Department of Revenue started accepting
electronic submissions from the National Registry.
Currently, the state has temporarily suspended online
renewal requests for CDL holders and will permanently
remove the option for drivers to submit a medical
certicate update request. LL
Fed
Up
States begin implementation
of medical certification rule
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 27
Fed
Up
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By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
FMCSA removed two medical examiners from its
National Registry in April, voiding more than 15,000
Medical Examiner’s Certicates.
On April 11, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration issued the notices of proposed removal
to chiropractors Dr. Jenny Le and
Dr. Dustin Mai “for failure to
adequately perform U.S. DOT physical
qualication examinations of interstate
commercial motor vehicle operators
in accordance with the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations.”
“FMCSA’s primary mission is
to enhance safety on our nation’s
roadways,” FMCSA Chief Counsel Jesse Elison said
in a news release. “Removing non-compliant medical
examiners from the National Registry is a necessary
step to maintain the integrity of the medical certication
process and ensure that only qualied, properly trained
professionals are certifying the physical qualications of
commercial motor vehicle drivers.”
After identifying concerns about the high volume of
Department of Transportation physicals issued by Le
(National Registry No. 4762579227) and Mai (National
Registry No. 7120983977), FMCSA said it referred the
matter to the DOT’s Ofce of Inspector General.
Both medical examiners are based in Houston.
Following an investigation by the Ofce of Inspector
General, the Department of Justice and the Department
of Homeland Security, FMCSA
determined that the doctors “failed to
correctly apply required standards in
determining that drivers are physically
qualied to operate a commercial
motor vehicle.”
The action affected 15,225
commercial motor vehicle drivers,
who received DOT physicals from Le
or Mai between March 2023 and March 2025.
FMCSA gave the affected drivers through May 10 to
obtain a new medical certicate from one of the more
than 38,000 active medical examiners listed on the
National Registry.
If a driver failed to get a new certicate by May 10,
that trucker’s state driver’s license agency would initiate
procedures to downgrade his or her CDL. LL
FMCSA removes two medical examiners from registry
The action aected 15,225
commercial motor vehicle
drivers, who received DOT
physicals from Le or Mai
between March 2023 and
March 2025.
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28 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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Fed
Up
BRIEFS
Trump administration repeals Biden-era
vehicle emission rule
In its rst completed deregulatory move under President
Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Transportation
rolled back a Biden-era regulation establishing vehicle-
related greenhouse gas emission measurements.
On April 18, the Federal Highway Administration
published a nal rule repealing a greenhouse gas
measurement regulation that began in former President
Barack Obama’s nal days in ofce, was repealed
during Trump’s rst term and then was resurrected
by former President Joe Biden’s administration. This
second repeal acts as a formality after two federal
courts have already struck the rule down.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are going to
build great, big, beautiful things again,” Transportation
Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “I slashed
this ridiculous climate requirement to ensure no
radical political agenda gets in the way of revitalizing
America’s highways.”
The greenhouse gas measurement rule required
MPOs and state DOTs to establish declining carbon
dioxide targets. They were to report on progress toward
the achievement of those targets. The nal rule only
established a framework for measurement; it did not
mandate how low greenhouse gas emission targets must
be.
Specically, state DOTs and metropolitan planning
organizations with National Highway System mileage
within their geographic boundaries were required to
establish declining targets for reducing CO2 emission
generated by on-road mobile sources relative to a
reference year dened as calendar year 2022, and to
report on their progress.
The trucking industry has opposed the greenhouse
gas measurement rule. In February 2024, a group of
40 stakeholders representing a variety of industries,
including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association, issued a letter to Congress members and
authorizing committees to express opposition to the
rule.
FMCSA denies high school’s commercial
learner’s permit request
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
denied a request that would have allowed 17-year-
olds at a high school in Washington state to acquire a
commercial learner’s permit.
In a notice that was published in the Federal Register
on April 28, FMCSA announced its decision to deny an
exemption request from Connell High School.
Last year, Connell High School asked the agency
for an exemption that would allow students under the
age of 18 and enrolled in the school’s CDL program
to obtain a learner’s permit. As part of the program,
17-year-olds would receive 180 hours of classroom,
eld and drive-time instruction before earning a CDL
at age 18. Current regulations allow commercial drivers
to begin operating
intrastate at age 18.
Interstate truckers –
those operating across
state lines – must be at
least 21.
As part of its denial,
FMCSA cited a 2020
study indicating that
younger and less experienced truck drivers are more
likely to be involved in crashes or moving violations.
“Granting CHS’ request for an exemption would
allow drivers who are both young and inexperienced to
operate commercial motor vehicles, and the available
data do not support a determination that such an
exemption would likely achieve a level of safety
equivalent to that achieved by following the existing
regulations,” the agency wrote in the notice.
The agency received 32 comments in response to
Connell High School’s exemption request. It was a
nearly even split, with 17 opposed and 15 in support of
the exemption.
Cargo securement exemption renewed
FMCSA renewed an exemption that allows a motor
carrier to use an alternative cargo securement technique.
In a notice that was published in the Federal Register
on April 21, FMCSA granted an exemption to K&L
Trucking that permits the company to secure large metal
coils to its trailers using a cargo securement system that
differs from what is required in the federal regulations.
Current regulations require that metal coils weighing
more than 5,000 pounds and transported with eyes
crosswise must be secured using a means to prevent the
coil from rolling and to support the coil off the deck.
Additional requirements include at least one tiedown
through its eye restricting forward motion and at least
one tiedown through its eye restricting rearward motion.
In 2020, Delta, Ohio-based K&L Trucking received
a ve-year exemption that allowed the company to use
a single, two-ply nylon-Kevlar strap to attach the coils
to a customized metal carrier afxed to the bed of its
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 29
trailers.
In its application for exemption, K&L said that its
business consists entirely of transporting metal coils to a
location that is less than 2
miles away.
In 2024, the company
asked FMCSA to renew
and expand its exemption
for another ve years.
The expanded exemption
will apply to all K&L
employees driving
commercial motor
vehicles utilizing this
cargo securement
technique to transport
metal coils less than
4 miles to and from a
designated location.
FMCSA granted the renewal, saying that there was
no evidence the original exemption resulted “in any
degradation in safety.”
FMCSA grants two more flashing
brake light exemptions
FMCSA granted exemptions to two companies, allowing
them to operate their commercial motor vehicles with a
ashing brake light system.
In two separate notices that were published on
April 16, FMCSA approved exemption requests from
Coffeyville Resources Crude Transportation and Casey’s
Services Company. Both exemptions are set to run
through April 16, 2030.
Coffeyville and Casey’s each asked the agency
to allow it to operate
commercial motor
vehicles equipped with a
module manufactured by
Intellistop.
The Intellistop module
is designed to pulse the
required rear clearance,
identication and brake
lamps from a lower-
level lighting intensity
to a higher-level lighting
intensity four times in two
seconds when the brakes are applied and then return the
lights to a steady-burning state while the brakes remain
engaged.
In 2022, FMCSA rejected Intellistop’s request for
an industry-wide exemption, calling it “too broad.”
Since then, however, the agency has granted several
individual motor carrier exemptions using the Intellistop
technology. Brent Higgins Trucking, DJS Fundraising,
Encore Flooring and Building Products, Gemini Motor
Transport, Meiborg Bros and JM Bozeman Enterprise all
received similar exemptions in 2024.
Coffeyville operates a eet of 185 commercial motor
vehicles, and Casey’s has 526.
Each company said in its exemption application that
research has demonstrated the use of pulsating brake-
activated lamps “increases the visibility of vehicles and
should lead to a signicant decrease in rear-end crashes.”
Bill takes aim at staged crashes
Reps. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and Brandon Gill, R-Texas,
took charge of an effort to make staged crashes with a
commercial motor vehicle a federal crime.
Collins and Gill introduced the Staged Accident Fraud
Prevention Act, or HR2662, on April 7. The bill aims to
address schemes involving vehicles intentionally getting
into wrecks with tractor-trailers in an attempt to collect
damages.
“Criminal elements are launching an assault against
America’s truckers,
in the courtroom and
on our roads,” Collins
said in a news release.
“Staged accidents
take advantage
of truckers’ high
insurance coverage
and make them prime
targets for criminals
looking for a quick
payday, saddling
truckers with millions of dollars in inated damages,
increasing insurance premiums for all Americans and
driving up the costs for every transported good. The
Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act will hold these
fraudsters and their co-conspirators accountable and stop
the ‘nuclear verdicts’ that are bankrupting truckers across
the country.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
supports the bill. The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention
Act also is supported by the American Trucking
Associations, the Truckload Carriers Association, the
Georgia Motor Trucking Association and the Texas
Trucking Association. LL
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30 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
State
Line
OOIDA’s StateWatch
By Keith Goble State Legislative Editor
We know you don’t have time to keep up with all of the
bills being considered that may aect your trucking
business. That’s why OOIDA keeps a close watch on state
legislative action around the country.
Here is a roundup of some significant actions from
around the country. For a complete rundown of state
legislation, visit LandLine.Media.
CALIFORNIA
In California, a bill moving through the Assembly is
described as providing more exibility in setting speed
limits on state highways. State law requires that speed
limits be set based on the 85th-percentile formula.
AB1014 would change the rule to enable Caltrans to
reduce speed limits by as much as 5 mph on portions
of state highways that are not freeways. The rule would
apply to stretches of highway that are identied as needing
modication to accommodate pedestrians and other
vulnerable users.
DELAWARE
One bill halfway through the Delaware General Assembly
would implement a preemptive ban on driverless trucks.
SB46 would prohibit autonomous trucks exceeding
26,000 pounds from travel on Delaware roadways for
testing purposes, transporting goods or transporting
passengers without a human driver physically present in
the vehicle.
The Delaware DOT would also be responsible for
submitting a report evaluating autonomous vehicle
technology to the governor by 2030. At that time, the rule
could be changed.
GEORGIA
Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a two-bill tort reform
package.
Issues addressed include inated medical costs. Georgia
law has allowed jurors to see bills sent by hospitals and
physicians before insurers bargain costs down.
The new rule allows jurors to see the “sticker price” and
out-of-pocket costs.
Seat belt usage is also covered. Juries now are allowed to
know whether a plaintiff wore a seat belt. Until now, seat
belt information was excluded from the evidence code.
Another enacted change permits a party to move for
bifurcation of a trial. The distinction allows for liability to
be established before a jury hears evidence detailing the
extent of a plaintiff’s damages.
The second component of the two-bill tort reform
package is focused on third-party litigation nancing.
Litigation funders soon will be prohibited from having
any input into the litigation strategy or from taking the
plaintiff’s whole recovery. Funding agreements will also be
required to be disclosed to the other party in a case.
ILLINOIS
The Illinois Senate voted to advance a bill to the House
that is touted to target towing “bad actors.”
Currently, the Illinois Commerce Commission issues
nes to violators, but many of the worst offenders ignore
penalties and continue operating under new business
names.
SB2040 would allow tow trucks with unpaid nes to be
impounded. Plates from tow trucks with unpaid nes could
also be suspended.
In addition, fraudulent towers would be banned from
obtaining new licenses for three years. Tow truck operators
would also be forbidden from placing liens on essential
personal property left in a towed vehicle.
KANSAS
Kansas has enacted a new law targeting third-party
litigation nancing.
Effective July 1, litigation-funding agreements must be
disclosed within 30 days of a legal action or 30 days after
execution of a funding agreement, whichever is later. All
contracting parties to an agreement must be disclosed to
courts.
Any foreign person or “foreign country of concern”
providing direct or indirect funding must also be disclosed.
NEVADA
A Nevada Senate-approved bill would prohibit autonomous
vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or combined weight
exceeding 26,000 pounds from being tested or operated on
a highway without a human operator present who holds a
commercial driver’s license. The driver must be trained in
operating and shutting off the vehicle and must be capable
of taking immediate manual control if necessary.
SB395 would also apply to buses carrying more than
eight passengers.
NORTH CAROLINA
In North Carolina, a House bill would prohibit the
immobilization of a commercial vehicle. The ban would
apply to any device such as a boot.
Also covered in H472 are rules for the return of
cargo. Specically, a tower of a nonconsensual tow or
government-initiated tow would be required to return any
commercial cargo to the truck driver or owner of the cargo.
A trailer swap would be permitted under the condition
that a different trailer “is in equal or better condition” than
the towed trailer.
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 31
TAKE THE NEWS
WITH YOU.
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when you need it.
Keep up to date with all the industry
news online at LandLine.Media. You
can also catch up with the news on
our YouTube channel or your favorite
podcast app.
NORTH DAKOTA
One new North Dakota law permits cities and counties
to designate and post zones where compression engine
brakes are prohibited. Specically, truck operators
are outlawed from using a device “that creates a noise
disturbance” in affected zones.
Effective Aug. 1, a city or a county will be required to
adopt an ordinance to limit use of compression engine
brakes. Any law enforcement can enforce the rule.
A signage requirement to alert truckers of the rule is
included. Violators would face $50 nes.
An exception to the rule is included for emergency
situations.
PENNSYLVANIA
A Pennsylvania House bill covers travel restrictions for
oversize and overweight loads.
State law prohibits oversize and overweight loads from
operating between sunset and sunrise. Certain exceptions
apply.
In urban areas, affected loads are limited to operation
between 3 a.m. and sunrise. A load and vehicle must be
illuminated with additional lighting on all sides and be
accompanied by a pilot vehicle.
HB616 would allow oversize and overweight loads to
operate under a permit 24 hours a day.
TENNESSEE
Tennessee law already prohibits the manufacture,
purchase, sale or possession of license plate ippers.
Offenders face up to one year in jail and/or a ne of up to
$2,500.
A rule revision allows for law enforcement to seize or
impound a vehicle with a ipping device, under certain
circumstances.
The owner or operator of an affected vehicle, if present,
must be given the opportunity to remove the license
plate ipper “if it can be removed safely.” Otherwise, the
vehicle could be seized or impounded.
TEXAS
Texas law could soon be revised to cover more vehicles in
the state’s move-over protection.
Statute requires drivers to move over or reduce speed to
20 mph below the posted speed limit when passing law
enforcement, tow trucks and other ofcial vehicles.
HB3726/SB2126 would add to the protection vehicles
stopped on a highway shoulder or adjoining a highway
and using hazard lights. LL
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32 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Keith Goble State Legislative Editor
Injury liability reform that would benet the Texas
trucking industry is progressing through the statehouse.
The issue has been highlighted as a priority for a x by
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, and Rep. Jeff Leach,
R-Plano, are behind legislation in their respective
statehouse chambers to put plaintiffs and defendants on
even footing. The Senate bill is SB39, and the House bill
is HB4688.
“Senate Bill 39 seeks to make commercial motor
vehicle lawsuits more consistent and uniform by
repealing those exceptions to the admission rule that
were amended onto HB19,” Birdwell explained during
Senate oor discussion on the bill. “The removal of the
exceptions would appropriately codify the admission
rule.”
In an effort to x the problem, Senate lawmakers voted
21-10 to advance SB39, which would remove from
statute the admission rule exceptions.
Fixing existing law
The problem legislators are looking to address stems
from a 2021 law, formerly HB19, that was intended to
reduce lawsuit abuse against truck drivers and motor
carriers but that never materialized.
The four-year-old rule requires a court to dismiss a
lawsuit against a truck operator if the injury or death
of another person was caused while the operator was
carrying out his or her duties “within the scope of
employment.”
For cases that go to trial, a bifurcated process was
established. The term is used to describe a trial split
into two phases. The initial phase focuses solely on the
incident under the state’s negligence standard.
Trials that make it to the second phase can take into
consideration the company’s past. Allowable evidence
during this phase could include an employer’s failure
to comply with an applicable local, state or federal
regulation or standard.
The issue being addressed this year by state lawmakers
resulted from an amendment that was included in the
2021 law.
The change incorporated exceptions to the admission
rule that allowed plaintiff’s attorneys to introduce
into the rst phase of a bifurcated commercial vehicle
collision trial evidence where trucking companies
knowingly hired a negligent driver.
Legislators have since found the exception in statute
actually ended up blocking the 2021 law’s framework
from being used in trial.
OOIDA backs the bill
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association supports the action to help protect truck
drivers from nuclear verdicts and to restore common
sense and fairness to the state’s legal system.
The Association issued a Call to Action to
Texas members encouraging them to contact their
state lawmakers to support the legislation. The
communication states that the legislation would
allow only evidence related to proving who is at
fault for a crash to be admitted during the trial’s rst
phase, rather than information that has no basis in
determining the facts of a case.
“In recent years, nuclear verdicts against the
trucking industry have exceeded tens of millions
of dollars. These verdicts drive up costs across the
board for the industry and encourage trial lawyers to
further target small-business truckers,” OOIDA said.
SB39 has moved to the House Judiciary and Civil
Jurisprudence Committee. HB4688 has advanced
from a House committee and awaits possible
consideration on the chamber oor.
Nevada
The Nevada Senate voted to narrowly approve a bad bill
that would soon double the minimum liability insurance
requirement for Nevada truckers.
State law requires $750,000 minimum liability
insurance for affected truck drivers.
The Senate voted 11-10 to advance to the Assembly a
bill that would increase the liability insurance minimum
for Nevada-based truck drivers to $1 million the rst of
the year. Additional increases to $1.25 million and $1.5
million would occur in January 2028 and January 2030.
Trucking groups sharp in criticism
During a recent Senate committee hearing, Nevada
Trucking Association President Paul Enos told
lawmakers SB180 is a bad bill.
State
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1b_ June 25F.indd 321b_ June 25F.indd 32 5/8/25 2:30 PM5/8/25 2:30 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 33
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In prepared remarks, Enos said that while the intent
may be to enhance nancial responsibility, “the data
and practical implications reveal this measure to be
an arbitrary and burdensome overreach that will harm
Nevada’s small businesses and trucking industry without
clear justication.”
He said a better option would be to leave any changes
in liability requirements for commercial vehicles up to
Congress.
OOIDA also voiced staunch opposition to SB180. In a
recent Call to Action to Nevada members, OOIDA said
any increase in minimum insurance requirements is wholly
unnecessary, would do nothing to improve highway safety,
would needlessly jeopardize countless blue-collar jobs
and would destroy additional small and family-owned
businesses.
Trucking groups aren’t the only ones to communicate
concern about the bill. The American Property Casualty
Insurance Association also opposes it.
Statehouse opposition
Sen. Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, led opposition to the bill in
the Senate. He cited the excessive insurance amount that
insurance companies do not cover and the competitive
disadvantage it would create for Nevada-based trucking
companies.
“In practice, SB180 would require truckers to get two
separate policies to get to $1.5 million,” Hansen said
during recent discussion on the bill.
He pointed out in committee and on the Senate oor
that the federal government requires half that amount –
$750,000.
“We’re forcing Nevada companies to pay insurance none
of their competitors are required to pay,” Hansen said. “To
force this kind of coverage on Nevada-based companies is
wrong. It’s unfair. Let’s protect Nevada businesses.”
In the end, the bill passed by one vote. SB180 has
since moved to the Assembly Growth and Infrastructure
Committee.
OOIDA President Todd Spencer said what the bill
amounts to is very straightforward.
“This is nothing but bad news. It is certainly bad news
for truckers in Nevada and elsewhere,” Spencer said. “We
need to redouble our effort in the Assembly to make sure
lawmakers know this is ill-advised.”
At press time, the bill had not been scheduled for
Assembly committee consideration. LL
“To force this kind of coverage on Nevada-based
companies is wrong. It’s unfair.” – Ira Hansen, Nevada state senator
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34 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
State
Line
By Keith Goble State Legislative Editor
The use of automated license plate readers is an issue being
addressed at statehouses across the country. The devices
typically are mounted on police vehicles, road signs, trafc
lights, bridges or buildings.
High-tech cameras to capture the date, time and location
that scanned vehicles passed are used in some capacity
by local and state police departments and other state and
federal agencies across the country. Private business, such as
repossession companies and vehicle insurance companies,
also use the technology that can capture nearly 2,000 images
per minute.
A 2024 Congressional report stated that license plate
readers “are now relatively commonplace in policing.”
Arkansas
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law a bill
to revise rules in the state for the use of license plate readers.
State, county and local law enforcement have been
enabled to use readers. Parking enforcement entities also are
permitted to use the devices.
Private use of readers is prohibited, with limited exceptions.
Previously SB446, the new law amends statute to permit
entities that include private landowners and commercial
businesses access to the devices.
Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-Crossett, said the rule change is about
deterring crime. Speaking on the Senate oor, he said a lot of
places deal with organized theft.
“There’s a lot of times those people are hitting store, after
store, after store. (SB446) allows those businesses to collect
the license plates of people that are entering into their parking
lot,” Gilmore said.
A retention time limit of 150 days is included.
Virginia
A Virginia rule revision for the use of license plate readers is
nearing decision time by the governor.
Multiple local law enforcement agencies in the state use
plate readers, but statute does not regulate their use.
State lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Glenn Youngkin to
adopt rules for use of the devices.
HB2724 denes who can use camera data and how they can
use the information. Uses covered in the bill include active
criminal investigations, combatting human trafcking and
tracking a stolen vehicle or a stolen license plate.
The State Police would also be authorized to use the
cameras along state highways, bridges and tunnels throughout
the Commonwealth.
As sent to the governor, the license plate readers bill
included a 21-day data retention period for camera data.
Additionally, state lawmakers would need to approve the bill
again next year for enactment.
Youngkin recommended legislators revise the retention
period from 21 days to 30 days. He also called for dropping
the requirement to pass the bill again next year. Instead, the
rules would be implemented on July 1.
House lawmakers rejected the governor’s recommendations
on a 47-46 vote. As a result, Youngkin must decide whether
to sign, veto or allow the unchanged bill to become law
without his signature.
Idaho
Idaho is another state with a new law that focuses on data
access and control of license plate readers.
The new law is intended to more clearly dene the use
of readers for law enforcement. Specically, agencies soon
will be permitted to use the devices to collect data for law
enforcement purposes and/or for trafc ow analysis.
