Here are the trucking industry's headlines this week, as of February 12:

• EPA finalizes removal of trucks’ greenhouse gas regulations
• FMCSA makes another attempt to tighten non-domiciled CDLs
• TCA's next president will be Jim Mullen
• In fuel, diesel prices rose by 1 cent

Modern work trucks have become very advanced, and OEMs' strategies to manage those trucks even more advanced. Ford Pro's Eric Rice, general manager of U.S. fleet sales, details the industry's latest trends: driver assistance, predictive maintenance, the technician shortage, and more.

Timestamps:

• 02:23 - Total cost of ownership
• 07:35 - Advanced safety tech
• 11:35 - The technician shortage
• 16:30 - Machine learning for actionable data
• 18:30 - Race to zero downtime

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 virtual drivers
• 20:06 - Software-defined devicles
• 24:11 - ACT Expo's keynote speakers: Rivian and Mack Trucks
• 30:23 - The Expo's move to Las Vegas

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 for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.

Chapters:

• 1:59 - The 2026 regulatory space
• 2:30 - Regulation pacing
• 4:22 - English proficiency and CDL crackdowns
• 9:59 - How might lawsuits impact regulations?
• 11:09 - Rules to look out for
• 15:00 - Might CSA score calculations change?

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 qualifications could help bring upward pressure on rates. On the technology side, appetite for EVs is shrinking while autonomous and AI deployment marches on—and a brainwave scanner could be the next driver safety tech tool.

Featuring Jason McDaniel from Bulk Transporter and Josh Fisher, Jade Brasher, and Jeremy Wolfe from FleetOwner.

Timestamps:

• 1:30 – FMCSA's driver crackdowns
• 3:55 – Fleet bankruptcies
• 8:33 – How are carriers feeling about the market?
• 10:00 – General Motors's new headquarters
• 11:15 – GM strategy for EVs
• 20:36 – Survey: Fleets don't want EVs
• 27:08 – Autonomous truck expectations
• 29:42 – Brain monitoring devices for driver fatigue.
• 34:55 – Heil Trailer military contracts and expansion.
• 36:39 – Global mergers, acquisition deal trends.