The Fleet Lead

Here are the trucking industry's headlines this week, as of February 5: The latest highway funding bill includes truck parking Five employees won a $52 million verdict against food distributor Sysco EPA is looking to further weaken DEF derates Heavy-duty equipment demand in January was very strong Spot rates made a record-high jump Diesel prices increased 6 cents

Erik Neandross, president of TRC’s Clean Transportation Solutions Group, previews ACT Expo 2026 in Las Vegas. As the industry pivots from clean fuel goals to "clean intelligence," Neandross shares an insider’s look at where OEM and fleet capital is actually flowing this year. Timestamps: 2:00 - Shift to economic sustainability 9:53 - ACT Expo's focus on continuing education 13:40 - The rise of vir...

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking, as of January 29: Werner acquired FirstFleet Gatik completed 60,000 autonomous medium-duty hauls Traton gave $25 million to PlusAI for autonomous truck development Diesel deleting no longer risks jail time FMCSA issued HOS exemptions to most states Eaton is spinning off its commercial vehicle business Diesel prices increased 9 cents

2025 had no shortage of regulatory changes for the trucking industry, vacillating between rapid crackdowns and sluggish rulemakings. David Heller, senior VP of Safety and Government Affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, shares his outlook for the next year’s regulatory landscape—from English proficiency to CSA scores and beyond. Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search...

Here are the headlines this week in trucking, as on January 22: California started enforcing English language proficiency requirements United States Postal Service launched a bidding website for last-mile delivery A judge blocked New York’s truck tolling surcharge Spot rates decreased for dry van and refrigerated  Diesel prices jumped 7 cents

The first 2026 roundtable of the Fleet Lead podcast brings together editors from Fleet Owner and Bulk Transporter to analyze a commercial vehicle market currently transitioning from a stagnant 2025 toward a cautiously optimistic 2026. Despite continued carrier bankruptcies and consolidations, there are signs that the market might turn later this year. FMCSA's continued crackdown on driver qualific...

Here are the headlines from this week in the U.S. trucking industry, as on January 15: Tennessee is asking CDL holders for proof of legal residence FMCSA targeted North Carolina’s non-domiciled CDLs STG Logistics filed for bankruptcy Mack Anthem began production

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of January 8: DOT cut more of California's funding USPS is trimming its use of non-domiciled CDLs Autonomous trucking announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show Truck orders reached a three-year high

As the transportation industry continues to meet ever more stringent emissions rules from the EPA, especially the latest low NOx rule, new heavy-duty engines and heavy-duty engine oils are on the way as well. Set for rollout at the start of 2027, the American Petroleum Institute 's (API) recently approved three key actions to vote on to establish the new heavy-duty engine oil specification, Propos...

Lawsuit abuse is the second-highest concern among fleet executives in 2025, second only to the economy. When thermonuclear verdicts against carriers are stretching beyond $100 million, they may be getting out of hand. According to new research form the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), those lawsuits against carriers are hindering the U.S. economy. If states reduced commer...

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of December 30: DOT targeting Colorado over non-domiciled CDLs Standard Forwarding Freight ceased operations Advocacy group sues California's CDL cancellation Spot rates up, fuel prices down Have a happy new year!

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of the holiday week of December 23: California paused its plans to reissue 17,000 CDLs Major rail merger wants to take market share from trucks Spot rates made big holiday gains

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of December 18: California is suing DOT over terminated transportation funding DOT is also threatening New York's funding over non-domiciled CDL practices Oregon is ending the Trusted Carrier Partner program Prime Inc. faces part of a $44M nuclear verdict Legislators launch trucking caucus Trailer orders fell sharply Diesel dropped 6 cents

ATA 's latest chairman and Groendyke Transport 's CEO, Greg Hodgen, thinks of himself as an optimist, while others call him a realist. But both perspectives are on display in this episode of The Fleet Lead, where Hodgen and Bulk Transporter Editor Jason McDaniel sat down for a frank conversation about the transportation industry, with a special focus on tank trailers. From discussing the shortage...

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of December 11: For-hire fleets getting acquired or downsizing Aurora expands autonomous truck operations Wreaths Across America Day is here Diesel prices dropped by 9 cents

Analyst Dean Croke talks about his plans for this year’s Wreaths Across America, his bustling social media, and the trucking community's dedication to honoring service members. Dean Croke will be attending the Escort to Arlington with RadioNemo. Croke is a senior analyst for DAT Freight & Analytics , but he’s also a longtime truck driver with an industry social media presence. Croke shares his...

The Fleet Lead’s editors share a retrospective on 2025 and a look ahead to 2026, focusing on the industry’s latest problems: freight demand and regulatory uncertainty. In 2025, the three-year economic slump continued to drag on. Fleets and manufacturers struggled to plan for the future as a new administration muddied the industry’s future. Electric vehicle hype died down. How will these challenges...

These are the major headlines in trucking, as of December 4: FMCSA improves ELD review Truck orders continue to plummet FCMSA removes 3,000 CDL training providers Minnesota’s non-domiciled CDLs are in FMCSA’s crosshairs 10 Roads Express is shutting down Diesel prices dropped 7 cents

When it comes to adding veterans to your fleet or shop, there are plenty of benefits you stand to gain. After all, many veterans bring both hard and soft skills to the table, from technical training to leadership, dedication, and reliability. For instance,  Suzanne Varghese , a gas turbine engine mechanic and maintenance supervisor for the U.S. Navy has parlayed her skills to the civilian world wi...

Hendrickson is a manufacturer and supplier of medium- and heavy-duty suspensions, axle and brake systems, tire pressure control systems, and other products to the global commercial transportation industry. In this episode of the Fleet Lead Hendrickson’s VP of marketing, Jeff Sass, talks about the company’s ‘Beyond Suspensions’ strategy, American manufacturing, an aftermarket myth, and beyond. Time...

The major headlines from the week of Nov. 24 in trucking, just before Thanksgiving: Bollinger Motors is no more Demand for Class 8 equipment is very weak Industrial production is doing even worse than expected The first all-new Mack Pioneers have been delivered Diesel prices dropped 4 cents

Volvo Trucks North America launched its new VNL and VNR models in the middle of the prolonged freight recession. While OEMs don't choose the market conditions when they develop a new truck, Peter Voorhoeve, president of VTNA, points to the bright side: the models' fuel efficiency can be a critical tool for carriers' bottom line. In this episode of the Fleet Lead, Josh Fisher talks with Volvo's Voo...

The major headlines from this week in trucking:  The heavy-duty NOx rule will not be delayed Schneider is looking for more opportunities for mergers and acquisitions The Department of Transportation is demanding Pennsylvania revoke non-domiciled CDLs Pilot Company named its 2025 Road Warrior Champion Diesel prices rising

Peterbilt is finishing out 2025 with a strong lineup, but just like every other industry stakeholder, they're also waiting to see how the market shifts on alternative powertrains, like electric vehicles and natural gas engines, as well as looking toward the end of the freight recession. To drill down on how fleets can manage their business needs while still operating in plenty of unknowns, Jake Wh...

People in the trucking industry predicted that autonomous trucks would be running in 2019—then it was 2021, 2024... What's the holdup? Sasko Cuklev, Head of On-Road Solutions of Volvo Autonomous Solutions , details the company's strategy for commercializing autonomous trucking and its development of an autonomous ecosystem: digital integration, infrastructure, first responder training, and more.