The devices will be prohibited for non-law enforcement
purposes.
Effective July 1, agencies that use the technology are
required to provide training on proper use of the devices and
compliance with rules.
New Jersey
Identical New Jersey bills cover the use of scanners.
A3297/S4174 would prohibit unauthorized use of data
collected via license plate readers.
Punishment of up to six months behind bars and/or a
ne of up to $1,000 would be authorized for employees of
law enforcement agencies that use or access collected data
without authorization.
Agencies using the readers would be required to submit
an annual report to the attorney general. County prosecutors
or the attorney general would also be responsible to do an
annual audit of each agency’s use of the devices.
Multiple states act on license plate readers;
others could follow
Photo courtesy of Texas A&M Transportation Institute
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 35
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Both bills are in committee in their originating chamber.
South Carolina
Multiple South Carolina bills in committee would clarify
who and where license plate readers can be used for
enforcement purposes.
H4013 and S447 explicitly permit use of the devices by
law enforcement and government entities.
In addition to locating wanted vehicles, uses of the
devices listed in the legislation include regulating parking,
controlling access to secure areas, collecting tolls and
providing “for the efcient and safe movement of vehicles on
state highways.”
The South Carolina Department of Transportation would
be responsible for setting up a permitting process for the
installation of cameras on non-interstate highway rights of
way.
As a result of the legislation, the highway department
announced it has paused installation of the devices on state
roads. The agency is awaiting the outcome of the legislation.
Texas
In Texas, one House bill would also set rules for the use of
license plate readers.
Mobile or xed high-speed camera use would be
authorized for state agencies.
Purposes for use would include for criminal investigations,
identifying unregistered or uninsured vehicles, identifying
or recovering stolen vehicles, collecting or enforcing tolls or
enforcing parking requirements.
HB2083 states that data retention for vehicles not
associated with any purpose specied in the bill must be
destroyed within 48 hours.
Missouri and Nebraska bills fall short
Failed bills in Missouri and Nebraska went in opposite
directions on the use of license plate readers.
Multiple Missouri bills sought to forbid counties, cities,
towns, villages, municipalities and state agencies from
posting the devices on any public roadway. License plate
readers afxed to law enforcement would not have been
affected by the rule.
Agencies would have been prohibited from accessing or
using any data captured by third parties.
Nebraska law permits government entities to use the
technology only to identify vehicles associated with a
missing person, registered to someone with an outstanding
warrant, relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation or
reported as stolen.
Additionally, parking enforcement agencies are permitted
to use the devices to track outstanding parking or trafc
violations, assist weigh stations or collect tolls.
One bill called for expanding authorization to include use
at red lights. LL
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36 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
vit/stock.adobe.com
By Keith Goble State Legislative Editor
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed
into law towing reforms that are intended to end
predatory towing and excessive pricing for commercial
and personal vehicles. The new law also overhauls the
state’s Towing and Recovery Board.
Daryl Bassett, Arkansas Secretary of Labor and
Licensing, previously told legislators there are some
“bad actors” in the towing industry. As a result, action
is needed to protect consumers and the large majority of
towing companies that run their business the right way.
Arkansas law permits a towing or storage company to
hold a vehicle for a lien or claim for unpaid towing and
storage fees.
Rep. Stetson Painter, R-Mountain Home, and Sen.
Kim Hammer, R-Benton, led the statehouse charge
to address concerns about nonconsensual tows. Their
pursuit, HB2001, permits vehicle owners to get their
cargo returned for a fee.
Painter told a Senate committee the new rule ensures
that towers will get 20% of the value of truck cargo up
front, and they can still have a lien on the cargo.
Hammer added that the remaining balance of the tow
bill must still be paid.
“(The new law) still requires the remaining balance of
the tow bill to be paid, but this allows (motor carriers) to
remove their cargo,” Hammer explained on the Senate
oor.
Complaint process
Also covered in the new law is a process to le towing
complaints.
Beginning July 1, towing services must include on
invoices a notice of the state’s complaint process.
The new rule requires notication “prominently
printed in bold letters at the bottom of each invoice”
that includes the phone number and web address of the
Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board.
“It is going to be required to be on all forms that there
is information about how to le a complaint because of
predatory towing that is occurring that is not necessarily
addressed in (HB2001) but will be addressed through
rule under the new board’s direction,” Hammer said.
Cleaning house
The towing board is also getting a makeover.
An emergency clause included in the new law
immediately removed all nine existing board members.
The governor is charged with appointing all new board
member positions. Senators will conrm all members.
“An urgent need exists to enact towing industry
reforms, improve towing industry regulation and
enforcement and provide statewide efciencies to state
and local law enforcement,” the emergency clause
reads. “This act will accomplish these objectives and
is immediately necessary to protect consumers from
illegal, fraudulent and unauthorized towing practices.”
The new law states that one board member must
represent the trucking industry. Another member will
represent the commercial trucking insurance industry.
Previously, six of the nine board members were
tow owners. There was no requirement to include a
representative for the trucking industry.
The revision to the board makeup has been described
as necessary “to decrease the inuence of active market
participants” and to enable the board to “more fairly
and efciently perform the duties and obligations of the
board.”
OOIDA welcomes new rules
OOIDA has worked and continues to work with states to
adopt regulations to protect truck drivers involved in a
nonconsensual tow.
Doug Morris, OOIDA director of state government
affairs, said the majority of towers are running their
business the right way, “but there are a few that give the
industry a bad reputation, which is unfair to those who
are fair and professional.”
He added that the Association welcomes the Arkansas
rule changes. He pointed out that as Arkansas and other
states look at their towing programs, they are learning
there are towers that take advantage of people and
overcharge them. LL
Predatory towing focus of new Arkansas law
State
Line
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 37
Department of Labor issues guidance
on worker classification
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
The Department of Labor recently issued new guidance
regarding worker classication as it considers rescinding
a 2024 rule.
On May 1, the department’s Wage and Hour Division
informed staff that it will no longer apply the 2024
independent contractor rule when enforcing the Fair
Labor Standards Act during investigations. Replacing a
rule that was nalized during President Donald Trump’s
rst term in 2021, the 2024 rule is being challenged in
court by a variety of stakeholders, including lawsuits led
by two trucking companies.
The Department of Labor’s enforcement guidance is
similar to the 2024 rule in principle. Because of that,
the situation may not change for many companies and
workers, including trucking companies and owner-
operator truck drivers.
More substantial changes to independent contractor
classication may be ahead.
2024 independent contractor rule
In January 2024, the Department of Labor replaced a
2021 independent contractor rule that was considered
more employer-friendly.
In his nal days in ofce during his rst term, Trump
issued the rst independent contractor classication
regulation. Before the 2021 rule, employment
determination was based on agency guidance and court
rulings that drew from a number of tests and factors.
The 2021 rule looked at ve factors when determining
whether a worker is an independent contractor:
1. Natureanddegreeofcontrol
2. Opportunityforprofitorlossbasedoninitiative,
investmentorboth
3. Skillrequiredforthework
4. Permanenceoftheworkrelationship
5. Whethertheworkispartofanintegratedunitof
production
The rst two factors were considered “core factors.”
If those core factors clearly favored an independent
contractor, the determination was made. If the core factors
were more ambiguous, then the remaining three factors
were available for further guidance.
Under former President Joe Biden, the Department of
Labor delayed the start date before ofcially withdrawing
the rule and replacing it with a new one.
Although the 2024 rule included similar factors to
consider, it looked at the totality of the factors. Each
factor had equal weight, with no factors being more
determinative than the others.
Proponents of the 2024 rule have claimed it would
solve widespread issues of misclassication. Opponents
have argued the more ambiguous six-factor economic
reality test would force employers to reclassify bona de
independent contractors as employees.
What does new guidance do?
The Department of Labor’s new guidance retains the
totality of factors seen in the 2024 rule while ignoring all
of the regulatory details.
Specically, the department is using 2008 guidance
that points to seven factors that courts have looked at in
employment classication lawsuits:
1. Extenttowhichtheservicesrenderedarean
integralpartoftheprincipal'sbusiness
2. Permanencyoftherelationship
3. Amountoftheallegedcontractor'sinvestmentin
facilitiesandequipment
4. Natureanddegreeofcontrolbytheprincipal
5. Allegedcontractor'sopportunitiesforprofitand
loss
6. Amountofinitiative,judgmentorforesightin
openmarketcompetitionwithothersrequired
forthesuccessoftheclaimedindependent
contractor
7. Degreeofindependentbusinessorganizationand
operation
As in the 2024 rule, none of those factors has more
weight than the other when determining whether a worker
is an independent contractor.
When it comes to making that determination,
Department of Labor investigators are working off that
framework. Although similar to the 2024 rule, there
is something missing: 339 pages of a nal rule. By
eliminating that context, the department will have more
discretion when determining who is an independent
contractor.
Essentially, the new guidance puts employers back
to where they were before the 2021 rule. For trucking
companies and owner-operators, not much has changed
… for now.
As of press time, the 2024 rule was still intact, but that
may change. In its guidance letter, the Department of
Labor pointed out that the 2024 rule is still valid and that
it is merely choosing not to enforce it. LL
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38 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
L
ife on the road presents many challenges,
including reckless four-wheelers, cargo thieves and
micromanaging dispatchers. But some drivers may not be
prepared to deal with the most merciless and dangerous
obstacle long-haul truckers face: Mother Nature.
June marks the nal month of peak tornado season and
the beginning of hurricane season, which runs through
Nov. 30. Considering hurricane storm systems often
produce tornadoes, a large swath of the United States is
under the looming threat of severe weather for most of the
year.
Drivers “weather the storm” all the time, but do you
know what to do if suddenly caught in life-threatening
severe weather you can’t escape?
A storm is brewing
A severe storm is dened as a thunderstorm that has
winds of 58 miles per hour or greater, hail at least 1 inch
in diameter and/or one that produces a tornado.
Nowhere in the country is immune to severe storms.
However, Barry Bowers, a meteorologist with the
National Weather Service, told Land Line there is a higher
concentration east of the Rocky Mountains and west of
the Appalachians. The Interstate 70 and Interstate 40
corridors are particularly prone to nasty storms.
One of the most destructive weather events is a tornado.
In addition to producing the highest winds on the planet,
tornadoes are unpredictable, with just a few moments of
notice before one strikes.
The area encompassing Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and
Nebraska is known as Tornado Alley. But Dixie Alley,
which includes states in the Southeast, also gets a large
share of tornadoes. According to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, Mississippi had the
most tornadoes per year (117) on average from 2019 to
2023, followed by Texas (102), Alabama (96), Oklahoma
(74) and Illinois (69).
Hurricanes also pose a threat of severe storms. Although
forecasters can give the public a notice several days
in advance, the outer rain bands of the storm system
can produce tornadoes once the storm arrives inland.
Hurricane Helene produced 33 tornadoes, for example.
Unlike tornadoes, the No. 1 killer that comes with
hurricanes is the storm surge and ooding, not high
winds. According to Larry Kelly, a hurricane specialist at
the National Hurricane Center, water hazards account for
nine of 10 hurricane fatalities.
The category of a hurricane, which ranges 1-5, is
not indicative of how dangerous it can be. Hurricane
Katrina, one of the deadliest hurricanes in the U.S., was
a Category 3 storm when it hit New Orleans. And Helene
was only a tropical storm when it reached North Carolina
– where 86 deaths were directly attributed to the storm,
with ooding causing 78 of those.
Surviving a severe storm on the highways
Gimme
shelter
Armstrong Photo/stock.adobe.com
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 39
By Ryan Witkowski, Land Line sta writer
When disaster strikes, truckers play a key
role in delivering vital goods to impacted
areas. For carriers hauling loads for the
Federal Emergency Management Agency,
those times can be both benecial for the
affected communities and lucrative for
their business.
While many truckers are eager to lend
a hand when Mother Nature shows her
bad side, it’s not as simple as asking,
“How can I help?” In order to haul FEMA
loads, carriers must complete an annual
registration process.
“You can’t wait for a disaster to strike and then think
you’re going to get a load. You’ve got to go through the
process,” Jim Jefferson, Regulatory and Compliance
supervisor with OOIDA, told Land Line Now. “There’s a
step-by-step process that does take time to get registered.
And as long as you follow that process, then you’re ready
to go when a disaster happens.”
The six-step onboarding process – which Jefferson said
typically begins in early February – starts with reviewing
the program guidelines. Ahead of the onboarding period,
FEMA hosts a “Virtual Industry Day” to help better
prepare carriers for the process.
After reviewing the guidelines, carriers register with the
system and begin the process of uploading documents to
FEMA’s transportation services team. Approved FEMA
Transportation Service Providers will be eligible to haul
from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
The program is open to all carriers but does have strict
requirements, such as a minimum of $300,000 in insurance
coverage. The OOIDA Foundation recently outlined some
Riding out the storm
What should drivers do if they nd themselves in the
middle of the highway during a severe storm that could
produce a tornado?
Finding a sturdy structure in which to seek shelter is
ideal, but that may not be possible when traveling along a
secluded, rural stretch of the interstate.
Land Line reached out to Departments of Transportation
in 11 states that experience some of the most tornadoes
to nd out whether storm shelters are provided along
highways. Of the seven states that responded, only two
provide storm shelters: Kansas and Texas.
The Kansas Turnpike Authority provides storm shelters at
each of its six service areas along the 236 miles that make
up the turnpike. There used to be tornado shelters at most
toll plazas. However, most of those facilities have been
removed as the state has transitioned to cashless tolling.
Texas has 30 rest areas in high-risk locations across the
state. These provide 13-foot-by-11-foot storm shelters that
can hold at least 20 people. In May, people took advantage
of the storm shelter at the Bell County rest area during a
tornado warning.
Although the remaining states do not have shelters
specically designed to withstand severe storms, rest area
facilities are still sturdy structures and are better than no
shelter at all.
The Texas Department of Transportation advises
motorists not to park underneath bridges during a tornado.
If no shelter is available when traveling through a severe
storm, Bowers said getting into a low spot is your best
option.
“If that’s your only option to protect yourself from ying
debris and from the tornadic winds, you would want to use
that as a last resort to get out of your vehicle and go into a
low spot like a ditch or a ravine,” he added.
If truckers nd themselves in the worst-case scenario of
not nding a sturdy structure and if low spots are ooded,
A helping hand
Hauling FEMA loads can be a ‘good revenue stream’
Drivers “weather the storm” all the
time, but do you know what to do if
suddenly caught in life-threatening
severe weather you can’t escape?
Continued on Page 40
Continued on Page 40
decle/stock.adobe.com
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40 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Bowers suggested staying inside the truck and getting
as low as possible, making sure to move away from the
windshield and side windows. Truck drivers have the
fortunate advantage of a sleeper berth in this case.
Modern technology has greatly improved severe storm
warning systems. Wireless emergency alerts allow
government agencies, including the National Weather
Service, to send warnings directly to mobile devices in
affected areas – so drivers should make sure that feature
is enabled. There is also a plethora of weather apps that
provide real-time weather information.
Additionally, Kelly emphasized that making it through
one storm doesn’t mean someone should drive through
another.
“If you’re asked to evacuate by your local ofcials,
please do so and try not to compare storms to what
you’ve been through in the past, because each storm
really is different, and they all bring different hazards,”
he said.
So stay vigilant, stay informed and stay safe. LL
Continued from
Page 39
Continued from
Page 39
Jiwa_Visual/stock.adobe.com
of the pros and cons for truckers hauling FEMA loads,
including:
PROS:
l FEMA’s contracts can provide better-than-market-
average income during emergencies due to the
potential risks of operating in a disaster area.
l Truckers can be part of vital eorts that help
communities in need.
l Truckers can enhance their reputation by working with
a federal agency.
l Many operations will fall under emergency exemptions
to the hours-of-service rules, making it easier to fulfill
contracts.
CONS:
l Providers must meet strict operational and compliance
standards.
l Emergency operations often require fast turnarounds
and high flexibility.
l Contracts often are tied to specific emergency events,
which can make revenue unpredictable.
Jefferson said that despite some of the negatives,
hauling FEMA loads can be nancially benecial for
truckers with a sound business plan.
“In some cases, it takes a lot of time. You get a load
going into a hurricane area, you may get down there
and be stuck for a while. It depends on your operation
and how much time you have available,” Jefferson said.
“Are you going to be compensated? Sure, but it’s the
government. It’s not like you’re going to be compensated
tomorrow for a load that you run today. It’s going to take
time for that to process as well. But if you’ve got the time
and the extra trucks you can commit to it, it’s denitely a
good revenue stream.”
Charles Sperry, research analyst with the OOIDA
Foundation, said the entire registration process can take
up to nine weeks to complete for a rst-time applicant.
For carriers renewing an existing registration, Sperry said
the process is “a bit smoother” but still requires some
paperwork.
He added that while it is not the simplest process, it is
completely free to do.
“Don’t listen to anyone that says, ‘I’ll help you through
the process for a small fee,’” he said. “They’re just trying
to get money out of you.”
More information about becoming a FEMA
Transportation Service Provider can be found on the
agency’s website, fema.gov. While onboarding for the
2025 program year is closed, the agency said dates for
the 2026 program year will be posted soon. LL
“You can’t wait for a disaster to strike
and then think you’re going to get a load.
You’ve got to go through the process.”
– Jim Jeerson, OOIDA Regulatory and Compliance supervisor
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 41
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
If a leased owner-operator is concerned about complying
with California’s AB5 law, then he or she can simply
become an employee, an attorney for the state said.
However, the Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association contends that this take is a major
oversimplication.
“I’d like to clarify opposing counsel’s descriptions that
you could just be an employee or a motor carrier,” said
Paul Cullen Jr., attorney for OOIDA. “As we described,
these are very different entities. They try to conate the
three as just truck driving jobs. But an employee is not a
small-business employer … AB5 to trucking is like a law
that would tell a lawyer, ‘You can’t be a lawyer anymore
but you can be a paralegal.’”
Instead, OOIDA argued that leased owner-operators
are an essential part of the trucking industry and that
forcing them to relinquish their business model presents an
excessive burden.
That was OOIDA’s message to the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Ninth Circuit during oral arguments on April 9.
OOIDA maintains that California’s worker classication
law, Assembly Bill 5, violates the dormant Commerce
Clause of the U.S. Constitution and that the district court
failed to apply the standards of the Pike balancing test.
The Commerce Clause prevents states from imposing
regulations that place an undue burden on interstate
commerce, and the Pike balancing test says that the
burdens a state or local law imposes on out-of-state
commerce must not clearly exceed the local benets.
“The Pike balancing test has allowed state laws to
burden and raise the cost of doing business, but there is
no cost or burden that leased owner-operators can pay to
keep their small business as a leased owner-operator in
California,” Cullen said.
California signed AB5 into law in 2019. The law
is based on the ABC Test and requires a business to
demonstrate three factors are established before a worker
can be considered an independent contractor. The law was
purportedly aimed at tackling the state’s misclassication
problem, but opponents argued that it was too rigid.
The B prong of the ABC Test requires the worker being
used as an independent contractor to provide a service that
is outside the company’s usual course of business.
OOIDA said the B prong effectively ends the leased
owner-operator model in
the trucking industry.
Interstate owner-operators
with their own authority
can continue to deliver
freight in California, and
California intrastate leased
owner-operators can
qualify under the state’s
business-to-business
exemption. However,
OOIDA told the court that out-of-state interstate owner-
operators who are leased to a motor carrier can’t meet
the exemption standard because it conicts with federal
regulations.
“Leased owner-operators in interstate commerce must
comply with federal regulations called the Truth in Leasing
regulations, which require the motor carrier to have
exclusive possession and control of the vehicle and the
operation of that vehicle in interstate commerce,” Cullen
said. “Whatever the scope of that control is, it can’t be
squared with the B2B requirement that the worker be free
of control. It’s irreconcilable.”
Samuel Thomas Harbourt, attorney for the state, told the
court that truckers could still haul freight in California by
either becoming an employee or obtaining their authority
as a motor carrier.
“One of the key problems with OOIDA’s legal theory
is that it depends on the assertion that the ABC Test …
categorically bars owner-operators from California’s
market,” Harbourt said. “That’s simply not true as a matter
of law. What the ABC Test requires at most is that owner-
operators be classied as employees.”
As of press time, the Ninth Circuit had not issued an
opinion. LL
‘It’s irreconcilable’
OOIDA says out-of-state leased owner-operators
can’t overcome AB5’s burden
ungvar/stock.adobe.com
“AB5 to trucking is
like a law that would
tell a lawyer, ‘You
can’t be a lawyer
anymore but you
can be a paralegal.’”
– Paul Cullen Jr., OOIDA attorney
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42 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Parking
Zone
Local roadblocks
Truck stop developers struggle to overcome NIMBYs
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
A recent study from the American Transportation Research
Institute reveals that community pushback is stiing truck
parking expansion at state-owned rest areas. NIMBYs
are also stopping the private sector from building much-
needed parking, but companies are not giving up.
Sheetz dead set on Detroit
Earlier this year, the Detroit suburb Farmington Hills
rejected Sheetz’s bid for a new truck stop. The city’s
planning commission approved it, but the city council
nixed it amid community pushback. Less than a month
later, Sheetz announced plans for new locations in
Michigan, including Farmington Hills. Less than 10 miles
south in Livonia, the city council rejected a separate
Sheetz proposal around the same time. Sheetz also was
rejected farther north, in the Detroit suburb Rochester
Hills, just before that. According to The Detroit News,
the truck stop chain is looking at all available options in
Detroit-area municipalities. So far, Sheetz is 0 for 3 in a
one-month span.
Indiana county slams the brakes
on truck parking facility
Commissioners for the Hancock County Area Planning
Commission in Indiana unanimously rejected a
proposal for a truck parking facility, according to the
Daily Reporter. One of the commissioners said that the
warehouses in the area knew they would be bringing in
trucks and should be housing them. This is why cities and
states should require large warehouses to include adequate
truck parking in proposal applications, which New Jersey
is attempting to do.
