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 of drivers versus qualified drivers to tort reform and beyond, McDaniel and Hodgen cover the spectrum of realism to optimism in trucking while looking ahead for 2026.

Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.

Chapter index:

• 1:04 - Hodgen's road to the industry and ATA leadership
• 5:00 - Drivers vs qualified drivers
• 11:53 - The importance of innovation in tank trucking
• 14:01 - Government and regulations
• 23:58 - Tort reform and cybersecurity
• 31:19 - Looking ahead for 2026
• 37:31 - Appreciating the trucking industry