Fewer imports = fewer loads

Plus: New tech for real-time trailer visibility | Where are English-proficiency violations happening?

Trucking is starting to feel the effects of regulatory changes, from English proficiency as an OOS violation to stricter CDL rules. How will it all shake out? We're covering the early signs.

First though, here's a funny look at how "truck driver" translates into LinkedIn speak.

ROADSIDE READS

Before and after. Who's cracking down the most—and least? This map shows how English proficiency violations have changed in each state since the return of ELP as an OOS criterion.

Save the date. A broker-carrier summit will take place at the end of this month in Orlando, where speakers discuss cross-border freight, M&A, fraud prevention, AI and much more.

Freight startup. Meet a new startup aiming to use AI to better match small carriers with freight. The founder was a product manager at Uber Freight.

Trucking winner. Congrats are in order for Garner Trucking, which was recognized by its local Chamber of Commerce as the 2025 Small Business of the Year 🎉

Diesel update. The average price per gallon of diesel in the U.S. this week is $3.665, down -0.046¢ from a week ago.

IN NUMBERS

$6.6 billion

The annual cargo theft cost to the trucking industry, amounting to more than $18 million every day. (Material Handling & Logistics)

INDUSTRY VOICES

Trucking's time to attract young talent is now

The youngest generation of the workforce is looking for something different, and this presents the perfect opportunity for the trucking industry to swoop in and build a pipeline of young talent. Leah Shaver, CEO of The National Transportation Institute, says now is the time to rethink recruitment and develop programs that cater to new generations.

"Younger people are craving alternatives to traditional paths, traditional education and traditional career choices," Shaver writes.

Why this matters: With the average driver in their 50s, fleet executives can't ignore the next generation of talent. There's available labor and an interest in different careers among younger workers—the task is to convey the right messaging to bring them into trucking. (Fleet Owner)

FAST LANE

CDL SHAKEUP: Truck drivers legally in U.S. denied license renewals

NEW BILL: Senator proposes stricter English proficiency requirements

PRICE HIKE: LTL producer price marks highest increase since 2022

TRUCK RECALL: Mack recalls 15,000 trucks over seat belt issue

DOT APPROVAL: AV company Aurora wins warning device exemption

NEW SERVICE: Trucker Path creates agency to connect owner-ops with insurance products

ROAD REPORT

Trucking starts to feel impact from downward port trends

An already soft trucking and drayage market is feeling the squeeze from a variety of angles. Fewer imports at ports are cascading to the trucking companies, shrinking freight volumes. Crackdowns related to English proficiency and CDLs are reportedly hurting small- and mid-size carriers, leading some to shutter operations. It's all compounding with the ongoing freight recession.

Why this matters: Trucking isn't out of the woods yet, and smaller fleets don't always have the leverage or cost-savings ability that larger ones do. As regulations and markets create a tough situation for fleets, the question is who will make it to the other side. (FreightWaves)

CONNECTED FLEET

C.H. Robinson adds visibility tech to drop trailers

C.H. Robinson has added a tech layer to its drop trailer program, which gives carriers and shippers real-time visibility into their trailers. The idea is to maximize uptime and asset utilization with visibility into each trailer.

Why this matters: While drop trailers can significantly boost efficiency in the supply chain, they also can create complications in managing assets and having real-time visibility. CHR's tech aims to solve that, allowing fleet managers to know where and when their trailers are at each moment. (DC Velocity)