Truck stop denied despite
truck parking reduction
Robeson County commissioners in North Carolina shot
down a developer’s request to build a new truck stop off
Interstate 95, Exit 7. The developer reduced the size of
the project from up to 70 truck parking spaces to 15-20
spaces, The Robesonian reports. Commissioners were
more concerned about “keeping with the traditionally rural
area.”
Northern Florida town says
“no” to truck stop
In a 3-1 vote, commissioners in Jefferson County, Fla.,
denied a proposal by TravelCenters of America for a new
truck stop off Interstate 10, Exit 225. Had the proposal
gone through, there would be more truck parking and 16
diesel pumps in the area. After the vote, one commissioner
advised contracting an attorney for any future litigation, so
this battle may not be over.
Truck stop developer taking
Tennessee city to court
Speaking of TravelCenters of America and future
litigation, a developer wanting to build a new TA in
Monteagle, Tenn., is suing the city over his right to do so.
A few years ago, the city approved the new truck stop, but
it ultimately reneged on the permit. According to WDEF,
the developer is currently trying to restore his property
rights in the courtroom. The proposed TA Petro would add
truck parking along Interstate 24 off Exit 135.
Northern California town finds
truck parking compromise
Local truck drivers in Rio Dell, Calif., were forced to park
their trucks away from home and in an unsafe location
after the city decided to enforce a residential parking ban
dating back to 1983. According to the Times Standard,
the city manager looked for “a middle ground between
heavy regulation of truck parking and lack of regulation.”
The result: Approved parking on a certain street and fee-
free parking at home by permit. Compromising with the
trucking community is not complex.
Canadian town finds room for truck parking
Last year, truckers in Aldergrove, Langley, in British
TRUCK
PARKING
NIMBY
faraktinov/stock.adobe.com
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 43
OOIDA’s Passenger Accident Policy
l
Low premiums
l
High benefit limits
l
No deductible
“Can we go
this time? ”
Visit OOIDA.com or call
816-229-5791 to learn more.
It’s a chance for your kids to see what you
do for a living and lets them experience the
excitement of riding in a big truck. Best of all,
it gives you both a chance to make memories
together that will last a lifetime.
Compromising with the trucking
community is not complex.
Columbia were getting popped for illegal parking. Some
opportunistic local landowners were charging for parking due to
a truck parking shortage. A temporary solution has been found.
The Langley Advance Times is reporting that the township has
approved a truck parking facility that will hold 90 spaces. The
permit is good for three years, giving truckers some relief for at
least 36 months.
Mississippi town totally cool
with new truck stop
Meanwhile in Aberdeen, Miss., Mayor Dwight Stevens has
no problem with a truck stop in his town. WTVA reports that
the city is turning a vacant building into a truck stop, which
Stevens said will create jobs and revenue for the city. It gets
better. The mayor suggested the abandoned manufacturing plant
parking lot can be used for truck parking by local truck drivers,
giving them a nearby place to park while preventing damage to
residential roads. Everybody wins!
Truck parking simulator?
For you gamers out there, one developer has a Truck Parking
Simulator in the works over at the Steam store. Essentially, you
try to back a truck into a tight spot. But if the developers want a
realistic simulation, they should make you drive around looking
for a free spot. You should get one hour to nd a spot, after
which the game would force you to make an in-game purchase
of a paid parking space. Then again, the point of video games is
to escape the real-life hellscape.
Love’s and Pilot Travel Centers opened a few new truck stops
in recent months, adding nearly 300 truck parking spaces to the
infrastructure:
l Love’s at 66320 Belmont-Morristown Road (Interstate
70, Exit 208) in Belmont, Ohio (121 truck parking
spaces)
l Love’s at 2461 E. Marshall St. (Interstate 57, Exit 12) in
Charleston, Mo. (76 spaces)
l Pilot Travel Center at 159 Michael Spann Drive
(Interstate 22, Exit 26) in Winfield, Ala. (77 spaces) LL
New truck stops
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44 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
nokturnal/stock.adobe.com; nokturna/stock.adobe.com
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
The U.S. Supreme Court recently sided with a truck
driver who was red after using a CBD product
and testing positive for THC. However, the Supreme
Court decision does not mean that truck drivers are now
immune from concerns over CBD products.
On April 2, the Supreme Court allowed truck driver
Douglas Horn to proceed with civil Racketeer Inuenced
and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act claims against
CBD product company Medical Marijuana Inc. Horn was
red for testing positive for marijuana after ingesting a
CBD product that claimed “0.00 THC.”
Although the
lawsuit dealt with
a truck driver’s
experience with CBD,
the case before the
Supreme Court had
very little to do with
CBD products and
trucking. Rather, the
high court decided
whether injuries to business or property that derive from
personal injury are subject to RICO claims.
Horn used a CBD product by Medical Marijuana called
Dixie X in 2012 after suffering injuries from a crash. The
driver found the product through an advertisement that
claimed Dixie X contained “0.00 THC.”
Shortly after using the product, Horn was called in for
a random drug test, which registered a positive result
for marijuana. He was subsequently red. Lab tests of
Dixie X CBD oil discovered levels of THC well over the
federal limit per U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
regulations, making the product illegal.
Horn sued Medical Marijuana in federal court, claiming
violations of the RICO Act. Specically, the company
conducted mail and wire fraud through its deceptive
CBD advertisements, according to the lawsuit.
Although RICO violations are typically associated
with criminal charges, civil claims can be pursued to
recover damages to “business or property” resulting
from racketeering activity. In RICO cases, plaintiffs can
recover damages threefold.
Medical Marijuana argued that the RICO Act implicitly
excludes personal injury claims. In this case, Horn’s loss
of business due to being red is the result of a personal
injury, i.e. unknowingly ingesting THC, and not the
direct result of racketeering activities. In other words,
damages to business or property cannot derive from a
personal injury.
The district court agreed and dismissed the case.
However, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed
that ruling, nding that a personal injury preventing a
RICO Act claim undermines the law.
Three circuit courts have adopted Medical Marijuana’s
interpretation of the RICO Act. They argue that if
damages owing from a personal injury are allowed,
it would open the oodgates to RICO cases. The logic
is that run-of-the-mill personal injury cases will nd a
RICO angle to recover three times the damages.
Two circuit courts favor including damages stemming
from personal injuries. If, for example, business owners
lose their business due to extortion and bribery, they are
entitled to RICO civil claims. On the other hand, if a
mobster puts them in a coma and they lose their business
Supreme Court sides with truck driver
Victory does not mean truckers are now free to take CBD
The driver found the
product through
an advertisement
that claimed Dixie X
contained “0.00 THC.”
?
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 45
Focus on a complete
health picture.
&
life
health
benefits
Contact the Life
& Health Benefits
Department at
816-229-5791 for more
information or a quote
on this or other life
and health benefits
available.
Affordable eye care for OOIDA
members and their families
It’s important to see the value of good eye care.
Now it’s easy and aordable to protect the
eyesight of yourself and your dependents.
OOIDA’s Voluntary Vision Care Plan has
two networks to choose from. Both cover the
majority of annual eye care needs, including
complete eye examination, single and multi-
vision glasses and contact lenses.
Available to all
OOIDA members
year-round
with two
networks to
choose from
as a result, they would not be entitled to damages under the
“antecedent-personal-injury bar.”
Essentially, the Supreme Court was asked to settle the
circuit court split.
In a narrow 5-4 decision, the high court found that
a personal injury cannot prevent a civil RICO claim,
allowing Horn to proceed with his case. Justice Amy
Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Neil
Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji
Brown Jackson.
“By explicitly permitting recovery for harms to business
and property, (the RICO Act) implicitly excludes recovery
for harm to one’s person,” Barrett wrote in the opinion.
“But the business or property requirement operates with
respect to the kinds of harm for which the plaintiff can
recover, not the cause of the harm for which he seeks
relief. For example, a gas station owner beaten in a robbery
cannot recover for his pain and suffering. But if injuries
from the robbery force him to shut his doors, he can
recover for the loss of his business. A plaintiff can seek
damages for business or property loss, in other words,
regardless of whether the loss resulted from a personal
injury.”
The Supreme Court did not decide on the merits of
Horn’s claims. Rather, the court allowed only for the
truck driver to move forward with civil RICO claims. But
Barrett and even Horn himself acknowledged he faces “a
heavy burden on remand.”
Even if a label on a CBD product says there is only
a small amount of THC in it, the U.S. Department of
Transportation has warned that “there is no federal
oversight to ensure that the labels are accurate.”
In fact, the Food and Drug Administration does not
certify levels of THC in CBD products. According to the
FDA, “It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to
a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.”
If a driver’s mandated drug testing comes back positive
for illegal THC in the driver’s system, the driver saying he
or she used CBD products is not an accepted explanation,
the U.S. DOT warned.
“Medical review ofcers will verify a drug test
conrmed at the appropriate cutoffs as positive, even if
an employee claims they only used a CBD product,” the
agency said. LL
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46 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
Increasing truck weights is playing with re,
according to at least one industry leader.
“If you want to put heavier trucks on the roads and
the bridges, you’re asking for some sort of catastrophe
at some point,” said Kevan Stone, the executive
director of the National Association of County
Engineers.
Stone told Land Line Now in a recent interview
that proposals such as increasing the maximum truck
weight to 91,000 pounds raise safety concerns. In
addition, he said that heavier trucks essentially create
an unfunded federal mandate for local and state
governments, which will need to repair roads and
bridges sooner.
“If you increase the weight of trucks on that bridge,
you are in theory shortening the lifespan of that bridge,
and there is no funding available to address that sped-
up timeline,” Stone said. “It just creates a very large
burden on local governments … that are in charge of
maintaining that infrastructure.”
The National Association of County Engineers is
one of the 26 organizations that make up the Coalition
Against Bigger Trucks.
In March, the coalition released a study indicating
that increasing the maximum truck weight from 80,000
to 91,000 pounds would place between 65,157 and
82,457 local bridges at risk. Even more, the study
found that replacing those bridges would come with a
price tag between $70.6 billion and $98.6 billion.
“These at-risk bridges represent a sizable portion
of the nation’s bridge infrastructure, located on local
roads and highways that are critical for everyday
transportation and commerce,” the study stated.
According to the study, the states that would be most
affected by a truck weight increase would be Arkansas,
California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas,
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio,
Oregon, Virginia and Washington. A move to 91,000
pounds would cost each of those states more than $1.7
billion to replace its at-risk bridges. The study’s data
shows California topping the list with 2,841 at-risk
bridges that would cost $8.1 billion to replace.
The Coalition Against Bigger Trucks contends that
increased size limits for trucks will only increase an
existing infrastructure crisis in the United States.
“As we look to rebuild our roads and bridges,
allowing heavier and longer trucks would only make
matters worse,” the coalition wrote to lawmakers
‘You’re asking for some
sort of catastrophe’
Bigger trucks will lead to disastrous results, industry leader says
Dmytro/stock.adobe.com
1c_ June 25.indd 461c_ June 25.indd 46 5/9/25 10:35 AM5/9/25 10:35 AM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 47
in 2023. “The U.S. Department of Transportation
studies the impact of various longer and heavier truck
congurations on interstate and U.S. highways and
found that the additional cost of damage to both roads
and bridges would require billions of dollars in new
federal spending, adding to our
budget decit.”
The American Society of Civil
Engineers 2025 Report Card
gave America’s roads a D+ and
its bridges a C. Of the 623,000
bridges in the U.S., 49% are in
fair condition, 44% are in good
condition and 7% are in poor
condition. Preserving bridges in
fair or good condition will come at
a much lower cost than preserving
bridges in poor condition.
“Aging infrastructure systems are
increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme
weather events, creating unexpected and often avoidable
risks to public safety and the economy,” according to the
report card.
Highway bill
Recent efforts to increase truck size and weight limits
have fallen short as standalone bills. However, Congress
will soon be working on the next highway bill, and
proponents of heavier trucks will likely attempt to attach
the provision to a larger package.
Ryan Lindsey, who was representing the Shippers
Coalition, told lawmakers at a recent House hearing that
an 11,000-pound increase would be “modest.”
“One such proposal is a pilot program to modestly
increase the gross-vehicle-weight limit on the interstate
system from the current limit of 80,000 pounds to 91,000
pounds or the bridge formula limit, whichever is lower,
for vehicles while operating in the program,” Lindsey
said. “This proposal would impose important conditions
on participation that protect the public interest, including
the addition of the extra axle, weight distribution
requirements of the bridge formula and per-axle limits.”
At the same hearing, representatives of the Owner-
Operator Independent Drivers Association, the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the
Truckload Carriers Association all spoke in opposition of
heavier trucks. OOIDA and the Teamsters also are part of
the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks.
“Some shippers, large carriers and specic industries
continue to claim increasing truck size and weight is
good for trucking,” OOIDA Executive Vice President
Lewie Pugh said in his testimony. “Make no mistake,
these are losing propositions for
truckers and highway safety. I
want to especially caution new
members of the committee about
supporting these controversial
proposals – one vote to increase
today’s limits will have every
group that wants special
treatment expecting you to
support their specic carve-out
for the rest of your tenure.”
Cole Scandaglia, the
Teamsters’ transportation policy
advisor, said that increasing truck
weights would create safety concerns and create damage
to the nation’s roads and bridges.
“Critically, the Teamsters adamantly oppose efforts to
raise maximum allowable gross vehicle weight rating/
gross vehicle weight,” Scandaglia said. “Simply put,
these proposals threaten safety, increase wear and tear
on our nation’s roads and add unnecessary operational
difculties for drivers.”
John Elliott, past chairman of the Truckload Carriers
Association, spoke out against proposals for twin 33-foot
trailers and increased truck weights.
“There is also the impact on infrastructure,” Elliott
said. “The added axle would increase emissions and
strain our already overloaded infrastructure. USDOT
estimates that the 91,000-pound, six-axle conguration
would negatively impact more than 4,800 bridges,
costing an estimated $1.1 billion to repair.”
Stone said that the motivation for heavier trucks comes
from corporate interests and not the general public.
“All the data shows that you’re asking for real
problems with our infrastructure if you want to raise
the truck size and weight,” Stone said. “I don’t know
of anybody that has said, ‘Oh, I wish we had bigger or
heavier trucks on the road.’ That could be a citizen driver.
That could be an elected ofcial or a county engineer …
It just doesn’t make sense to increase the size and weight
in terms of motorists on the road and the infrastructure
that they drive on.” LL
‘You’re asking for some
sort of catastrophe’
“If you increase the weight of
trucks on that bridge, you are in
theory shortening the lifespan
of that bridge, and there is no
funding available to address
that sped-up timeline.”
– Kevan Stone, National Association of
County Engineers executive director
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48 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
Aurora Innovation delivered on its promise to deploy
driverless trucks by the end of April.
Despite the launch, however, there are many
concerns from academics and the general public about
vehicles – especially 80,000-pound trucks – traveling
down highways with no one in the driver’s seat.
In her latest research, George Mason University
Professor Missy Cummings wanted to identify where
self-driving vehicles need improvement. What she found
in driverless cars was “phantom braking” and an
inability to navigate human driving behavior, leading to
a relatively high number of crashes.
Cummings, who also served as a senior advisor for
safety at the National Highway Trafc Safety
Administration, looked into the self-driving vehicle
operations out of California. Specically, she looked at
three of the most prominent companies deploying
driverless cars in the Golden State: Cruise, Waymo and
Zoox.
The study rst looked at crash rates. Human drivers
are involved in 224 non-fatal crashes per 100 million
vehicle miles traveled on non-interstate roads. Rideshare
drivers (e.g. Uber and Lyft) have a much higher rate of
nearly 1,400 crashes. Where do self-driving vehicles fall
within this range?
Waymo yielded the best results with a rate of about
1,000 crashes per 100 million miles, better than
rideshare drivers but still much worse than the average
human driver. However, Cruise and Zoox experienced
crash rates as high as 3,000 and 4,000 crashes per 100
million miles, respectively.
It is worth noting that crash rate comparisons are not
statistically signicant. Human drivers log more than 3
trillion miles each year. Self-driving vehicles, on the
other hand, have driven only millions of miles
throughout their entire lifespan.
“Waymo has consistently more miles,” Cummings told
Land Line. “If we’re giving Waymo a huge benet of the
doubt, I would be comfortable saying at best, they are on
par with rideshare drivers – which is about four to six
times more dangerous than your average driver. That
kind of result … should make people pause. What is
going on with these rideshare drivers?”
Finding crash rates to be scientically invalid,
Cummings wanted to look at what is causing these
crashes. This is where she discovered problems that
motorists and pedestrians may nd concerning.
Phantom braking
Of the more than 200 crashes between the three self-
driving vehicle companies in a two-year period, nearly
Dire concerns
Despite deployment of driverless tech
in Texas, research reveals problems
Photo courtesy of Aurora Innovation
1c_ June 25.indd 481c_ June 25.indd 48 5/8/25 2:28 PM5/8/25 2:28 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 49
half were incidents where the driverless car was struck
from behind.
Although the driver of the vehicle that rear-ends
another vehicle is often thought to be at fault,
Cummings found that self-driving vehicles may be to
blame in many cases. Specically, these vehicles are
abruptly stopping for no apparent reason, known as
“phantom braking.”
“I’ll tell you what really concerns me, and especially
related to trucks, is the fact that we can start to see a
very dangerous pattern of what we would call phantom
braking,” Cummings said.
Phantom braking is when the self-driving vehicle sees
something that is not there and makes a hard-braking
maneuver. Data in the study suggests the self-driving
vehicles’ phantom braking contributed to human drivers
crashing into them. Nearly half of all crashes observed
were rear-end collisions, which is about twice the rate of
human driver crashes.
In fact, Zoox is under federal investigation for this
exact issue. NHSTA currently has an open investigation
looking into Zoox
self-driving
vehicles that
“unexpectedly
braked suddenly,
leading to
rear-end
collisions.”
The study
points out that
self-driving
companies are
quick to blame human drivers for “inattentive
following.” However, human drivers are caught off
guard by sudden decelerations by driverless cars for no
reason.
In the case of Cruise, Waymo and Zoox, which operate
only on non-interstate roads, the resulting crashes are at
lower speeds and cause minimal damage. That is not the
case with driverless trucks.
“I come from a long line of truckers,” Cummings said.
“That truck is going to jackknife. There’s going to be
carnage on the road. So for trucks, the ramications of
the phantom braking events are far more dire than, I
think, for your average passenger vehicle.”
A big issue is computer vision hallucinations – i.e.
self-driving cars seeing things that are not there. Only
10% of crashes in the study were the result of self-
driving cars failing to detect an object, whereas about
half involved the autonomous car detecting nonexistent
objects.
“Even if you’re a good driver and you’re trying to put
enough room between you and the car in front of you,
it’s not clear that that’s actually enough room,”
Cummings said. “Indeed, one action that I tell people
who are driving around self-driving cars is don’t get
behind them. Really at any distance, but try to get
around them or go a different way, because these
phantom braking maneuvers are serious. But again, slow
speed, so damage has been contained. This is just simply
not going to be able to be contained at high speeds with
a big truck.”
Unpredictability of human drivers
Nearly a third of self-driving vehicle crashes were
caused by the unexpected actions of other vehicles. In
other words, driverless cars are having a difcult time
understanding how human drivers behave.
Although bad human decisions (like running a red
light) were the major contributing factor, a “substantial
number of cases” included “the AV not understanding
social norms or not assuming a defensive driving
posture.”
“For example, AVs could detect a car backing out of a
driveway into trafc but would not slow down or honk
to alert the driver and instead collided with the car,” the
study states. “Similar situations occurred with AVs
hitting doors of drivers who just parked and opened their
doors into trafc. Competent human drivers in such
urban settings have learned to anticipate such common
human mistakes.”
Cummings gave an example of passenger vehicles
trying to avoid getting behind a truck. When a truck
driver tries to enter the passing lane, it is not uncommon
for a passenger vehicle to speed up to get around the
truck rst. An autonomous system’s sensors may see the
passenger vehicle – but as Cummings pointed out, at
some point, physics takes over. If a driverless truck
overreacts at highway speeds, it could spell trouble.
“I’ll tell you what really concerns me, and
especially related to trucks, is the fact that
we can start to see a very dangerous pattern
of what we would call phantom braking.”
– Missy Cummings, George Mason University professor
Continued on Page 50
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50 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Essentially, self-driving vehicles mimic intelligence
but lack actual intelligence.
“These are just statistical predicting machines that
are always predicting … the average behavior,”
Cummings said. “Unfortunately, on the roads, we see
a lot of not-average behavior.”
A lot of problematic driving by human drivers may
be considered low probability – but not to truck
drivers. Due to their size and typically lower speeds,
trucks interact with more “low-probability” behavior
than most vehicles.
How to improve self-driving vehicle
technology
Despite the less-than-attering research results,
self-driving vehicle technology has improved and will
continue to do so. However, more research and
regulatory oversight are needed to get driverless
vehicles on the roads safely.
Cummings said California has done a good job of
collecting crash data from companies. Texas, on the
other hand, has not. Government agencies need to
collect that data so researchers like Cummings can
continue studying the issue to identify problems and
potential solutions. Without that information, it is up
to the self-driving vehicle companies to self-analyze
their data transparently.
In addition to its recommendation to x issues with
phantom braking, the study also recommends nding
ways to teach self-driving vehicles how to drive
defensively. Autonomous vehicles have demonstrated
they “can drive in a way that is generally technically
legal,” the study states, but “severely violate ‘norms of
the road’ that are expected by human drivers.”
Just one fatal crash involving a self-driving vehicle
could send a company – and the entire autonomous
vehicle industry – backward.
“Any massive self-driving car or truck accident is
going to reect negatively on the whole industry,”
Cummings said. “There’s a lot on the line.”
Aurora deploys driverless
trucks in Texas
In an announcement released on May 1, Aurora said it
had successfully launched its commercial self-driving
trucking service in Texas. The rst run was conducted
on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. Unlike
previous test runs, there was no “safety driver” in the
driver’s seat. However, Aurora Chief Executive
Ofcer Chris Urmson was seated in the back for the
initial run.
