Regulation
Florida and Colorado plan to add hundreds of public truck parking spaces by the end of 2028, with Florida adding 917 spaces along I-4 and Colorado adding 50 spaces on I-25. Federal and state governments are addressing the nationwide truck parking shortage through grants and construction projects, while private companies like Love's Travel Stops are also expanding their parking networks.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Mexico and Canada during a trilateral video conference on Wednesday that the US will not extend the USMCA by 16 years at this stage. This means the agreement will enter an annual joint review process, and the three countries must decide through negotiations by July 1, 2027, whether to renew it or continue discussions.
The Small Business Transportation Coalition (SBTC) recently filed a petition questioning the Transportation Intermediaries Association's (TIA) request for new standards from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) following the Supreme Court's ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II. The SBTC argues that the FMCSA should assume a more limited regulatory role and suggests that the TIA should seek support from Congress rather than an administrative agency.
In its lawsuit, Prime Inc. claims that fuel used for its trailer refrigeration units should be considered 'non-highway, non-taxable commercial use,' and therefore it is entitled to tax credits. The IRS has rejected part of its refund claims for 2018 to 2021, and the company is now seeking judicial relief.
U.S. Representatives Greg Steube and Dave Taylor have introduced the Ghostruck Act, which proposes to require that ELD record modifiers be located in North America to curb overseas personnel from tampering with driver hours-of-service records. The bill has been referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for consideration and has received support from multiple trucking industry organizations.
A Supreme Court ruling has expanded the legal risks for freight brokers when selecting unsafe carriers, prompting urgent responses from industry groups. SBTC and TIA have each submitted petitions to the FMCSA requesting the establishment of default safety ratings, federal selection standards, and a list of high-risk carriers. C.H. Robinson has already taken the lead in adjusting its carrier admission standards, raising the minimum insurance requirement from $100,000 to $1 million.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at its June meeting and removed language in its policy statement about possible future rate cuts. Chair Warsh stated he is firmly committed to achieving price stability, while also announcing the formation of five working groups to review the central bank's policy framework.
Hub Group appointed Todd Heeter as interim Chief Financial Officer on May 28, with a monthly compensation of $125,000 for a six-month term. This follows the departure of long-time CFO Kevin Beth due to a $77 million accounting error. Heeter will serve as an independent contractor and is not eligible for benefits.
The Port of Long Beach, The Wonderful Co., and Lincoln Transportation Services signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a 'Green Truck Corridor' connecting Long Beach, California, with the Central Valley, spanning approximately 150 miles, aimed at enhancing freight efficiency and reducing emissions.
The EEOC announced on May 15 that Central Transport will pay $5.5 million to settle allegations that it failed to hire qualified female drivers and used different recruitment procedures over the past decade. The company denied the allegations but agreed to pay compensation, undergo external review, and enhance compliance training.