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

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 plans for this year’s Wreaths Across America, his own connection to honoring service members, and some of the reasons why many truck drivers are so passionate about the event.

Timestamps:

• 0:29 - Origins and the convoy
• 9:52 - Connection, supporting truckers' lonely work
• 12:42 - Dean's social media and "rollers"
• 16:02 - How to get involved, where to listen

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 take shape in 2026, and who will come out on top?

Featuring John Hitch from Fleet Maintenance, Josh Fisher from FleetOwner, Kevin Jones from Trailer Body Builders, and Jason McDaniel from Bulk Transporter.

Timestamps:

• 1:07 - The never-ending recession
• 5:41 - Driver quality
• 8:15 - FET repeal: Pipedream?
• 11:37 - EVs on the backburner
• 15:25 - Tariff impacts
• 23:05 - Looking for a positive outlook

Predictions for 2026

• 32:57 - Josh Fisher: Autonomous trucking
• 33:51 - Jason McDaniel: No pre-buy & tech integration
• 36:25 - Kevin Jones: Market share shakeup
• 37:15 - John Hitch: AI tools

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 with Ryder as a recruiter. In this episode of The Fleet Lead, listen to Fleet Maintenance's Editor-in-Chief John Hitch, a former submarine sonar technician, discuss vet hiring best practices with Varghese.

And along with commercial vehicle maintenance, this is one area Ryder excels at. Ryder has more than 4,000 veterans on staff and is routinely recognized as a top employer for vets. Since 2011, Ryder has hired more than 15,000 veterans.

Chapters:

1:29 - Varghese's role with Ryder

4:25 - Life as a Navy technician

11:50 - Where and how to recruit veterans

13:42 - How to interview a veteran

17:44 - Veterans' soft skills