According to Aurora, the company had already
logged more than 1,200 driverless miles as of the
morning of May 1.
“We founded Aurora to deliver the benets of
self-driving technology safely, quickly and broadly,”
Urmson said in a news release. “Now, we are the rst
company to successfully and safely operate a
commercial driverless trucking service on public
roads. Riding in the back seat for our inaugural trip
was an honor of a lifetime – the Aurora Driver
performed perfectly, and it’s a moment I’ll never
forget.”
As of press time, Land Line was still seeking
answers as to whether Aurora fully complied with
FMCSA’s federal warning device regulations, which
require a driver to place triangles in a certain manner
when the truck is stopped on a highway shoulder.
Aurora said it plans to expand driverless operations
to El Paso, Texas and Phoenix by the end of 2025. LL
Continued from
Page 49
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 51
Don’t let your
business go to pieces.
l Guaranteed issue! New members have 60 days from their
membership-eective date to enroll for this benefit* – regardless
of medical history. Maximum issue age is 60, coverage at 75.
l
24-hour coverage for sickness or injury.
l
Two plan options available with 30-day waiting periods before
benefits are payable – one with a $400 weekly benefit* and one
with a $500 weekly benefit* if you are under age 70. You will
receive 50% of the maximum weekly benefit if you are between
70 and 75. *This plan will oset with other plans.
l
$25,000 accidental death benefit
l
Travel assistance and identity management
services included at no additional cost.
Don’t let your business take a hit due to a
short-term disability. OOIDA can help you
with the right coverage.
&
life
health
benefits
Contact the Life &
Health Benefits Department
at 816-229-5791 for more
information or a quote
on this or other life and
health benefits available.
CA-0F08481
CA-0B80297
Available
during open
enrollment in
Jan. - Feb.
for existing
members
By Land Line sta
The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund named Courtney
Niemann as its new executive director on May 6. Niemann
replaces Donna Kennedy, who on May 5 stepped down as
executive director and assumed the
role of lead strategic advisor.
Niemann brings more than
25 years of experience in the
public health eld. She is an
accomplished community health
specialist and nonprot leader
with a proven track record of
driving impactful programs,
securing funding and leading high-
performing teams.
Niemann has expertise in community organizing,
health advocacy, nonprot management and strategic
planning. She also brings experience in developing
and implementing initiatives that improve community
well-being, in enhancing partnerships and in ensuring
sustainable growth.
“Guided by a lifelong commitment to prevention, I
have dedicated my career to advancing health equity and
community well-being,” Niemann said. “I’m excited
to join the St. Christopher Fund and look forward to
collaborating with the team to further its mission.”
MATS fundraiser
A fundraiser at the Mid-America Trucking Show this
past March generated more than $13,500 for the St.
Christopher Truckers Relief Fund.
The money raised will go directly toward the St.
Christopher Fund’s effort to provide nancial assistance
for professional truck drivers in need. According to its
website, the Knoxville, Tenn.-based nonprot has provided
more than $5 million in nancial assistance to more than
4,000 professional drivers.
Funds were also raised through Shell Rotella’s Thank-
A-Trucker recording studio event at MATS, with Love’s
Travel Stops matching those donations.
“I want to extend a truckload of gratitude to the generous
donors and dedicated volunteers who made our silent
auction and booth activities such a success,” said Norita
Taylor, president of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief
Fund and OOIDA’s director of public relations. “Your
support, along with the participation of the auction
winners, helped us raise the funds that will continue to fuel
our mission. Thank you for being a part of something truly
special.” LL
SCF names new executive director
Courtney Niemann
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52 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Cybersecurity
challenges
By Ryan Witkowski Sta Writer
Cybersecurity is a growing concern among all
trucking companies. In particular, owner-operators
and small motor carriers often are “prime targets”
for cybersecurity attacks.
In a recent email to its members, the OOIDA
Foundation explained why independent drivers are
susceptible to cyberattacks and how those attacks can
devastate a small business.
According to the Foundation, some of the reasons truck
drivers are vulnerable to cyberattacks include:
l Publicly available business information through
DOT and FMCSA registrations makes it easy for
criminals to steal a trucker’s identity.
l Phishing scams disguised as broker emails
and text messages now use AI to mimic real
company communication.
l Fake load boards are set up to collect personal
and business information, then disappear.
l Hacked ELDs, telematics and compliance
portals expose driver credentials and location
data.
l Weak security on fuel cards and business
accounts makes it easier for criminals to steal
funds.
Once criminals have enough information, they can use
that to open fraudulent lines of credit, steal settlement
payments, gain access to fuel card accounts and le false
tax returns in a trucker’s name.
“Data theft like this is not uncommon in trucking, and
the methods criminals use are getting more advanced,”
the OOIDA Foundation said. “In an industry where
owner-operators rely on trust and reputation, a single
cyberattack can cripple a business overnight.”
While large eets often have dedicated cybersecurity
teams, the OOIDA Foundation said owner-operators
usually “lack the resources to protect themselves against
fraud.” That lack of resources, coupled with the fact that
cybercriminals are getting better and more aggressive
with their tactics, makes independent drivers ideal targets
for scammers and thieves.
“Without basic cybersecurity, your personal and
business identity is exposed to fraudsters who can steal
money, book fraudulent loads or even take out loans
in your name,” the Foundation said. “The industry’s
growing reliance on digital tools – from ELDs to online
load boards – means data security is now as important as
vehicle maintenance.”
Although there is no one solution to completely erase
the concern, the Foundation said the best way to ght
identity theft is through prevention. Some of the tactics it
suggested truckers use to keep their personal and business
data secure include:
Owner-operators viewed as
‘prime targets’ by fraudsters
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 53
l Limiting public access to business information
l Strengthening account security and locking
down credit
l Watching for phishing and social engineering
scams
l Securing ELDs, telematics and business devices
l Managing and protecting passwords
l Monitoring business accounts for suspicious
activity
Taking small steps like keeping your ELD software
updated and checking bank and factoring accounts daily for
unauthorized transactions can go a long way in warding off
cyberattacks.
“The bottom line: By taking proactive security measures,
truck drivers can signicantly reduce their risk of falling
victim to fraud,” the OOIDA Foundation said. “The best
time to act is before a cyberattack happens; as the old
saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a gallon
of cure.”
The Foundation added that truckers who suspect
they may be the victim of identity theft should report it
immediately to banks, credit bureaus and the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
Trade group oers advice
The National Motor Freight Trafc
Association also issued a report in
2025 that aimed to protect trucking
companies from cybersecurity attacks.
The Alexandria, Va.-based
group released its 2025 Trucking
Cybersecurity Trends Report, which
outlines what NMFTA described as
“the critical cybersecurity developments
that trucking professionals must be
prepared to address in the year ahead.”
The group also released its Owner-Operator Core
Cybersecurity Controls Checklist with an intent to make
the subject more approachable – and easier to manage – for
small-business truckers.
“This practical, jargon-free guide to core cybersecurity
principles and cyber-hygiene practices lls a critical gap
in available resources, offering essential protection advice
tailored specically for owner-operators,” NMFTA said.
According to the group, the checklist focuses on “high-
impact and low-expense options” for owner-operators to
improve their cybersecurity, with an emphasis on “controls
that do not require IT support or security expertise to
congure or maintain.”
The cybersecurity checklist consists of a number of best
practices for owner-operators, including:
l Securing business and personal accounts with
strong, unique passwords
l Utilizing multi-factor authentication
l Keeping software and firmware up-to-date
l Monitoring credit and financial accounts
l Minimizing personal-information exposure
“As an owner-operator, personal cybersecurity and
online cyber hygiene go hand-in-hand with business
cybersecurity,” NMFTA said in its report. “It is important
to take steps to safeguard personal identity and credit to
ensure continuity of operations and scalability of business.”
One of the recent trends is the evolution of phishing
scams. According to the group, 2025 will “see signicant
increases in the efciencies and accuracy” of phishing
attempts by bad actors.
Ben Wilkens, cybersecurity principal engineer with
NMFTA, joined Land Line Media earlier this year to
discuss the 2025 report. When it comes to phishing
scams, Wilkens said the advent and evolution
of large language models – like ChatGPT –
have helped increase the success of scammers.
In the past, phishing attempts were often
poorly worded emails full of unbelievable
claims, making them easier to detect. Wilkens
said with the use of articial intelligence,
“those tells are gone” – which makes it harder to
decipher the real from the fake.
“What we’re seeing is these tools allow a foreign
language native speaker – no knowledge of transportation
or trucking, or a rudimentary knowledge at best – to craft a
grammatically correct, perfectly worded, believable email
that’s relevant to someone in the transportation industry,”
Wilkens said. “They use the right slang. They know about
the terms … that a normal threat actor wouldn’t have
thought of.” LL
“In an industry where owner-operators rely
on trust and reputation, a single cyberattack
can cripple a business overnight.”
– OOIDA Foundation
Photo courtesy of NMFTA
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54 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Photos by Nikohle Barnes
All in a day’s work
OOIDA’s Shipping and Receiving
Department wears many hats
By Ryan Witkowski Sta Writer
If all that the Shipping and Receiving Department of
the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
handled was mail and packages, its staff would still
be a busy bunch. However, the responsibilities of this
team go beyond that.
Brad Hennon is the manager of the small but
important group of dedicated employees that he said
handle “anything that comes in or out of the door.” The
team processes and ships online orders, Truckers For
Troops care packages, insurance paperwork and any
other mail that comes in
or goes out of the ofce.
In total, the department
handles roughly 3,000
packages a year and
processes more than a
half-million pieces of
mail.
If a mountain of
parcels weren’t enough,
the team also is called
upon to help with
other various tasks
and projects around
OOIDA’s Grain Valley
headquarters.
“If there’s something going on anywhere on-site,
we are in some way involved,” Hennon said. “(It’s)
usually behind the scenes, and nobody even knows.”
One of the employees Hennon relies on to tackle the
ever-changing workload is Team Lead Tate Godwin,
who has been with the company for nearly 20 years.
Godwin thinks of himself as a “Swiss Army knife”
when it comes to job responsibilities and enjoys taking
on new challenges each day.
“We kind of consider ourselves the glue of the
company,” Godwin said. “We’re just there for
anybody.”
The all-hands-on-deck approach of the department is
apparent in utility player Marcia Schreier, who started
in housekeeping with OOIDA eight years ago. Since
then, Schreier’s responsibilities have expanded to
include whatever Hennon or the staff throw her way.
“I like doing all kinds of different stuff. It’s not just
one thing,” Schreier
said. “I mean, I do
it over and over, but
my daily routine isn’t
always the same.”
Of course, being
thrown curveballs on
a daily basis isn’t for
everyone, but Schreier
handles it with ease.
She said she takes
pride in doing her part
to make it easier for all
the other employees at
OOIDA to do their jobs.
“It’s the atmosphere and the people I work with,” she
said. “It’s fun to work with them.”
Liking what you do – and who you work with – is an
important part of being happy with your work. And for
OOIDA’s Shipping and Receiving staff, that fun isn’t
by accident.
“I tell people when I hire them, ‘It’s a requirement
to have fun. Enjoy your job. Enjoy who you work
“If there’s
something
going on
anywhere on-
site, we are in
some way
involved.”
Brad Hennon
Tate Godwin
Marcia Schreier
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 55
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with – who you work for,’” Hennon said. “I stick to that.
If someone is in a bad mood or miserable all the time, I
want to know why.”
Hennon, who has been with the company for 27
years, said he prides himself on the low turnover in
the department and wants his staff to feel appreciated.
Godwin said that “family-oriented” approach is one of
the big reasons he has spent nearly two decades with the
Association.
Purchasing
Another small yet crucial division within OOIDA is the
Purchasing Department. This department consists of just
one employee – Purchasing Coordinator James Saddler.
Saddler has been
with the company
for nearly 22 years,
and while he may be
running a one-man
band, the work he
does impacts every
employee in the
building.
If something needs
to be bought – whether
it’s ofce supplies or
products for the Road
Gear store – Saddler
is the one who makes it happen while seeking the best
value for OOIDA. Despite playing a supporting role, he
knows the work he does has a positive impact for the
members of the Association.
“My job is to support the employees, but that is hand-
in-hand with the members,” Saddler said. “Because if
I’m making it easier on the employees by keeping costs
down, that’s something we can pass on to our members.”
Saddler said he didn’t have a background in trucking
prior to joining OOIDA in 2003 but that he quickly
jumped on board with the Association’s mission of
ghting for the rights of truckers.
“You think you have an idea of the industry and how
things work, but some of the meetings and training
courses I went through made me realize how difcult it
is for these guys,” he said. “I did not realize how hard it
was, not just for owner-operators but all the drivers out
there. It’s one of the things that got me to realize that my
goal should be to do whatever makes it easier on them.”
That mentality of putting members rst is what drives
the employees of OOIDA – even the ones playing a
supporting role.
“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have a job,”
Schreier said. LL
James Saddler
“If I’m making it easier on the
employees by keeping costs
down, that’s something we can
pass on to our members.”
– James Saddler, OOIDA Purchasing coordinator
LANDLINE
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56 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By SJ Munoz Sta Writer
At the 53rd Mid-America
Trucking Show in
Louisville, Ky., in March,
OOIDA life member Jay Hosty
was named one of this year’s
Citizen Driver winners by
TravelCenters of America.
Michael Stuewe, senior vice
president of eet sales for TA,
presented this year’s Citizen
Driver awards at a special
ceremony at the Kentucky
Expo Center.
“It is a true privilege to
recognize professional drivers
who exemplify the highest
standards of professionalism,
safety and citizenship,” Stuewe
said. “Their dedication extends
far beyond the road – through
community service and
volunteering, they give back in
meaningful ways, strengthening
the communities they serve. It
was a true honor to celebrate
their hard work, generosity and
unwavering impact.”
Hosty, of Diamondhead, Miss., previously served on
the Association’s board of directors and has been driving
professionally since 1980. He joined OOIDA in 1989 to
be part of an organization that “worked hard on behalf
of owner-operators like him,” he previously told Land
Line.
Hosty was nominated for the Citizen Driver award
by Landstar Vice President of Safety and Compliance
Shelly Seaton, and he didn’t think much about winning
until he was informed he was one of six nalists and
needed to make his way to MATS.
“When I was asked if I was OK with being nominated,
I said, ‘Well, if you think I deserve it,’” Hosty
recounted. “I really don’t feel like I do that much, but
apparently they felt different. It was a surprise. I didn’t
think I’d have much of a chance to win. It’s a big honor;
I never imagined this.”
The OOIDA Safe Driver Award, the Landstar Million
Miler and Overdrive Magazine’s 2024 Trucker of the
Year honor are among the accolades Hosty has earned
throughout his career. He’s also involved with the
American Truck Historical Society, St. Christopher
Truckers Relief Fund and TruckersFinalMile.org.
Adding the Citizen Driver award to that list adds a bit
of a full-circle feel for Hosty and his wife, Katt.
“The truck stop in Slidell, La., that I’ve selected for
my Citizen Driver dedication ceremony is the same one
my wife and I used to sit at and take pictures of trucks
before we were married – when we were 16 or 17 years
old,” Hosty said. “Unfortunately, we lost a lot of those
photos during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.”
But the memories remain for Hosty and his wife,
who’s been a big part of his success in trucking, he
added.
OOIDA member Jay Hosty
among 2025 Citizen Drivers
Photo courtesy of TA
TA’s Michael Stuewe, Craig Daniels, Darryl Tolle, Jay Hosty and TA’s Kathleen Roseman.
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 57
“I have to give a big kudos to my wife,” Hosty said.
“We were married in 1981, and she’s been along the
whole ride. It takes a special woman to be with someone
who has to spend a lot of nights away from home. All
the glory goes to my lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He’s
No. 1 in my life and my dispatcher.”
Craig Daniels of Columbus, Ga., and Darryl Tolle
of Cynthiana, Ky., were also selected as 2025 Citizen
Drivers.
Daniels, an Army veteran, drives a Patriot Fleet truck
for Crete Carrier and is a member of the company’s
Driver Accident Review Board. He founded a veteran
suicide awareness campaign, designing a trucker hat
to raise awareness of the project. The initiative aids
severely wounded military personnel and the families of
service members killed in action.
Tolle has driven for Ryder System Inc. for more than
three decades. He also has more than 32 years of service
with the Kentucky Army National Guard, supporting
numerous disaster relief efforts. He received the CVSA
International Driver Excellence Award in 2024 and was
named Ryder’s SCS Driver of the Year in 2023.
A plaque denoting the Citizen Driver achievement
will be displayed at a TA, TA Express or Petro Stopping
Center of the recipients’ choosing, where a dedication
ceremony will take place. Additionally, a $2,500
donation will be made to the charity of each winner’s
choice.
According to TA’s Citizen Driver website, this
program puts a spotlight on some of today’s most
extraordinary drivers and illustrates the ne examples
of professionalism embedded in the truck driving
profession.
Winners are selected by a panel of trucking
professionals.
Since the award was established in 2013, several
OOIDA members have been honored with this
distinction.
Last year’s winners were also honored at MATS.
2025 Citizen Driver judges
Dave Nemo, on-air host of the Radio Nemo Show on
Sirius XM’s Road Dog Trucking Network
Ellen Voie, former CEO of Women in Trucking
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Lindsay Lawler, Nashville recording artist and co-host
of Sirius XM’s Radio Nemo, as well as writer/vocalist
of the Citizen Driver theme song, “I Drive”
Donna Kennedy, executive director of the St.
Christopher Truckers Relief Fund
Jenny Fall, director of driver engagement for Women in
Trucking
Cynthia Atwood, vice president of the Commercial
Vehicle Training Association
Steve Newmark, president of Roush Fenway
Keselowski (RFK) Racing
Andrew Evans, vice president of marketing for the
National Association of Truck Stop Owners (Natso)
Dave Johnson, CEO of the National Institute for
Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
More information about the Citizen Driver program is
available at TA-Petro.com. LL
“I really don’t feel like I do that much,
but apparently they felt dierent.”
- Jay Hosty, 2025 TA Citizen Driver
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58 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By SJ Munoz Sta Writer
It wasn’t something OOIDA member Robert Bryant ever
thought he’d own. But after decades as a professional
truck driver, Bryant now spends his days in a customized
Peterbilt 379 show truck.
Bryant, an owner-operator from McAlpin, Fla., is the
lone driver for Robert Bryant Enterprise LLC, hauling
mostly reefer and atbed loads in the rebuilt truck he’s
named “Egotistic.”
What started as a basic build went well beyond that,
Bryant said.
“I’ve had a CDL for 27 years and been all across the
country and even the lower provinces in Canada,” he said.
“I bought the truck with the intent of just doing some
basic repair, maybe give it a fresh paint job. It’s a used
truck, a 2007 Peterbilt. The more I got into it, I found
out that someone had smoked in it, so I needed to do the
interior. I’ve always been fascinated by the trucks that
were stretched. I had this truck stretched to a 300-inch
wheelbase. And then there were just little things here and
there, like installing over 200 LED lights.”
Florida’s Finest Customs in Tampa, Fla., did the interior
work – from the oors to the dashboard and everything in
between. It also custom-built the bumper and visor as well
as anything stainless that Bryant wanted customized, even
selling him on a black-and-green theme.
“Black and green has never been my favorite color
combination,” Bryant said. “I’m more of a black-and-red
kind of guy, but this one turned out pretty well.”
Customized Trucks of Tampa handled the framework,
while Bryant’s friend Paul painted the exterior of the
truck, which took seven weeks. Other close friends and
colleagues have also had a hand in the process.
“My 14-year-old son has helped out quite a bit. He
wants to drive it,” Bryant added.
Sure, it’s a show truck, but Bryant’s intentions are to
help in giving back to others. So he won’t be taking it to
just any truck show.
What started as a ‘basic build’ went well beyond
A truck to give back
Photos courtesy of Robert Bryant
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 59
“I actually only plan on attending shows that have
some sort of benet, like the Make-A-Wish Foundation
or different things like that,” Bryant said. “The rst truck
show will be at Raney’s Chrome Shop in Ocala, Fla., for
the Road to Wishes Truck Show. The goal there is to raise
enough money to grant eight wishes for Make-A-Wish
kids. I’m new to the truck shows other than attending
them.”
There’s also a family connection to the trucking industry
that provided inspiration in building the truck.
“I’m the youngest of three children, and both of my
brothers were truckers at some point in their lives,” Bryant
said. “They are both deceased, passing away in 2013 from
a birth defect that neither of them knew they had. I also lost
my mother to cancer, and my father passed away last year.
He was a truck driver as well. I built this truck with a little
bit of everything from my family.”
Bryant added that he’s happy with the nished product
but admitted it was a painstaking effort.
“It’s taking a lot of time and been mentally stressful,” he
said. “I came into this with a plan on the basics I wanted.
Collectively, everyone provided input, and I would mix
that in. We had a few roundtable meetings before we
moved forward on certain things. I feel like it came out
pretty well. So many people have helped me with this out
of the goodness of their heart just because they wanted to
see me succeed. I’d like to thank each and every person
that had their hand in it.”
Bryant has been doing much of the maintenance –
outside of internal engine and transmission work – in his
own shop for years, and that will remain the case with this
show truck.
“Brakes, suspensions, tires and safety-related things, I do
all of that stuff here, in house,” he said.
When Bryant spoke with Land Line, there were still loose
ends to tie up.
“I’m still not completely nished with the truck; I still
have a couple of ideas to add to it as time goes by,” he said.
“I have reached the point where it’s time to go to work and
start bringing some of the income back in to put into it.
I’m looking forward to making more modications in the
future. It will denitely be a continuing work in progress.”
In helping build that income over the long haul, Bryant
credited OOIDA in numerous ways.
“OOIDA had helped me a lot over the course of my
career with compliance, authority and drug testing,” he
said.
Bryant also said he will be adding at least one more show
truck to his operation, with plans in place to start building
another one within the next year.
No word on a name for that truck just yet. LL
“I built this truck with a little bit of
everything from my family.”
– Robert Bryant, OOIDA member
2_June 25.indd 592_June 25.indd 59 5/8/25 2:26 PM5/8/25 2:26 PM
60 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
vector_master/stock.adobe.com
By Land Line sta
Whether it’s a text message saying you owe money for a
toll or an email saying your fuel card account is about to
close, there’s a good chance someone is trying to scam
you.
When it comes to toll scams, truckers – and pretty much
everyone else – are targets.
A popular text scam has been around for some time
already but has seen a noticeable uptick since the calendar
turned to 2025. During an episode of Land Line Now, host
Mark Reddig discussed the issue with spokespeople from
Departments of Transportation in numerous states across
the country. The prevailing theme: Text scams attempting
to collect tolls are happening in seemingly every state.
Susan Gergen, who works in the E-Z Pass
communication section of the Minnesota DOT, said the
scam had really picked up
in the previous few months.
She added that in 2024,
the text scams were “a
nuisance, but manageable.”
She also said, however, that
since January, they have
been “nonstop.”
“Every day on our
phone lines or email,
we’re dealing with scam
inquiries,” Gergen told Land Line Now.
She added that in Minnesota, many are becoming aware
of the scam from the amount of messaging the state DOT
has done to alert the public of the threat. Despite this,
Gergen estimated that 50% of the calls the customer
service team has elded since the start of the new year
have been scam inquiries.
While the scam – which reaches users through text
or email – is asking for collection of unpaid tolls, what
scammers actually are seeking is credit card and other
personal information they then can use to commit other
fraudulent activity.
In late April, the scam popped up in Kansas and
Oklahoma.
The Kansas Department of Transportation issued a
notice to the public on April 23 about text messages “that
falsely claim to be from KDOT and demand payment for
unpaid tolls.”
The department not only does not request or collect
payments via text message but also is not the agency in
charge of collecting tolls in the state. That responsibility
belongs to the Kansas Turnpike Authority.
“These messages are not legitimate,” the Kansas DOT
said. “Do not click any links. These are not KDOT
websites, and clicking the links may expose your personal
and nancial information to scammers.”
Oklahoma residents also were hit with a wave of
fraudulent texts seeking unpaid tolls.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said its IT security
team has been working with other tolling agencies to
identify and deactivate websites generated by scammers
to collect payment and other sensitive information.
Fuel card scam
In addition to toll scams, reports of fraudulent messages
involving fuel cards surfaced in April.
Scam emails, appearing to be from WEX or Fleet One,
are being sent to OOIDA Truckers Advantage fuel card
holders.
These scam messages prompt the recipient to copy and
paste a link before entering a login code to avoid their
account being closed.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
has received calls from members who have been
targeted by the scam. The Association conrmed this
correspondence is fraudulent and was not sent by OOIDA
or its partners.
WEX, OOIDA’s fuel card partner, said it will never send
unsolicited emails asking for an account number, card
number, PIN or other sensitive information.
Any scam emails should be deleted immediately.
“Many businesses have experienced increasingly
sophisticated and numerous phishing attacks through
emails and phone calls to obtain their online account
credentials,” WEX said in a statement. “Never click on
email links or give up your credentials over the phone to
unveried sources.” LL
Scam, scam, everywhere a scam
Fraudulent messages sent all over United States
“Every day on
our phone lines
or email, we’re
dealing with
scam inquiries.”
– Susan Gergen, Minnesota DOT
2_June 25.indd 602_June 25.indd 60 5/8/25 2:26 PM5/8/25 2:26 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 61
816-229-5791
OOIDA.com
Knowing that I have OOIDA as a resource to take care
of the business side of things makes it so much easier
for me to concentrate on the business of driving. It is
well worth every single penny.
‘‘
It’s worth the investment. The membership is awesome;
they have some truck parking at headquarters and
they have a great team. And if you need help changing
something, such as no parking for trucks at home,
OOIDA can get you those tools and resources.
THIS IS WHY WE DO
WHAT WE DO:
JOIN OOIDA
TODAY
We fight
for your
rights!
– Steven Barnes, OOIDA member
– Matthew Bradley, OOIDA board member
– Harrison Smith, OOIDA board member
‘‘
‘‘
’’
’’
’’
No one else is trying to bat back government regulation.
Period. In my opinion, it comes down to this: Do you
think we have enough regulation in our industry? If you
think we have enough regulation and you don’t want
more regulation, you need to support OOIDA.
2_June 25.indd 612_June 25.indd 61 5/8/25 2:26 PM5/8/25 2:26 PM
62 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Land Line sta
Production of three Kenworth models will end
sometime in 2026.
The company announced in March that it is sunsetting
the W900 (L and B), T800W (wide hood) and C500
models next year.
Evolving emission regulations as well as component
constraints led to this decision, the Kirkland,
Wash.-based truck
manufacturer said in a
news release.
In February, a bill
was introduced to
prohibit Washington
state’s Department of
Ecology from adopting
California’s vehicle emission rules and to instead
implement less strict federal standards.
A nal call for these specic truck orders will come
later this year, Kenworth said.
“We know these legacy Kenworth models are an
integral part of our history here at Kenworth, which
makes this decision a difcult but necessary one as we
enter the next era of trucking,” said Kevin Haygood,
Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and
marketing. “As we transition to future products, we
remain committed to honoring the spirit of these iconic
trucks by delivering innovation, efciency and the same
level of craftsmanship that our customers and drivers
have trusted for generations.”
Photos courtesy of Kenworth Truck Co.
Kenworth announces plans
to sunset three models
A final call for these
specific truck orders
will come later this
year, Kenworth said.
The C500 was rst produced in 1972, while the T800
was introduced in 1986. The W900 began production in
1963 and was a particularly popular choice for owner-
operators and eet drivers due to its versatility and
customization options, according to Kenworth.
“The W900 is truly historic in that it’s helped shape
North American trucking culture and tradition as we
know it today,” Haygood said. “Often seen at truck
shows, featured in movies and on TV and shown at other
events, it’s an iconic truck that’s cherished for its classic
styling by our customers and truck acionados.”
Kenworth is advising dealers and customers to place
nal orders as soon as possible. Local Kenworth dealers
will be able to provide the latest information regarding
the phase-out process. LL
3_June 25.indd 623_June 25.indd 62 5/8/25 2:15 PM5/8/25 2:15 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 63
By Tom Berg Contributing Editor
Kenworth’s conventional-cab trucks originated in 1939,
before I was born, and my rst introduction to a W900
happened almost four decades later, in the summer of 1978.
I was observing the hauling of railroad freight cars in
northern California. The cars were marooned at the end of a
branch line cut off by a collapsed tunnel.
The railroad had decided to abandon
the unused line, so it hired a heavy-haul
carrier to retrieve the cars and get them
back on active rails and earning revenue.
That got me into a W900A, a model
dating to 1965. It was pulling a lowboy
trailer with a boxcar aboard.
The KW was driven by a lanky guy
– Steve, I think was his name – whose
ruggedly handsome looks were good
enough for a movie screen. But he was
happy as a trucker and loved his ride.
“This is a great truck,” he said of the
W9, even while the knees of his long
legs almost butted against the dashboard
because the non-sleeper cab was both
narrow and short. There was room between
the seats for the gearshift but not a lot more, and he was
working the lever and its range- and-splitter switches
through the Fuller Roadranger’s 13 ratios. Under the hood
was a Cummins NTC-400, which was big power at that
time.
“Don’t you feel a little crowded in here?” I asked as he
kept his knees just clear of the steel dash on either side of
the steering column. “Naw, it’s ne,” he said. The smallish
cab was about par for conventional-type heavy trucks of the
day, which were designed when people were smaller. Years
later, an optional rear extension added several inches of
very useful leg and belly room to a basic cab, but in 1978,
the cramped quarters – even in a “premium” truck – were
no cause for Steve to complain.
Neither did I a year later, when I borrowed a 1979 W900
Aerodyne sleeper-cab tractor and 45-foot reefer trailer
from the Los Angeles Kenworth dealer for one of my rst
road test articles. The tractor was metallic silver with red,
orange and black stripes. It and the shiny aluminum-sided
refrigerated van sparkled in sunlight and, aided by multiple
amber and red lights, became a glowing single-vehicle
parade in the urban evening of Orange County’s “Beach”
cities – Huntington, Newport and Laguna, which I passed
through on California Route 1. Very few semis used this
stretch of road, better known as the Pacic Coast Highway.
So this was an unusual sight, even though few revelers
seemed to notice on this Saturday night.
Under this W9’s long hood was a two-stroke Detroit
8V-92, which emitted a busy howl through twin chromed
stacks. In those days, you could get a KW, Pete,
Freightliner and even a Ford or GMC with Caterpillar,
Cummins or Detroit power. And, of course, Mack had its
own line of diesels, long before proprietary engines became
the norm from truck builders, as they are now.
Photos courtesy of Kenworth Truck Co.
Reporter met his first ‘W9’ 47 years ago
Competition, driver expectations force improvement
In 2018, I attended the
unveiling of the then-new
W990, which marked the
beginning of the end for
the narrow-cab W9.
A customer’s Kenworth W900L (left) poses in 2018 with the then-new W990. The newer
model’s cab is 2.1 meters wide, about 8 inches more than the W9’s, and it has other
advancements. But styling is intentionally similar to the W9’s. The earlier 1.9-meter-
wide cab has been produced since 1982, and the long-hood L was first oered in 1990.
Kenworth said the W900 will finally go out of production sometime next year.
Continued on Page 64
Photo by Tom Berg
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64 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Continued from Page 63
Shortly afterward, in 1982, Kenworth upgraded the W900
to “B” status with a longer hood and slightly larger and
stronger cab – basically the same aluminum structure still
used today. In 1990 came the optional W900L, with 10 more
inches of hood length to accommodate larger engines and
bigger cooling systems. In the mid-‘90s, I drove a W9L with
Cat’s rst 500-horsepower 3406E. Both the engine and the
daycab tractor were brand new, and I sincerely thanked the
suburban Chicago eet’s owner for allowing me behind the
wheel.
I initially rode shotgun and watched Bob, the regular
driver, as he moved a couple of large excavators. The rst
haul was local, and I was impressed that he knew how to
start up the machine and drive it aboard the lowboy, then
ofoad it into a eld where it would dig basements for new
houses. (He explained that he used to run excavators and
other equipment for a living.) He carried skeleton keys to
this and other machines in a small cardboard box under his
seat. There was no storage niche for the box elsewhere in the
cab, but he didn’t seem to care.
The second excavator, a Deere with a blown turbocharger,
went to a repair shop farther south and east in Chicagoland.
We used village streets and state highways because the
load, with the excavator’s tracks protruding about 18 inches
over each side of the lowboy, was too wide to t through
booths on the nearby Illinois Tollway (as this was way
before “open-road tolling” with I-Passes and standard-width
lanes). I drove most of this route, and the rig was a handful.
At times, Bob instructed me to use two lanes, and motorists
courteously allowed us the extra room. Once, I “got lost”
in the 18-speed as I navigated down a hill, through a wide
intersection and back upgrade. I had to stop and restart, red
face and all.
Over the years, I was privileged to drive other W900s,
upgraded with various amenities and advanced electronics,
usually from KW factories in Chillicothe, Ohio, and Renton,
Wash. And I came to appreciate them for their imposing
presence, great ride quality and overall comfort, which
improved as driver expectations and competitive pressures
grew over the years. In 2018, I attended the unveiling of the
then-new W990, which marked the beginning of the end for
the narrow-cab W9.
In my article about the new model, with its larger and
more comfortable cab, I described it as the successor to the
venerable W900. But soon after that story appeared online, I
got a phone call from Kenworth’s anxious PR manager. He
reminded me of what was said in the presentation about the
W990 – that it was not going to replace the beloved older
truck, because Kenworth intended to keep producing the
W900 as long as customers wanted it. The Chillicothe plant
built W9s for another year, and Renton is still turning them
out. But it will stop sometime in 2026, the company nally
announced. So, if you still want the more traditional W9,
you’d better get your order in. LL
Owner-Operator
Services Inc.
OOIDA.COM/FOUNDATION
MARY JOHNSTON
Scholarship Fund
ooida
2024-2025 Winner
Mason Houghton
$2,000 WINNER
Grandson of
OOIDA life member
Ronnie Martin of Tarkio, MO
The OOIDA Scholarship Program was
established to aid the children, grandchildren
and legal dependents of OOIDA members.
Annually, OOIDA awards one $2,000 per year
and four $1,000 per year scholarships, each
renewable up to three additional years.
Applications will be accepted during the fall
semester of the individual’s senior year of high
school. For more information and official rules,
visit OOIDA.com/Scholarship-Program or
contact the OOIDA Foundation at 816-229-5791.
3_June 25.indd 643_June 25.indd 64 5/8/25 2:15 PM5/8/25 2:15 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 65
By Erin Wisdom-Watson Copy Editor
Even truck drivers who know a lot about trucking may
have a lot to learn when it comes to establishing their
own operation.
From deciding on a business entity to determining
a type of authority to dealing with permits – to name
just a few of the steps required to get started – securing
your own authority is anything but easy. This is why the
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association offers
Truck To Success, an annual three-day course for truckers
thinking about going into business for themselves.
“This is your chance to learn all that you can,” Tom
Weakley, retired director of operations for the OOIDA
Foundation, said during the 2024 Truck To Success. “You
have to think much differently as an owner-operator. It’s a
whole different world.”
That different thinking starts as early as applying for
authority, which Caleb Sears with OOIDA’s Business
Services department detailed in a Truck To Success
presentation. From basics such as applying as an interstate
carrier versus an intrastate carrier to a step-by-step look
at the authority process, Sears covered all of the topic’s
need-to-knows.
He also advised on some necessities that come into play
once active authority is achieved – such as breaking any
existing lease agreement with another carrier, enrolling
in a drug- and alcohol-testing consortium and obtaining
applicable permits.
Among those applicable permits may be an International
Registration Plan (IRP), which simplies the registration
process for commercial vehicles operating in multiple
jurisdictions, and an International Fuel Tax Agreement
(IFTA), which simplies the reporting of fuel used by
motor carriers that operate in more than one jurisdiction.
Sears went into detail about each of these – noting, for
example, what documentation is needed for an IRP
and what must be reported in an IFTA ling.
At a later point in last year’s Truck To Success,
attendee Russell Peterson – a leased-on owner-
operator based in Springeld, Mo. – said the IFTA
information
presented stood
out to him as
something
especially
important to know
as he considered
obtaining his own
authority.
“We’re all
talking about
saving that money
and putting more money in your pocket,” he
added. “And fuel being a big part of the operation
– how do I do that?”
Beyond IRP and IFTA, Sears also gave an
overview of various other permits and ongoing
requirements – such as weight-distance and freight-
specic permits, U.S. DOT biennial updates and taxes
pertinent to owner-operators, to name just a few.
Learning the ins and outs of permits could be initially
overwhelming for anyone, and some words of wisdom
from the previous presentation were worth applying here.
That presentation, given by tax expert Barry Fowler,
focused on choosing a business entity and included its
own substantial set of information to process.
But as Fowler noted, anyone who has the will and
initiative to tackle these topics is much more likely to be
successful as a business owner.
For anyone who isn’t this kind of self-starter, he
advised, “Don’t be an owner-operator. It takes drive.”
The next Truck To Success is scheduled for Oct. 21-23
in Blue Springs, Mo. Registration is open on the event’s
website for both in-person and online attendance. LL
The ABCs of establishing authority
Truck To Success details steps for starting out as an owner-operator
Truck To Success teaches attendees steps for starting out as an owner-
operator, from deciding on a type of authority to dealing with permits.
“You have to think
much dierently as
an owner-operator.
It’s a whole
dierent world.”
– Tom Weakley, retired OOIDA
Foundation director of operations
Photo by Nikohle Barnes
3_June 25.indd 653_June 25.indd 65 5/8/25 2:15 PM5/8/25 2:15 PM
66 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By SJ Munoz Sta Writer
Hopes of an imminent resurgence in the freight market are
beginning to evaporate.
Freight conditions are not expected to rebound in the
near future, according to the OOIDA Foundation’s April
market update.
A number of “worrying signs” have started to emerge,
according to data in the Total Spot Market Cycle Indicator
– a measure of the total spot rate and three-year moving
average.
“These metrics are showing unusual amounts of
contraction for this time of year,” the Foundation said.
“The only reasonable explanation for this is tariffs and –
more particularly – the uncertainty surrounding trade. We
expect this to only worsen unless more clarity emerges.”
Mack Trucks recently announced hundreds of layoffs,
citing tariffs as well as economic uncertainty.
The OOIDA Foundation’s freight market report indicated
that volume/demand are weakening, capacity is loosening
and rates as well as operating costs are falling. Overall, the
future outlook is negative, the Foundation said.
Van market
Demand was more favorable for carriers in the Northeast
and Southeast regions. The largest decrease came in the
Mountain Central region.
Spot rates mirrored demand, falling month-over-month.
Sales and inventory ratios moved in a positive direction,
but wholesale trade data has a two-month lag. Tariffs are
expected to negatively impact the current trend.
“We’ll have to see what the next couple months bring, as
a potential trade war is ongoing,” the Foundation said. “We
expect April’s data will show a stark change.”
All but one region experienced an increase in demand.
Only the Mountain Central region reported a decrease.
The primary driver for the increase was mining except
oil and gas and cement and concrete product.
Housing starts contracted after rising the previous month.
If tariffs remain in place, housing starts will continue to
contract.
The 10-year U.S. Treasury Yield remained high, as did
the median price for existing single-family homes.
Demand was down in most regions, with the largest
decline in the South Central region. Spot rates fell
signicantly month-over-month.
Volumes were considerably lower than 2019 levels, a bad
indicator for freight demand.
The market continued to be plagued with persistent
overcapacity. Tariffs could further exacerbate the issue by
raising prices for farmers, the Foundation said.
A few more months of “brisk demand” will precede a tariff
adjustment period, according to the Cass Shipment Index.
“The trade war is likely to extend the for-hire freight
recession as higher prices reduce goods affordability and
consumers’ real incomes,” Cass said.
Truck employment numbers were higher overall but
down year-over-year.
New Class 8 truck sales increased, while new orders
declined. Used sales eclipsed new sales for the 14th time
in 15 months.
“The rst quarter of 2025 has been dened by one word:
uncertainty,” said Carter Vieth, research analyst at ACT
Research. “Whether the slowdown in orders is a result
of moderating economic activity, private eets pausing
expansion or a response to trade and policy uncertainty
remains an open question.”
Diesel was down month-over-month and is one expense
that may drop while any tariffs are in place.
C.H. Robinson said there could be a downturn in imports
caused by inated inventories and decreased demand.
The full OOIDA Foundation April freight market update
is available online at OOIDA.com/Foundation. LL
Sales and inventory ratios moved in
a positive direction, but wholesale
trade data has a two-month lag.
Taris are expected to negatively
impact the current trend.
‘Worrying signs’
Freight market resurgence hindered by uncertainty
APRIL 2025
MARKET UPDATE
VAN MARKET
FLATBED MARKET
TRUCKING MARKET
REEFER MARKET
3_June 25.indd 663_June 25.indd 66 5/8/25 2:15 PM5/8/25 2:15 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 67
The Truckers Advantage fuel card
oers OOIDA members everyday
fuel discounts at over 3,000 in-
network locations with no monthly
card fees or transaction fees.
Accepted at over 13,000 fuel sites.
OOIDA GOLD PROGRAM
The OOIDA Gold Program offers OOIDA members tire discounts of
$40-$100 on average per tire for most major tire brands regardless
of the size of the fleet, as well as 24-hour roadside service. The
program features consistent nationwide pricing, flexible payment options,
no minimum purchase and both local and on-the-road service.
SCANSCAN
JOINJOIN
SAVESAVE
Truckstop offers
OOIDA members a
15% discount on
Truckstop load board
plans. The Truckstop load
board provides access to
high-quality loads from
legitimate brokers and
shippers.
phatthanit/stock.adobe.com; Vitavalka/stock.adobe.com; nexusever/stock.adobe.com; Oleksandr Moros/stock.adobe.com
3_June 25.indd 673_June 25.indd 67 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
68 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
NOT A
MEMBER
Refer to OOIDA.com or call OOIDA Membership for
requirements and conditions. 816-229-5791
Save on hotels,
restaurants,
entertainment,
home services
and more, free
through
MEMBERSMEMBERS
ONLYONLY
MORE SAVINGS
Studio Graphic/stock.adobe.com; Handes Peak/stock.adobe.com; dashadime/stock.adobe.com; Photo courtesy of Kenworth
Kenworth oers OOIDA members a $1,000
rebate on T680, T880 and W990 models with a
52-inch or larger factory-installed sleeper. Both
new stock and special-order vehicles
qualify. Orders must retail between
Jan. 31 and Dec. 31, 2025, and the
rebate form must be submitted to
OOIDA for review by Dec. 31, 2025.
4 State Trucks oers OOIDA members special
pricing on all new parts. A 12-month Road
Boss membership is now available to members
for free and includes free parcel shipping,
cash back on every purchase, 33% o all
Chrome Shop Mafia logo merchandise and more.
Todd D. Knapp, CPA, PC, oers OOIDA members
a 10% discount on professional accounting
and tax preparation services, including back
taxes and tax-debt resolution, corporate and LLC
formations, bookkeeping and more.
Visit OOIDA.com or call 816-229-5791 to join and
start getting all the benefits of membership!
Tax Help MD offers OOIDA members 25%
off tax preparation and resolution services
and $300 off tax investigation. Tax Help MD
tax attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents are
licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department
and specialize in the trucking industry.
Taxation Solutions oers OOIDA members
a $650 discount on transcript analysis for
Trucker Tax Relief and IRS representation
provided by a team of tax attorneys, enrolled
agents and CPAs.
3_June 25.indd 683_June 25.indd 68 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 69
Visit OOIDA.com/Discount-Rebates
for details on these discounts!
AERODYNAMIC
EQUIPMENT
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ELECTRONICS
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Centramatic
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Green APU
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Raney’s Truck Parts
Thermo King
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W.W. Williams
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SERVICES
Back Taxes Help
CDL Legal
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OOIDA
SAFE
DRIVING
AWARDS
Gerald S. Northam .......... 49
Alan D. Asbridge .............. 37
David W. Murphy ...............31
Credit card fraud and phishing (email attacks) were
at the top of the list for types of identity theft in 2023.
People reported losing over $10 billion to fraud, which is
an increase of over $1 billion from 2022. A professional
driver who becomes a victim can face countless hours
trying to undo the damage done to his or her credit
rating and reputation – not to mention lost productivity
as he or she tries to regain focus.
As a member of OOIDA, you can have peace of mind by
protecting your identity with one of its member benefits,
Identity Theft Resolution Services.
For $24 a year, Identity Theft Resolution Services
provides you with the ultimate in protection and prevention for nine common
identity-related issues.
Single Bureau Credit Monitoring is also available for an additional $12 a year.
Call the OOIDA Life and Health Benefits Department to enroll at
816-229-5791 or visit OOIDA.com and click on “Benefits and Services.” LL
Over 15.4 million adults were victims
of identity fraud in 2023
Cgralatis
to all r
safe drivers!
3_June 25.indd 693_June 25.indd 69 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
70 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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3_June 25.indd 703_June 25.indd 70 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 71
816-229-5791
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By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
The number of trucking jobs increased in April.
However, uncertainty regarding a trade war with China
could cause that to change in the coming months.
According to the latest numbers as of press time from
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1,000 truck
driver jobs were added to the economy in April. This was
the fourth monthly increase in the previous six months,
which was preceded by a nearly one-year downward
spiral.
The trucking industry has been purging itself of truckers
after a ood of new drivers entered the market in the wake
of the pandemic, boosting rates. Trucking jobs have been
disappearing nearly every month since peak employment
in July 2022. However, the looming threat of tariffs and
a trade war with
China have propped
up trucking in recent
months, as shippers
and receivers try to get
ahead.
Revised data showed
that fewer trucking
jobs were added than
initially reported.
The previous month’s
employment report
revealed a net gain of
6,800 truck drivers in February and March, but updated
numbers indicated an increase of only 4,000 jobs. Since
last October, employment in trucking was up by 10,000
jobs.
Most of those gains came in March, largely the result of
a trade war and global tariffs that were expected to hit on
April 9. However, President Donald Trump put a 90-day
pause on those tariffs, except for the one on China, giving
businesses more time to prepare. That pause is likely what
was behind April’s increased demand in trucking.
Although the suspension of tariffs has pushed up
demand for freight, the active trade war with China could
have immediate effects.
David Spencer, vice president of market intelligence
at Arrive Logistics, told Land Line that Chinese imports
and exports are “grinding to just a trickle,” potentially
putting downward pressure on trucking jobs in May. That
pressure may be exacerbated if the 90-day tariff pause is
allowed to expire.
“Should deals be reached with China and our other key
trading partners, we could see a resurgence in demand
that would generate a need for additional capacity and
enable employment to hold steady or even increase from
here,” Spencer said. “The uncertainty alone will likely
lead to job stability, as carriers will do everything they
can to retain quality drivers if there is even a small chance
that they will be needed in the near term. Challenges with
hiring drivers in the COVID era when they were needed
are still fresh in their minds.”
Long term, employment in trucking was down
signicantly. Trucking jobs were down by 4,000 from
April 2024. Compared to peak employment in July 2022,
there were more than 63,000 fewer truck drivers.
Accounting for all transportation-sector jobs,
employment increased by 29,000 jobs in April.
The transportation sector’s net increase also reected
reactions to pending tariffs and a trade war.
The largest increase came from the warehouse and
storage subsector (up 9,800 jobs), followed by couriers/
messengers (up 8,400) and air transport (up 2,900). Water
transport was the only subsector to experience a job loss
(minus 300). Employment in rail transportation was
virtually unchanged.
Month to month, wages were up in April. Average
weekly earnings of all employees in the transportation
and warehousing sector saw a nearly $12 increase to
$1,214.79. Compared to April 2024, hourly earnings
increased to $31.39 from $30.48. Accounting only for
production and nonsupervisory employees, average
weekly earnings increased sharply by more than $20 to
$1,156.93. Year to year, hourly earnings rose by $1.05 to
$230.05.
Across all industries, the nation gained 177,000 jobs,
blowing past projections of an increase of only 135,000
jobs, according to nancial data company FactSet.
Mohamed El-Erian, president of Queens’ College of
Cambridge and chief economic adviser at European
nancial services company Allianz, suggested April’s
employment showed U.S. economic resiliency. LL
Trucking jobs increase in April, but uncertainty looms
Although the
suspension of taris
has pushed up
demand for freight,
the active trade war
with China could have
immediate eects.
Yoona/stock.adobe.com
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72 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
BusinessBriefs
Mack Trucks announces
layos
Mack Trucks announced a plan
in April to lay off hundreds of
employees at one of its operating
centers. The company said that
economic uncertainty surrounding
tariffs was to blame.
On April 18, the Greensboro,
N.C.-based truck manufacturer
announced it would be laying off
between 250 and 350 workers
over the next 90 days at its Lehigh
Valley Operations Center in Lower
Macungie Township, Pa. The
company said the plant would
remain open despite the cuts to its
workforce.
The round of layoffs is part of
a larger move to downsize by
parent company Volvo Group
North America. The group said it
plans to cut as many as 800 jobs at
three facilities – the Mack site in
Pennsylvania as well as at Volvo
Group facilities in Dublin, Va., and
Hagerstown, Md. – over the next
three months.
Kimberly Pupillo, a spokesperson
for Volvo Group North America,
said the move was necessary in
order to “align production with
reduced demand for our vehicles.”
“Heavy-duty truck orders
continue to be negatively affected
by market uncertainty about
freight rates and demand, possible
regulatory changes and the impact
of tariffs,” Pupillo said.
Democratic state Rep.
Josh Siegel, who represents
Pennsylvania’s 22nd District
covering Lehigh County, said the
layoffs will be a “devastating blow
to Lehigh Valley workers” and
a “clear signal of the dangerous
economic instability” resulting
from the Trump administration’s
tariffs.
“Once again, American workers
are being sacriced at the altar
of political theater. The tariffs –
erratic, broad and poorly targeted
– are crushing core U.S. industries
like trucking and manufacturing.
Supply chains are snarled, costs
are soaring and condence among
employers is collapsing,” Siegel
said in a statement. “Communities
like the Lehigh Valley, built on
generations of hard work and
industrial pride, are now being
asked to carry the burden of this
administration’s incompetence.
These are good-paying union jobs
that our community cannot afford
to lose.”
North American trucking
freight holds steady in
February
With tariffs yet to be put in place,
North American trucking freight
increased in February, largely
the result of a surge in a certain
commodity out of Mexico that had
been propping up cross-border
freight for a year.
According to numbers from the
Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
truck freight valued at nearly
$87 billion was hauled across the
borders in February. That was a
4% increase compared to February
2024 but a 1% drop from the
previous month. Trucking freight
tends to go down month-to-month
in February.
With a two-month reporting
delay, the most recent cross-border
freight numbers available at press
time did not reect President
Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
Trump initially issued tariffs on
goods from Canada and Mexico on
Feb. 1. However, he then delayed
the new tax on North American
goods for 30 days, limiting any
effects on cross-border freight in
February.
February’s year-to-year increase
expanded on an upward trajectory
that began in November 2020.
Only four decreases had occurred
between then and September 2024,
three of which happened within
the seven-month period between
December 2023 and June 2024.
Cross-border freight hauled by
trucks across the U.S. northern
border dipped by 1% compared
to February 2024. At the southern
border, trucking freight jumped by
7%.
Tariffs may have played a limited
role in the discrepancy.
All but one of Canada’s top 10
truck commodities experienced
year-to-year declines. Pearls/
stones/metals/imitation jewelry, the
third-most-valuable commodity,
skyrocketed by more than 230%.
It was the ninth-most-valuable
commodity last October before
a 65% increase in November, a
146% increase in December and a
142% increase in January shot the
freshidea/stock.adobe.com
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 73
commodity up the ladder.
At the Mexican border, the top
two commodities saw year-to-year
growth: computer-related parts (39%
increase) and electrical machinery
(3% increase). Computer-related
trucking freight out of Mexico had
been rallying for just over a year,
with double-digit increases in 12 of
the previous 14 months.
Volvo Trucks recalling
more than 5,000 VNs
Volvo Trucks North America is
recalling thousands of newer VN
trucks after discovering an issue
with the hazard lights switch.
According to the National
Highway Trafc Safety
Administration, Volvo Trucks is
recalling more than 5,000 model
year 2023-26 VN trucks. On
affected trucks, the backlight of the
hazard switch may not work. This is
a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 101, “Controls and
Displays.”
Although a minor defect, NHTSA
said that it could be difcult to
locate the hazard switch when
needed if it is not illuminated.
Consequently, the issue increases
the risk of a crash or injury.
A recall report shows that the
cause of the problem is a transient
voltage spike that intermittently trips
overcurrent protection in the hazard
switch lighting circuit. Although
more than 5,000 VN trucks are
being recalled, Volvo Trucks
estimates that only 2% of the recall
population has the hazard switch
backlight defect.
Volvo Trucks dealers will update
the vehicle master control unit
software for free. Updated software
will ensure that the backlighting of
the hazard switch stays operational.
Notication letters were scheduled
to be sent to owners of affected
trucks on June 1.
Owners of affected trucks
that have already xed the issue
are covered by Volvo Trucks’
Manufacturer’s Reimbursement
Plan. That allows owners to receive
reimbursement for the cost of
obtaining a pre-notication remedy
of a problem associated with a
recall.
Questions about this recall can be
directed to Volvo Trucks’ customer
service at 800-528-6586 with recall
number RVXX2503. NHTSA’s
number for this recall is 25V-214.
AEB software defect
prompts Daimler Truck
recall
Daimler Truck North America is
recalling certain new Freightliner
and Western Star trucks of various
models after discovering an issue
with automatic emergency braking
software that may prevent the brake
lights from working.
According to National Highway
Trafc Safety Administration
recall documents, Daimler Truck is
recalling nearly 2,000 model year
2025-26 Freightliner and Western
Star trucks. An issue with the
software in the advanced signal and
actuator module for the automatic
emergency braking system may
cause the brake lights to fail to
illuminate.
A safety recall report shows that
Daimler trucks with automatic
emergency braking systems and
without towing provisions are
affected by the recall. Specically,
a defect in the AEB software can
apply the brakes during a “vehicle-
induced hard-braking event” without
the brake lamps illuminating.
Daimler Truck models affected by
the recall include 2026 Freightliner
108SD, 2026 Freightliner 114SD,
2025-26 Freightliner Business Class
M2, 2026 Freightliner Cascadia,
2025-26 Western Star 47X and
2025-26 Western Star 49X.
The defect was discovered in
late February during a series of
unrelated validation tests. Engineers
discovered that the issue was not
found in trucks with a towing
package, as those trucks have a
pneumatic path to illuminate brake
lamps during an AEB event.
Authorized dealers will update
the brake light software for free.
Notication letters to owners
of affected Daimler trucks were
scheduled to be sent out on May 24.
For questions about this recall,
contact Daimler Truck’s customer
service at 800-547-0712 with recall
number F1018. NHTSA’s number
for this recall is 25V-187. LL
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74 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Bryan “Boss Man” Martin and his family own and
operate 4 State Trucks in Joplin, Mo. They have been
entrenched in trucking for three generations and have
but one focus: To serve America’s truckers and assist
in keeping them “looking good and rolling proud” as
they travel the highways.
Have you ever been worried about
being in the right place at exactly the
right time? Well, meet the folks who got
caught on the lot at Chrome Shop Mafia
HQ in Joplin, Mo.
Yeah, yeah, maybe the dispatcher said
“keep on rollin’ – that load has gotta be
there yesterday,” but some urges simply
can’t be resisted.
When the chrome fever gets ahold
of you, the turn signal comes on right
about mile marker 4 on I-44 and the
steering wheel kinda pulls you in the
direction of the Chrome Shop at 4 State
Trucks. Congrats to those photographed
– you officially have been busted! LL
CAUGHT
ON THE LOT
Look out! The Hulk is in the house.
A well-done Green Machine, lookin’ strong.
3_June 25.indd 743_June 25.indd 74 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 75
Photos courtesy of 4 State Trucks
Red tanker-yankers frequent our place. Lol. And in this corner, weighing in at 94,000 pounds . . .
It’s nice to have the Ranch Hand visit us on a regular basis. Wheelin,’ dealin’ and cow mobilin.’
Love me a cool ol’ long-hood A model. Rare to see these days. Sometimes, black and blue ain’t a bad thing.
Smooth-looking T600 is taking it to the streets. Love the tricky stripes on this hot rod W9.
3_June 25.indd 753_June 25.indd 75 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
76 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Truckers face many challenges,
including taxes and deadlines.
As an owner-operator, you
face the deadlines of taxes just
like every other business owner.
Below, we outline the primary
deadlines and tax lings that
need to be on your radar. We
recommend that you put these
deadlines on your calendar in
your phone to prevent forgetting
them and incurring penalties and
interest.
Estimated tax payments
These have four scheduled due
dates. The rst was on April 15.
The others are set for June 16,
Sept. 15 and Jan. 15, 2026.
What happens if you do not
make the required estimated tax
payments? If you do not, the
Internal Revenue Service will add
a failure-to-le penalty, which
is 5% of any unpaid taxes, up to
25% of the total tax bill.
Form 1040
For 2024 tax lings, the deadline
was this past April 15. If you led
an extension, you have until Oct.
15 to le.
For 2025 tax lings, the deadline
is April 15, 2026.
Form 1065
partnership return
Partnerships must le a Form
1065 partnership tax return by
the 15th day of the third month
following the date their tax year
ends. Most partnerships practice
calendar-year-end reporting and
le by March 15. To obtain an
extension, le IRS Form 7004,
which if led timely will give you
until Sept. 15.
Form 1120
S corporation return
S corporations must le their
income tax by submitting Form
1120S. They must do this by
the 15th day of the third month
after the tax year ends. This,
again, is usually March 15. An
S corporation can obtain an
extension by ling IRS Form
7004. An extension, if led timely,
will allow until Sept. 15.
Form 2290
Heavy Highway Vehicle Use
For all owner-operators, the
deadline to le and pay the Heavy
Highway Vehicle Use Tax is Aug.
31. Since that falls on a Sunday
this year, the form must be led by
the next business day, Sept. 1.
The Heavy Highway Vehicle
Use Tax is a federal excise tax.
These taxes are used to pay for
highway projects and other mass
transit projects. This is an annual
tax on heavy highway vehicles
that are operating on public
highways with a taxable gross
weight of 55,000 pounds or more.
International Fuel Tax
Agreement
Qualifying commercial motor
By Barry G. Fowler Enrolled Agent
Trucking&Taxes
Tax deadlines to put on your calendar
Arkadiusz Fajer/stock.adobe.com
3_June 25.indd 763_June 25.indd 76 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 77
We recommend that you put these deadlines on your
calendar in your phone to prevent forgetting them
and incurring penalties and interest.
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vehicles traveling in more than
one U.S. state or Canadian
province are required to le a
consolidated report of motor
fuel taxes (e.g., gasoline,
diesel fuel, liqueed gas,
compressed natural gas and
liqueed natural gas taxes)
under the International Fuel Tax
Agreement.
IFTA returns are due quarterly,
on the last day of the month
following the end of the calendar
quarter. If the due date is a
weekend or a legal holiday, the
next business day is considered
the due date.
A penalty of $50 or 10% of
delinquent taxes, whichever is
greater, is imposed for failure
to le a report, for ling a late
report or for underpayment.
1099-NEC
If you are paying independent
contractors $600 or more during
the tax year, you must le a
1099-NEC to report payments
for services performed for your
business. The deadline to le the
1099-NEC is Jan. 31. That Jan.
31 deadline also applies to Form
1099-MISC, Miscellaneous
Income. Of course, there are
penalties if you fail to le these
by the deadline, ranging from
$60 to $660 per form.
You may qualify for relief from the penalties if, as the IRS says, you
tried to comply with tax laws but were unable due to circumstances
beyond your control.
“If you received a notice or letter, verify that the information is
correct,” the IRS states on its website. “If the information is not, then
follow the instructions in your letter. If you can resolve the issue, a
penalty may not apply.”
For penalty relief, you can follow the instructions in the IRS letter you
received. If you are lucky, the IRS might just give penalty relief over the
phone. The agency recommends calling the toll-free number at the top
right corner of your letter.
But you may be better off hiring an expert to help you, especially
when penalties or taxes are just too high to deal with yourself. Also,
some penalties will require you to le Form 843 to request penalty
abatement, and that could take up to a year or more.
At TruckerTaxTools.com, we guide you to never miss a deadline. Our
bookkeeping services for owner-operator truckers start at $25 a week.
We also offer discounts to OOIDA members, which makes our services
even more affordable and still tax deductible. LL
What if you miss a deadline?
3_June 25.indd 773_June 25.indd 77 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
78 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
RoadLaw
By Je McConnell & James Mennella
Attorneys at Law
Worth your time
We get lots of calls from drivers with trafc tickets, and
we ask them to provide important information that may
help in their case. Yes, we know that providing us with
the information that we want takes a lot of your time, and
we appreciate you helping us help you.
We usually ask for information like a copy of your
current three-year driver record, a copy of your certicate
of liability insurance, a written statement as to what
happened in your case and, sometimes, even a copy of a
shop-repair or part-purchase receipt.
Again, we know that it takes a lot of time to gather
and submit the details we ask for, but it’s very important
that we have this information so we can share it with
the prosecutor or judge when we appear in court. Here’s
a recent question from a driver who called Road Law
about a trafc ticket, followed by our answer. As always,
we hope this is helpful to you.
Q I got a speeding ticket in the state of Iowa
for “speeding 1-10,” and I don’t want it on my
driver record. What can I do?
A Unfortunately, for Class A drivers, the courts have
gotten a lot tougher to deal with regarding all CDL
trafc tickets. Most prosecutors will tell Road Law that
they’d like to help a Class A driver with a trafc ticket
but that the “anti-masking” law prevents them from
offering any recommendation that would help them.
Of course, that statement is complete nonsense, as there
is no law that prevents any prosecutor from amending a
Class A driver ticket if there’s a factual basis to do so. So,
in a “speeding 1-10” trafc ticket case, we ask the driver
the following questions:
1.Have you had a good driver record for the past three
years and, if so, can you provide us with a copy
of your three-year driver record? We ask this question
because, if you do have a good driver record, we want
a copy of it so we can provide proof to the court that
you’re not a habitual offender of violating trafc laws
and that you’re a good candidate for the court to help.
2.
Can you provide us with a written statement as to
what happened in your case? We ask for a written
statement of facts so that we have your words explaining
what happened and what you’d be able to testify to at
trial. Of course, providing Road Law with your side of
the story, in writing, may help us prevent your matter
from actually going to trial.
3.
If you believe that the vehicle you were driving at
the time you got your speeding ticket may have
had a mechanical defect with the speedometer – i.e.
your vehicle’s speedometer reported a slower speed
than your vehicle was actually traveling at the time – we
ask for a receipt for a shop repair (recalibration of your
speedometer) or part purchase (new speedo sensor or
new speedometer) so we can give your information to
the prosecutor/court, providing a factual basis to amend
your speeding ticket to a non-moving, zero-point driver
offense of “defective equipment.”
4.
In any cases where there was an alleged accident,
we ask for a copy of your certicate of liability
insurance that was in effect for the vehicle you were
operating at the time you received your ticket. We ask
for the certicate and any contact information for your
liability insurance adjuster/employer so that we can
verify the adjuster/employer has settled the other driver’s
property damages. In all trafc ticket cases where there
was also an accident, providing proof that the other
driver(s) have been paid for their property damages may
be the most important information we can provide to the
prosecutor/court. Usually, if the prosecutor/court knows
that your liability insurance company/employer has
settled all property damages for the other driver(s), the
prosecutor/court is much more willing to help you with a
trafc ticket.
Yes, we know that providing Road Law with all the
information listed above takes a lot of time, but it’s
usually worth the time in the end. LL
RFBSIP/stock.adobe.com
We invite you to send any questions or comments regarding transportation law to: Road Law, 3441 W. Memorial Road, Suite 4, Oklahoma City,
OK 73134; to contact us through our website at www.RoadLaw.net; or to call us at 405-242-2030. We look forward to hearing from you.
3_June 25.indd 783_June 25.indd 78 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 79
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
Many Americans say they would be
willing to become a truck driver if
the profession paid more.
That was the key takeaway from a
recent survey conducted by truck parts
supplier FinditParts, which asked U.S.
adults about being a truck driver. Some
answers were surprising, while others
aligned with issues that have been
plaguing the trucking industry.
Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising
result was that half of Americans
surveyed would not mind being a truck
driver. Nearly half (45%) said they
have considered becoming a truck
driver, while about the same number of
respondents indicated they would quit
their current job if truckers were paid
better.
What’s the dollar amount that would
bring more people into the industry?
Nearly a third of those surveyed said an
annual income of $100,000 or more would be enough for
them to become a truck driver. A six-gure income is rare
for company drivers, but it is feasible for owner-operators.
But pay isn’t the only
thing keeping people
from becoming a truck
driver; the lifestyle is also
preventing them from
entering the industry.
More than half of survey
respondents said time
away from home is the
biggest downside to trucking. About a quarter expressed
safety and health concerns.
However, low pay appears to be the controlling factor
when determining whether people make the move to be a
truck driver.
Nearly a third of respondents said the most important
factors are pay and earning potential. Fewer than one in
ve indicated that schedule exibility is the biggest hurdle
to cross.
The idea of being a truck driver appears to be universal
across all age groups. Half of Gen Z, Millennial and
Gen X respondents have thought about being a trucker.
Only Boomers were less open to the idea, with only 30%
indicating they have considered a career in trucking.
However, the younger the person, the less likely they
are to see trucking as a viable career choice. More than
80% of Boomers and nearly 90% of Gen X view the job
of a truck driver as a viable option. But less than 75% of
Millennials and only 70% of Gen Z see it that way.
FinditParts’ survey highlights some of the biggest issues
trucking companies face when trying to recruit or retain
truck drivers.
Study after study has shown there is no driver shortage.
However, there is a driver turnover issue that many
believe can be solved by better pay.
Michael Belzer, an economics professor at Wayne State
University, has published numerous studies looking into
the link between truck driver pay and safety and retention.
His research has found correlations between higher pay
and safer, less overworked drivers.
“There isn’t any such thing as a driver shortage. There is
a recruitment and retention problem,” Belzer said. “That’s
because at the margin, people decide, ‘Is it worth it to get
the CDL to work that hard if I’m not making any money?’
A very rational decision on the part of the drivers is to
quit, do something else. So, we lose all those people. This
thing has been upside down for decades, and it’s time
to turn this truck right-side up, with the dirty side down
where it belongs.” LL
Money: It’s what prospective
truck drivers want
Nearly half of those
surveyed would
become a trucker if
the price were right.
Keitma/stock.adobe.com
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80 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Tyson Fisher Associate Editor
A
nuclear verdict against Wabash has been reduced
drastically. However, the trailer manufacturer’s ght
is not over in this controversial case.
On March 20, Judge Christopher McGraugh of the
St. Louis, Mo., state circuit court amended punitive
damages of $450 million to be paid by Wabash to $108
million. McGraugh denied the trailer manufacturer’s bid
for a new trial.
“Weighing the evidence against these factors, the
court nds the verdict for punitive damages was
grossly excessive and does not comport with Wabash’s
constitutional rights, because the amount
awarded exceeds the fair and reasonable
compensation for the plaintiff’s
damages, the aggravating or mitigating
circumstances and the degree of malice of
Wabash’s conduct,” McGraugh stated in
the order.
In September 2024, a jury found
Wabash liable for a fatal crash involving
a passenger vehicle that collided with a
stopped tractor-trailer.
Plaintiffs representing the two men
killed in the crash convinced the jury that
the rear underride guard was defective
and unreasonably dangerous despite
meeting all federal regulatory standards.
During the trial, the plaintiffs’ attorneys
were allowed to submit documents
detailing lobbying efforts dealing with
trailer regulations dating back to the
1960s. Wabash was not founded until
1985.
Neither passenger vehicle occupant
was wearing a seat belt, and the driver
had a blood alcohol content just above
the legal limit. However, the judge did not allow the jury
to consider that evidence.
Shortly after the circuit court denied Wabash’s motion
for a new trial, the company led an appeal. In a press
release, the manufacturer said it believes “both that the
damages remain abnormally high and the verdict is not
supported by the facts or the law.”
“Wabash stands rmly behind the quality and safety
of all its products, and this ruling will not prevent the
company from continuing to provide its customers with
products that contribute to safer roads,” Wabash said in a
statement.
Seat belt and intoxication evidence
Wabash had moved for a new trial, arguing the court
erroneously excluded intoxication and seat belt evidence.
The manufacturer claimed that if that evidence were
available, it could have shown that the plaintiffs could
not prove the passenger vehicle occupants would have
survived the crash if not for a faulty rear underride
guard.
Regarding intoxication, the plaintiffs picked apart
the report showing a blood alcohol content of 0.081.
They argued that the medical examiner’s report did not
include:
l Sampling error rate, leaving the possibility of a
BAC below the legal limit of 0.08
l Exact time of crash
l Timing of sample collection
Not as nuclear?
Wabash appeals case with massive nuclear verdict
that was reduced but is still nine figures
Photo courtesy of Simon Law Firm P.C.
3_June 25.indd 803_June 25.indd 80 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 81
l Identification of body part from which sample
was taken
l Allowance for post-mortem fermentation of
blood sugars
Plaintiffs also pointed out that only one blood sample
was taken and that this occurred well after the crash.
Additionally, Wabash could not show when the driver
consumed alcohol and could not explain how blood
alcohol content 17 hours after death is conclusive
evidence of intoxication at the time of the crash.
The court agreed with all points.
“Given the complexity of the science and the highly
prejudicial nature of evidence of intoxication in the
absence of any other substantive indication of alcohol
consumption to the point of intoxication, the probative
value is outweighed,” McGraugh said in the order. “The
BAC alone was not relevant or material to the facts of
this case. Instead,
it was only offered
to attempt to
confuse, mislead,
iname and/
or bias the jury
against the estate
and plaintiffs
and would
have severely
prejudiced
plaintiffs.”
Wabash also
argued that
admitting evidence
regarding seat belt
use was necessary to counter attacks on a 1998 federal
regulation to which the trailer had to adhere, as well as to
show that injuries would have been less severe had seat
belts been used. McGraugh ruled the manufacturer failed
to show any error or prejudice in the exclusion of seat
belt evidence.
Lobbying eorts
In addition to wanting a new trial in order to include
certain evidence, Wabash also wanted a second bite
at the apple to exclude evidence it felt was prejudiced
against it.
Most notable were documents highlighting Wabash’s
lobbying efforts dealing with rear underride regulations.
Plaintiffs argued that information allowed the jury to
understand:
l Why it was unreasonably dangerous for Wabash
to only comply with the minimum regulatory
standards with its rear underride guard
l How underride injuries on the highway are
foreseeable
l That Wabash had a high degree of probability to
know its actions would result in injury
McGraugh was unpersuaded by Wabash’s claim that
its past lobbying efforts were irrelevant in the case.
Furthermore, the judge dismissed the manufacturer’s
argument that evidence of 2016 rear underride guard
federal standards was prejudicial. The trailer in the crash
was model year 2005.
Need for tort reform
The nearly $500 million in damages sent shockwaves
through the trucking industry, which has been grappling
with head-scratching and eye-popping nuclear verdicts.
A week before
the Wabash
verdict, the Texas
Supreme Court
agreed to hear
a $100 million
case involving a
Werner Enterprises
driver who did
nothing wrong.
A day after the
verdict, Daimler Truck North America got slammed with
a $160 million verdict in Alabama after a jury found that
a Western Star truck’s roof was unreasonably dangerous
despite adhering to all federal regulations, similar to
Wabash’s case.
Also as in Wabash’s case, seat belt use often is not
allowed to be submitted as evidence. According to
insurance law rm Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, data
from 2022 shows only 15 states explicitly allow evidence
of seat belt use to determine damages. Conversely, half
of states explicitly prohibit evidence of seat belt use. LL
Neither passenger
vehicle occupant was
wearing a seat belt, and
the driver had a blood
alcohol content just
above the legal limit.
However, the judge did
not allow the jury to
consider that evidence.
MQ-Illustrations/stock.adobe.com
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82 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Ryan Witkowski Sta Writer
Whether in rail or trucking, cargo theft is a rapidly
growing problem. The problem is so large, in fact,
that a House transportation leader said it had reached
“epidemic proportions.”
With the federal government taking a keen interest
in cargo theft, industry stakeholders are calling upon
lawmakers to increase prosecution for cargo thieves and
create uniform standards for reporting the crime.
On April 29, industry stakeholders were given an
opportunity to discuss what measures the federal
government should be taking to curb the rising rates
of cargo theft during a House Railroads, Pipelines and
Hazardous Materials Subcommittee roundtable.
In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chair Daniel
Webster, R-Fla., said the issue of cargo theft in the U.S. is
reaching “epidemic” levels.
“What is clear is the federal government needs to be a
better partner,” Webster said. “That’s what we want to do.
That’s why we’re having this meeting. We want to be a
better partner, not only with (industry stakeholders) but
with states and supply chains to develop a more effective
response to what’s happening.”
When it comes to why theft incidents have surged in
recent years, the participants on the panel all pointed to
organized crime groups employing strategic theft tactics
as a key component to the inux in cargo theft.
“These retail crime and cargo theft incidents are often
the product of sophisticated organized crime rings that
require a coordinated response from lawmakers, police,
prosecutors and the business community,” said Rodney
Davis, head of government affairs with the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce.
That sentiment was echoed by Scott Cornell of
Transportation Travelers Inland Marine Crime, who
also is a theft specialist for Traveler’s Insurance. Cornell
said that as the presence of organized theft groups has
‘Epidemic
proportions’
Cargo theft issue can’t be tackled alone,
stakeholders say
Emanuel/stock.adobe.com
3_June 25.indd 823_June 25.indd 82 5/8/25 2:16 PM5/8/25 2:16 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 83
continued to climb, so too has the occurrence of strategic
theft like double brokering and other fraud schemes.
According to data from New Jersey-based logistics
security rm CargoNet, there has been a 1,475% rise
in strategic cargo theft since 2022 – to the point it now
accounts for roughly 33% of all reported cargo theft
incidents.
That trend has also been noted by London-based global
logistics insurer TT Club, which recently said the United
States is facing a “unique and concerning pattern” of cargo
theft compared to other regions.
Cornell also noted a shift in where cargo theft is
occurring, saying crews are
shifting into “non-traditional
cargo theft areas” that may have
fewer safeguards in place.
Another factor impacting the
response to cargo theft, according
to Cornell, is the lack of uniform
reporting.
“One of the biggest gaps
that the industry deals with
currently is there is no uniform
reporting of cargo theft across the
United States,” Cornell told the
subcommittee. “In other words, a
police ofcer in California may report it under a cargo theft
state statute or they can report it as an auto theft … so these
cargo theft statistics get diluted into many other categories
of crime.”
Cornell said that each state – and even each police ofcer
– reports cargo theft differently. Because of this, the full
scope of the issue isn’t entirely clear, with Cornell claiming
the reported numbers are likely 1/10 to 1/15 of the actual
amount of cargo theft in the U.S. as a result of the lack of
reporting standards.
Adding to the issues surrounding cargo theft, according
to those on the panel, is a lack of prosecution for cargo
thieves. Ian Jeffries, President of the Association of
American Railroads, said the absence of effective
prosecution has created an environment for crime to thrive.
“Law enforcement often makes the arrests, but nothing
becomes of them,” Jeffries said. “We had one railroad arrest
the same person four times in one day with no prosecution.
We had another railroad involved in arresting an individual
17 times – the same person – with no prosecution.
Prosecution is key in deterring this problem from growing
larger.”
Davis said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is willing to
work with the subcommittee to identify “weak prosecutors”
that allow criminals to “slip through the cracks.”
“The way I see it is they’re all victims,” said Bob
Costello, chief economist with the American Trucking
Associations. “They’re either victims of crime and cargo
theft or they are spending so much money to try not to be a
victim that they’re also a victim.”
Costello pointed to issues with the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration’s registration system – which he said
too often allows bad actors to enter into the supply chain.
“They’re tricking eets, shippers, brokers, and we’re
delivering – inadvertently – the freight right to the
criminals,” Costello said.
Anne Reinke, president and CEO of the Intermodal
Association of North America, said an update to the
registration system could go a
long way in deterring – or even
stopping – bad actors.
“There are illegitimate
companies that can escape
detection because the FMCSA
registration system has been
so antiquated,” Reinke said.
“I do know they’re trying to
update it, and it’s been a long
journey for them in terms of
the technology that they can
use. However, if they actually
just verify who they’re doing
business with so that companies that register don’t already
have 199 motor carrier numbers – which has happened –
that would be enormously helpful.”
The members of the panel all expressed support for the
recently introduced Combating Organized Retail Crime
Act, urging the subcommittee to advance the bill.
Introduced in early April, the bipartisan and bicameral
legislation seeks to:
l Strengthen legal tools for law enforcement by
allowing criminal forfeitures for interstate shipment,
transportation of stolen goods or sale of stolen goods
convictions
l Expand money laundering statutes
l Enable prosecution of organized retail and supply
chain groups using interstate or foreign commerce to
facilitate crimes
l Mandate the creation of the Organized Retail and
Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within
Homeland Security Investigations and the Department
of Homeland Security
As of press time, the House version of the bill had 56
co-sponsors. Twenty lawmakers had signed on to the Senate
version. LL
“There are illegitimate
companies that can escape
detection because the FMCSA
registration system has been
so antiquated.”
– Anne Reinke, Intermodal Association of
North America president
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84 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Land Line staff
OOIDA
on the Road
Without members, there would be no reason for the
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
From the organization’s start in 1973, when oil
embargoes crippled trucking, its mission has been about
improving the livelihoods of America’s truck drivers.
That was true when the Association was working out of
a travel trailer chained to a light pole in the early 1970s,
and it remains true today at OOIDA’s modern ofce
building, located in Grain Valley, Mo.
Whether it’s advocating for more truck parking or
ghting against the latest “bad idea” cooked up by
someone who has never set foot in a tractor-trailer,
OOIDA was created with its members in mind.
Today, that membership number is approximately
150,000. Each member helps shed light on what truckers
are facing. Where are the most difcult places to nd
truck parking? Which shippers and receivers are telling
truck drivers they can’t use their restroom? Why is the
latest “safety gadget” a recipe for disaster?
It’s members like you who dene OOIDA’s priorities,
and this is why it is so important that we hear from you.
Here are a few of the members who recently stopped
by OOIDA’s tour truck, the Spirit of the American
Trucker.
OOIDA only as strong as its members
Photos courtesy of Marty Ellis
, a member from Kingston Springs,
Tenn., is a singer-songwriter who wrote “America
Moves by Truck” for the World’s Largest Convoy
for Special Olympics. He is pictured with his wife,
Kandace, and OOIDA’s Marty Ellis.
, a
member from Manchester,
Iowa, has been trucking since
1981. He caught the bug for
trucks at age 10, when his dad
let him take a “test drive.” He
now drives a 2009 Cascadia.
, a life member
from Johnson City, Tenn., is
an Army veteran who now
hauls freight in a Kenworth
W990. He said he appreciates
OOIDA’s insurance offerings.
, a life member
from Altoona, Pa., has been
in trucking for 36 years.
He started working in a
warehouse and then lled
in as a trucker. Evidently it
stuck. He also is an Army
veteran and now hauls train
equipment.
, a life member
from Delaware, Ohio, has
been a trucker for more
than 40 years. His dad also
was a trucker. He said that
he appreciates everything
OOIDA does for the nation’s
truck drivers. LL
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 85
Garden City, Kan. For more info, visit
TheTruckShowList.com or the show’s Facebook page.
Hudsonville. For more info, visit
WestMichiganTruckShow.com.
Macungie Memorial Park in Macungie, Pa. For more
info, visit AntiqueTruckClub.org.
Ashland County Fairgrounds in Ashland. For more
info, visit ohvintrkreu.com.
New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. For more info,
visit GearJammerMagazine.com.
Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head,
Maine. For more info, visit OwlsHead.org.
Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pa. For more info, visit
CarlisleEvents.com.
St. Ignace, Mich. For more info, visit StIgnace.com/
EventsCalendar.
4 State Trucks in Joplin, Mo. For more info, visit the
Guilty By Association Facebook page.
Mount Airy, N.C. For more info, visit
MayberryTruckShow.com. LL
OOIDA.COM
FOR MORE!
OWNER-OPERATOR
SERVICES INC.
LANDLINE
On the Road?
So Are We.
Meet the Spirit of the American Trucker!
Marty Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker tour truck are making stops
across the country – and we’re bringing OOIDA to you!
Join or renew your
membership for just
$35 when you visit the
truck – that’s $10 o.
on your terms, at
truck stops across
the country.
Marty has the answers
you need on the latest
issues facing truckers.
Check the full tour
truck schedule at
OOIDA.com or follow
us on social media.
Thanks to Western Star Trucks for its
generous provision of the 2022 57X as
the Spirit of the American Trucker
tour truck. Western Star’s
support of OOIDA, its
mission and its
members is greatly
appreciated.
H
4_June 25.indd 854_June 25.indd 85 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
86 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
By Mark Schremmer Senior Editor
A
pair of bills introduced in Congress would have tax
ramications for truckers.
One bill would repeal the federal excise tax on heavy
trucks and trailers, and another would offer temporary tax
credits to truck drivers.
Modern, Clean and Safe Trucks Act
In late March, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., introduced
HR2424. The bipartisan effort would remove the 12%
federal excise tax on heavy trucks. Proponents of the
bill, which has been issued several times in recent
congressional sessions, have said the tax could add
$15,000 to $30,000 to the cost of a new heavy-duty truck.
“For over a century, the federal excise tax on heavy-duty
trucks has gone from a temporary wartime measure to
fund World War I to an outdated tax that punishes truck
buyers,” LaMalfa said in a news release. “This is the
highest percentage-based tax Congress imposes on any
product, yet it fails to be a reliable source of funding for
the Highway Trust Fund. This tax forces buyers to stick
with older, less efcient models and makes it harder for
truckers to modernize their rigs, holding back the trucking
industry from updating. Let’s repeal this outdated tax and
support the men and women who keep America moving.”
Reps. Chris Pappas, D-N.H.; Darin LaHood, R-Ill.;
Salud Carbajal, D-Calif.; and Max Miller, R-Ohio, signed
on as original co-sponsors.
As it did with previous versions of the bill, the Owner-
Operator Independent Drivers Association voiced concern
about this version not including an offset.
Without that information, OOIDA said, it’s unclear how
the bill would affect its members.
“While we would support any proposal that might
provide nancial relief to our members, it’s unlikely
that a (federal excise tax) repeal would benet small-
business truckers,” said Bryce Mongeon, OOIDA’s
director of legislative affairs. “We know our members
typically purchase used trucks and hold on to them for a
long time. A (federal excise tax) suspension would also
create a signicant shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund,
and without a proposal to address this decit, we are
concerned a future offset would disproportionately burden
small-business truckers.”
Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck
Driver Incentives Act
Citing the “driver shortage” as its motivation, a bill has
been introduced that would give tax credits to truck
drivers who qualify.
In late March, Rep. Patrick Ryan, D-N.Y., introduced
HR2391. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Reps.
Zachary Nunn, R-Iowa, and Mark Amodel, R-Nev.
The bill would create a refundable tax credit of up to
$7,500 for current truckers who drive at least 1,900 hours
a year. It also would establish an enhanced tax credit of
up to $10,000 for new truck drivers and individuals in
trucking apprenticeship programs.
The tax credit would last only two years and would be
available only to those who fall under certain income
thresholds.
“Truck drivers keep the American economy moving
forward,” Ryan said in a news release. “They work long,
hard hours with little support to make sure that people
across the country have everything that they need for daily
life. “It’s no wonder that job retention rates in the industry
are declining. We have to be encouraging more people to
sign up to drive and stay there, which is why providing
incentives like this is so important. Keeping more skilled
drivers on the road will also help combat supply chain
issues, which jack up prices for American consumers.”
However, multiple studies in recent years have
debunked the driver shortage claim. Plus, the trucking
industry has been in a freight recession since 2022 and has
been suffering from a persistent overcapacity issue.
What large eets call a “driver shortage” is said to
actually be a driver turnover problem that stems from low
pay and poor working conditions. LL
Bills include tax ramifications for truckers
Grispb/stock.adobe.com
“For over a century, the federal excise tax on
heavy-duty trucks has gone from a temporary
wartime measure to fund World War I to an
outdated tax that punishes truck buyers.”
– Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.
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JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 87
A growing membership testifies to the fact
that truckers want to shape their future and
are willing to step up to do so.
Brian Ammerman
David Bach
Daniel Barnett
Ryan Bassett
Andrew Bender
Steven Blanchard
Scott Bogardus
Brian Bourdeaux
Randy Boushey
Charles Brandel
Haskell Brasher Jr.
T. Bronson Jr.
Robert Browning
Krzysztof Bryja
Timothy Burr
Dianna Camden
Jerry Camden
Chad Carter
Robert Crum
Kenneth Crump
Larry Cyphers
Terry Daneau
Bobby Davis
John Davis Jr.
Rodney Davis
Selwyn Davis
Gregory Decker
Joseph Dobson
David Dupree
John Ennis
Stan Faughn
Paul Franklin
Nick Gehrt
John George
Peter Godin
Michael Gonzales
Justin Griswold
David Gwin
Michael Harmony
Walter Heckathorn
Menno Hershberger
David Hicks
Enes Hopic
Jerry Hoppe
Chad Hosey
Samuel Ingram
Ion Iutuc
Jay Jansen
Randy Kahn
Donald Kearns
Randal Kennedy
Charles Knighten
Tyler Koch
James Kraska
Chris Kraut
Paul Kucharczyk
David Langdon
Gregory LaTour
Stephen Lichina
Jimmy Lindsey
Brian Ludwig Jr.
Eddie Maddox
Jonathan Mantooth
Kasey McKee
Leann McKee
Karl Mears
Timothy Meeks
Javier Miranda
Charles Moore
Jeffrey Mueller
Clifford Neely
Michael Nixon
Curtis O’Farrell
Charlie O’Kelley
Philip Ott
Ollie Outley
Juan Pantoja
Eugene Pease
Charles Phillips
David Powell
Ioan Prisacariu
Ron Rau
Kevin Reed
Mark Reffett
Paul Rissler
Doug Sargent
Alan Schulz
Greg Selby
Mark Shaw
Charles Stevens
Craig Stone
Jerold Tank
Carly Tanner
Karl Thomas
Chad Troyer
Lawrence Turner
Randy Turpin
Larry VanDame
Ronald View Jr.
Anthony Wilkins
Oren Wilson
Robert Wilson
Nathaniel Wolfe
Jason Yost Sr.
George Adams
James Charles Adams
Robert M. W. Ahlers
David J. Barnett
James P. Bayton
Gregory A. Beksel
David S. Bennett Jr.
James A. Bennett
Susanne M. Bennett
Larry Bigley
Denis C. Booth
Tatyana Burlaka
Darryl E. Burton
Billy R. Bush
Dennis Collins
Jerry Coombs
Steven Deist
James Edwards Jr.
Thomas R. Eichhorn
Jeremy A. English
William G. Engram
Radoslav Petrov
Evgeniev
Thomas Eric Fagan
Kathryn M. Farver
Nicholas E. Foust
Blake Herbert Friese
Hazel Gillingham
Armando A. Gomez
Carlos P. Gomez
Moises Gomez
Quentin O. Govan
David W. Green
Saleem Hassan
Michelle R. Hertzler
Carl J. Howard Jr.
Aleh Hryn
Rex W. Hunter
Jasmin Jatic
Micky Jenks
Todd L. Johnson
Tracy J. Johnson
Teresa G. Jones
Wayne Scott Keaton
Ladislav Kovac
Brian T. Lee
James Lee Jr.
William Lewan
Richard E. Liptak
David Manuel
Mary Jo Matousek
Robert D. McColm
Tami Simone McDaniel
Gary Bret Miller
Timothy Leon Moore
Terrance Jermayl Moses
Martin L. Murry
Christopher J. Nelson
Colten A. Nelson
Gerald Nelson
Stephen L. Noel
David U. N. Nwaoha
Jeffery R. Peterson
Darrell R. Prouty
Angelo Purnell
Jermaine Reese
Kenneth E. Rinicker
Roger Romero
Gary Rushing
Narcisco Saldana
Damian Gavin Samuels
Scott D. Schrag
Brad Seng
Brian Seng
Jerry L. Shack
Dawud Shaw
Vinton Shepherd
Manjot Singh
Anthony Skiles
Mark T. Skowronek
Albert D. Smith
David Daniel Smith
Dan Cristian Staicu
Jason Robert Stone
Bela Szabo
Gerald A. Taylor
Roman Tobon
Timothy P. Vezey
Timothy L. Vitali
Kimberly Wade
Larry D. Wade Jr.
Larry S. Wade Jr.
Laurie A. Wade
Nakia Pyshad
Washington
John S. Weeks
Cinquie White
Robert A. Willis
Charles Benjamin Wing
Carl Clay Withrow
Bradley J. Wurl
Ralph R. Yanacheak
Life Members
VISIT
FOR MORE
INFO OR
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4_June 25.indd 874_June 25.indd 87 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
88 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
Genre blending is not exactly
a new idea when it comes to
literature. Occasionally, a new
blend surfaces and becomes
the latest and greatest craze
that sends readers and listeners
scrounging to nd a copy of
the book that brought the new
blend to light.
Thanks to its unique combination of romance and
fantasy, or romantasy, “Fourth Wing” does precisely
that. Weaving a fantastical tale with a little bit of
something for everybody, New York Times No. 1
bestselling author Rebecca Yarros provides plenty of
twists and turns to hold our attention throughout the
story and creates the latest cultural phenomenon that
quickly rose to the top of everybody’s “to read” list.
The story follows the frail and studious Violet
Sorrengail as she prepares to enter Basgiath War
College as a scribe, following in her late father’s
footsteps. That all changes when her mother, Gen.
Lilith Sorrengail, makes a last-minute change to
enlist Violet as a Dragon Rider candidate, the most
dangerous quadrant within the War College.
We follow Violet through her training while she
deals with the trials of being a rst-year Rider
cadet. Violet faces many trials that could easily be
her downfall, as well as fellow students who would
rather see her die than succeed – namely those with a
grudge against her prolic mother. With the threat of
death around every corner, Violet is forced to adapt
to the new world she nds herself in with the help of
both new and old friends she learns to count on. She
believes that if she can just make it past threshing,
the ceremony in which dragons pick the riders they
will bond with, then she has what it takes to survive
whatever comes next.
Our other main character is Xaden Riorson, a third-
year cadet with a hatred for anyone with the last name
Sorrengail. Xaden resolves to kill Violet before the
end of her rst month at Basgiath and does not make
any attempt to hide this from her. Things do not go
as planned for either of them as the ongoing conict
develops and Violet takes her rst steps toward
becoming a Dragon Rider. She embarks on a journey
of self-discovery that leads to her becoming stronger
than she ever imagined.
Do not be mistaken, while this story contains plenty
of action and danger, listeners get their ll of love,
lust and romance as well as the complications that
go along with each. “Fourth Wing” does not hold
anything back as relationships develop and grow,
culminating in a narrative meant only for adults
comfortable with sometimes lewd descriptions of all
different kinds of intimacy.
Rebecca Soler, an AudioFile Award Winner and
accomplished voice actress, delivers a wonderful
reading as the voice of Violet Sorrengail and her inner
monologue, as well as the rest of the diverse cast of
characters present in “Fourth Wing.” Soler brings
Violet’s struggles to life as she becomes emotionally
tuned in as the story continues to progress. We, as an
audience, empathize with Violet as she experiences
passion and struggle thanks to the emotional
performance Soler delivers.
“Fourth Wing” does fall into some common tropes
of both fantasy and romance and can drag at times,
depending on your motivation for listening to it. The
dialogue can become quite corny, but it never stays
that way for long. The pace of this book helps it sweep
past any moments that might not hit the ear quite as
intended, making these instances easily forgivable.
This audiobook would be a great pick for those
longer treks, clocking in at roughly 21 hours. It takes
some time to get through, but the journey is well worth
it if you enjoy either fantasy or romance. The next two
books in the series, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, are
already available on every major audiobook platform,
with more planned for the future. So if you are a fan of
this book, you will have plenty of content to enjoy for
years to come. LL
‘Fourth Wing’ has something
for everybody
By Sawyer Jacobs
This audiobook would
be a great pick for those
longer treks, clocking in
at roughly 21 hours.
Photo by Nikohle Barnes; maicasaa/stock.adobe.com
SoundJudgment
4_June 25.indd 884_June 25.indd 88 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 89
Keep
these
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Provide your family with quality dental coverage through
OOIDA. Choose from two great dental plans – the
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The Value Plan provides preventive and basic dental
benefits. The Premier Plan provides preventive, basic
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The American Truck Historical Society is taking its annual
convention to Wisconsin this year.
The ATHS National Convention and Truck Show is
scheduled for June 5-7 at Alliant Energy Center in Madison,
Wis. The organization
invites truck enthusiasts,
industry professionals
and the general public to
be part of the event.
“There is plenty of
trucking history in
Wisconsin, and we are
ready to make memories
with our members and
all who love trucks,”
said Courtney Cesar, ATHS convention manager. “You’ll
laugh, you’ll learn and hopefully you will leave being
passionate about trucking history.”
Approximately 1,000 trucks and trailers of all shapes and
sizes will be showcased at the ATHS convention, alongside
a vendor expo, educational sessions led by industry experts
and valuable networking opportunities.
“You’ve got to come to Madison and experience our
event, and you will understand why many ‘come for the
trucks and join for the people,’” said Peter Wild, ATHS
Convention Committee chair. “We anticipate a very good
showing.”
Those interested can register at ATHS.org. In addition,
ATHS members can log in to receive discounts or call
816-891-9900.
On-site registration will begin on June 3 in Madison, Wis.
Daily admission for the ATHS Convention will be $15 for
members and $20 for non-members. Those under 12 years
old will be admitted free of charge. Admission includes
access to the truck show, vendor expo and learning sessions.
There will also be special events, including a kickoff party,
a light show, tours and an awards banquet.
“While the diverse display of trucks is a major highlight,
the true magic lies in the ATHS reunion, where old friends
reconnect and new friendships blossom, creating an
irresistible pull for everyone to return year after year,”
ATHS Executive Director John Gravley said of the 2024
event.
The 2024 ATHS national convention was held in York,
Pa. According to organizers, the show drew about 875
trucks and trailers and thousands of spectators.
The American Truck Historical Society was formed in
1971 to preserve the history of trucks, the trucking industry
and its pioneers. ATHS has about 15,000 members and 90
chapters spanning 23 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The
Zoe James Memorial Library hosts a collection of over
500,000 digitized and original photographs and documents,
35,000 pieces of sales literature, more than 45,000 books
and periodicals and an extensive collection of scale-model
trucks. The American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of
Fame, the ATHS Visitor Center and the ATHS Library are
housed in the organization’s home ofce in Kansas City,
Mo.
More information about this year’s ATHS convention is
available on the organization’s website. LL
‘Plenty of trucking history’
ATHS takes national convention to Wisconsin
4_June 25.indd 894_June 25.indd 89 5/9/25 10:38 AM5/9/25 10:38 AM
90 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
The bond between truckers and their pets is a special
one. Their furry co-pilots are more than mere travel
companions; they provide a break from the monotony
and solitude that comes along with life on the road.
Perhaps that is why stories about truckers being
reunited with their lost pets really tug at my
heartstrings.
We start this
Slight Detour in
Missouri, where a
trucker was able
to nd his lost
dog with an assist
from technology.
The driver
said he became
separated from
his dog, Buddy,
while at a truck
stop in Strafford,
Mo. The dog
jumped out of the truck and was playing in the snow
when the driver lost sight of him. Unable to call
Buddy back to the truck – and running behind for a
delivery in Joplin, Mo. – the driver reluctantly headed
on his way.
Later that day, the driver took to Facebook to
post on a local lost-and-found page. That’s
where he caught the attention of Charlie Barnes
and his team of volunteer trackers and trappers.
Barnes said his team sprang into action – using a
drone to pinpoint Buddy’s location.
“Nick, our drone operator, got a drone up in the air
and saw lots of footprints,” Barnes told a local news
outlet. “We knew where he was.”
The team located the lost dog behind a barn. After
setting up a feeding station and a trap, all that was left
to do was wait.
“About six-and-a-half, seven hours later, we got a
ding on the trap, and he’s in the trap,” Barnes said.
Barnes and his team not only located Buddy but
even loaded the dog up and drove him to Joplin to be
reunited with his owner. If that doesn’t restore your
faith in humanity, I don’t know what will.
Also, a tip of the cap to the drone operator for
cracking this case wide open. I’ve been slow to
adopt new technology; I didn’t even own a cellphone
until 2011. (For reference: The iPhone 4 was out by
then.) And while drones aren’t new by any means,
using them to locate lost dogs has me fully on-board.
That tactic certainly is quicker than stapling iers to
telephone poles.
Roo-ll Tide
In another story from the lost-pet beat, ofcials in
Alabama recently encountered something you don’t
often see in the Deep South – a kangaroo bouncing
down the interstate.
The eet-footed marsupial, known to her owner as
Sheila, managed to escape from her enclosure in the
early-morning hours. The animal’s owner, Patrick
Starr, said it didn’t take long to realize Sheila wasn’t
where she was supposed to be.
“As soon as we were up that morning,
we started getting calls,” Starr
said. “I reached out to local law
enforcement. We’re adjacent to
the interstate, and it got onto
the interstate. We located it in
about 10 to 15 minutes, fairly
quick.”
Sheila’s excursion forced ofcials
to close down the highway in both
directions. Fortunately for us, Macon
County Sheriff André Brunson took to Facebook Live
to chronicle the hunt for the rogue kangaroo.
“When somebody said there was a kangaroo, of
course I didn’t believe him, and nobody believed
him,” Brunson said. “But I’m looking at him.”
After being tranquilized by Starr, Sheila was safely
contained and returned to her home. The bouncing
Lost and found
Photo courtesy of KYTV; Esabella Designs/stock.adobe.com
By Ryan Witkowski Staff Writer
4_June 25.indd 904_June 25.indd 90 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 91
’roo did cause some commotion on the roadway, with
a two-car accident being reported during the chaos –
presumably due to rubbernecking. No injuries were
reported.
“We see a little bit of everything here,” Brunson said.
Bad guy boot camp
Cargo theft has been in the news a lot lately, with a
record amount sweeping across the United States. But
while thieves in the U.S. have increased the frequency
by which they steal freight, they’re yet to match the
preparation put in by their European counterparts.
In a recent Intelligence Report from Overhaul, an
Austin, Texas-based supply chain risk management
company, the company shared information about a
potential growing trend for cargo thieves overseas.
Known as “rolling theft,” the tactic involves
criminals boarding moving vehicles and pilfering
high-value items. The cargo is typically tossed to
accomplices following behind in another vehicle.
Earlier this year, Overhaul shared information about
thieves in the U.S. employing this tactic, but thieves
across the pond are working to perfect it.
According to Overhaul’s report, the driver of a
truck that was stopped in France and that contained
stolen items from a rolling theft told ofcials that
“there are organized training camps in Romania where
individuals are learning this theft method.”
That’s right. They have bad guy boot camps – which
I assume are run by crazy
James Bond villain-types. I
wonder what the food there
is like. And do they get buzz
cuts on the rst day? I have
a lot of questions.
“If true, this would
indicate an upcoming
explosion in theft rates
involving this M.O.,”
Overhaul said.
Hard to see that happening, but hey – they are the
experts.
Look, I don’t at all support these thieves, but you
have to admit it’s a pretty wild way to steal some
cargo. At least there is a bit more sport in it.
All good in the ’hood
Speaking of explosions: That’s exactly what happened
in Pennsylvania recently after two tractor-trailers went
up in ames on the highway. According to ofcials,
one of the trucks was empty, while the other was
hauling train wheels.
Nobody was seriously injured from the
incident. However, the re
and eventual explosion
shut down the highway for
hours, forcing residents
in nearby neighborhoods
to evacuate due to thick
smoke.
That’s when the local news
stepped in to get the reactions of
residents following the blast. Most described the
magnitude of the noise – spoiler alert: it was loud – but
one of the locals was quick to judge.
“I heard this ‘boom, boom, boom,’ and I’m thinking,
‘What’s my neighbor doing?’” Donna Diehl told the
news outlet.
I need to know more about Donna’s neighbor and
what would make her suspect this individual of being
behind an explosion.
I feel like we all have that neighbor, though. You
know, the one with four random dogs left in the
backyard all the time. The one you would assume is
the reason for police sirens if you heard them. Yeah,
you know that guy.
I’m not sure what Donna’s neighbor is up to
the rest of the year, but I can assure you
the Fourth of July at his house is off the
chain. LL
Dennis Cox/stock.adobe.com; Igor Zakowski/stock.adobe.com; BORIS/stock.adobe.com
4_June 25.indd 914_June 25.indd 91 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
92 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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96 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
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OOIDA President Todd Spencer represented
the Association during a three-day public
meeting in Washington, D.C., on “matters
relevant to the modernization” of the North
American Free Trade Agreement. During the
2017 negotiations to modernize NAFTA, OOIDA pressed for long-
haul trucking to be addressed, writing, “We hope that NAFTA 2.0 will
keep our highways safe from trucks and drivers that do not meet our
regulatory standards.”
The Federal Aid Highway Act
was signed into law by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower. This
legislation authorized the building
of highways nationwide and was
the biggest public works project in
U.S. history when it became law.
It provided $25 billion for 41,000
miles of the Interstate Highway
System, allowing for construction
of the nation’s network of highways
over a 10-year period. Ninety
percent of the construction funds
for the project were covered by a
Highway Trust Fund, while states
were required to pay the remaining
10%. Construction began quickly,
providing thousands of jobs and
promoting growth of businesses
like restaurants and hotels.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the
Northern District of Oklahoma in
Tulsa granted bankruptcy trustee
Patrick J. Malloy’s motion to
consolidate Arrow Truck Leasing
and Arrow Truck Real Estate with
Arrow Trucking Co. Several months
earlier, the parent company, Megan
Corp., was also consolidated
into the bankruptcy estate. The
move came several months after
Tulsa-based Arrow Trucking
abruptly shut down on Dec. 22,
2009, stranding drivers across the
country under loads and without
fuel and stiing more than 1,000
drivers and employees of wages
owed.
The United States ended
its COVID-19 vaccination
requirements for non-U.S. travelers
entering the country at the Canada
or Mexico borders. This followed
vaccine requirements for federal
employees, federal contractors
and international air travelers
being lifted on May 12, 2023.
“Our administration’s vaccination
requirements helped ensure
the safety of workers in critical
workforces, including those in
the healthcare and education
sectors, protecting themselves
and the populations they serve
and strengthening their ability
to provide services without
disruptions to operations,” the
White House said in June 2023.
The announcement marked the
end of over three years of vaccine
restrictions at the country’s
borders. Throughout the mandate,
OOIDA argued that truck drivers
should be exempt from vaccine
requirements. LL
THIS MONTH
TRUCKING
HISTORY
By SJ Munoz
New Africa/stock.adobe.com
4_June 25.indd 964_June 25.indd 96 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 97
Helping truck drivers and
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Back Taxes Help ...................................93
BH Tubes ....................................................93
CAT Scale ...................................................25
CMCI .............................................................. 33
Debrick Truck Line .............................95
Eagle Capital Corp. ............................93
Eckert & Associates, P.A. ..............94
GiraeG4 Systems ..............................95
Great American Chrome.................57
Howes Lubricator ................................21
Insurlease, LLC ...................................... 94
Max Milles LLC.......................................94
MBA Tax & Bookkeeping ............... 94
OOFI Scholarship ................................ 64
OOIDA Fuel Card ...................................27
OOIDA Membership ....................61, 70
OOSI Business Services ..................17
OOSI Dental..............................................89
OOSI Life Insurance ..........................35
OOSI MEC ......................................................11
OOSI Occupational Accident......99
OOSI Over the Road Gear ............. 92
OOSI Passenger Accident ............ 43
OOSI Short Term Disability ........... 51
OOSI Spirit Truck Tour ......................85
OOSI Truck Insurance ..........................7
OOSI Vision...............................................45
Penske Used Trucks .......................100
Road Law ..................................................94
Shell Lubricants ...................................... 2
St. Christopher .......................................97
Taxation Solutions Inc. .............77, 95
TaxHelpMD ................................................94
The Internet Truckstop .......................3
Todd D. Knapp CPA, PC ................... 93
Towaway Express, Inc. .................... 95
Truckers Final Mile ..............................97
TRUSA...........................................................96
Vibratech TVD ........................................ 23
XFactors, Inc. .......................................... 93
Zamzow Manufacturing ................ 55
The index of advertisers is an editorial service of Land Line Magazine.
The publisher assumes no responsibility for errors and/or omissions.
PAGE PAGE
ADINDEX
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4_June 25.indd 974_June 25.indd 97 5/8/25 2:20 PM5/8/25 2:20 PM
98 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
to all who had a
hand in raising money for the
St. Christopher Truckers Relief
Fund through a silent auction at
the Mid-America Trucking Show
in March. The more than $13,000
raised will go directly toward
the St. Christopher fund’s effort
to provide nancial assistance
for professional truck drivers in
need. According to its website,
the Knoxville, Tenn.-based
nonprot has provided more than
$5 million in nancial assistance
to more than 4,000 professional
drivers. Funds were also raised
through Shell Rotella’s Thank-A-
Trucker recording studio event at
MATS, with Love’s Travel Stops
matching those donations.
to a
Connecticut man who was
arrested recently for stealing
items from a truck that lost its
load following a rollover crash
on Interstate 84. A New Haven
Daily Voice article reported
that ofcials said trafc camera
footage showed Marcus King,
51, of Andover, Conn., driving
the wrong way down a highway
to the crash scene and picking up
items that were scattered on the
highway. King was charged with
wrong-way driving on a highway,
negligent pedestrian activity on a
highway and theft, according to
state police.
for a
New York City program
implementing metered truck
parking spaces within industrial
zones in Brooklyn, Queens and
the Bronx. According to the city’s
Department of Transportation, the
program is intended to “provide
regulated and convenient parking
solutions for truck drivers needing
federally mandated rest breaks.”
Truck operators will be able to
use the ParkNYC app to pay for
parking, which will be available
24 hours a day in eight-hour
increments at $10 for each session
Monday through Saturday. No
payment is required on Sunday.
New York ofcials claim this will
help manage increased freight
movement. However, according
to a recent OOIDA Foundation
survey, 58% of truckers refuse to
pay for parking.
for a legislative
effort that would make staged
crashes with commercial vehicles
a federal crime. “Staged accidents
are not victimless crimes,”
OOIDA Executive Vice President
Lewie Pugh said. “These are
calculated, premeditated assaults
that endanger lives, destroy
livelihoods and compromise
highway safety. To add insult
to injury, criminals abuse
the legal system for prot
through false accusations and
lawsuits, which contribute
to skyrocketing insurance
premiums for small trucking
businesses.” A New Orleans
staged-crash scheme dubbed
“Operation Sideswipe” dates
back as far as 2011 with more
than 60 defendants charged to
date. The Staged Accident Fraud
Prevention Act also is supported
by the American Trucking
Associations, the Truckload
Carriers Association, the Georgia
Motor Trucking Association and
the Texas Trucking Association.
to a New
Jersey woman who pleaded
guilty to stealing approximately
$4 million from West End
Express Co., a trucking company
that previously employed her
as a bookkeeper. According to
a news release from the New
Jersey Attorney General, Jeanette
Avellan, 62, of Howell, N.J.,
admitted she was entrusted with
the nances of the company
from January 2017 to January
2023. During this time, she stole
millions and gambled with the
money. Through a plea deal,
Avellan will pay more than $4
million in restitution and nearly
$600,000 in back taxes, penalties
and interest. “Employers need
to know the people they hire to
handle sensitive nancial duties
can be trusted to do their jobs
honestly and professionally,” said
New Jersey Division of Criminal
Justice Director Theresa L.
Hilton. LL
By SJ Munoz
Sta Writer
Got a ROSE or a RAZZBERRY?
Roses@LandLineMag.com. You also can check out Facebook.com/RosesAndRazzberries.
Razz
berries
Res
&
4_June 25.indd 984_June 25.indd 98 5/8/25 2:21 PM5/8/25 2:21 PM
JUNE 2025 LAND LINE 99
By SJ Munoz
Sta Writer
&
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l Owner-operators and drivers will also get the added
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Every year, thousands of truck drivers are injured on
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100 LAND LINE JUNE 2025
4_June 25.indd 1004_June 25.indd 100 5/8/25 2:21 PM5/8/25 2:21 PM
