Trucks at the Port of Long Beach in California. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg) The U.S. merchandise-trade deficit unexpectedly widened in March to a record as companies continued importing goods to get ahead of tariffs, indicating a large hit to the economy in the first quarter. The shortfall in goods trade grew 9.6% from a month earlier to ...more
A Motive booth at an industry show. The jury’s April 24 verdict came after a 10-day trial. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics) A federal jury in San Francisco has handed down a unanimous verdict clearing Motive Technologies Inc. of allegations it copied patents owned by technology developer Omnitracs. The jury’s April 24 verdict came after a 10-day ...more
This week, a California truck driver was sentenced to federal prison for attempting to transport a large load of cocaine from California to Chicago. On April 28, Barstow resident Ronald Coleman, 45, was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.Coleman previously pleaded guilty to ...more
A Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) trooper made a surprising discovery during a commercial vehicle inspection last week. The inspection took place on the afternoon of April 23 in Albany County, Wyoming.A trooper conducting a commercial vehicle inspection discovered that a luxury sports car inside the trailer was stolen. “The Trooper, conducting a thorough investigation, determined ...more
On Monday, the White House issued a sweeping new Executive Order (EO) intended to strengthen federal English-language requirements for truck drivers and to crack down on fraudulent commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). On April 28, 2025, President Trump made headlines when he signed an Executive Order targeting several trucking industry issues, including English-language proficiency for CDL ...more
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has followed up on action by the Trump Administration to enforce English-language proficiency (ELP) requirements for truck drivers by pointing to two high-profile fatality crashes that officials say were caused by drivers who did not speak English. On April 28, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) to rescind ...more
TravelCenters of America (TA) service centers are offering free inspection services to help truckers prep for May’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck. From April 29 through May 12, 2025, free mid-trip inspections are available at participating TA Truck Service locations nationwide.The mid-trip inspections can help detect issues like worn brake pads, low tire pressure, and fuel ...more
( Zed Jameson/Bloomberg) NEW YORK — Rule changes announced by the Trump administration could allow automakers to report fewer crashes involving self-driving cars, with Tesla potentially emerging as the main beneficiary. The Transportation Department announced April 24 that it will no longer require automakers to report certain kinds of nonfatal crashes — but the exception ...more
The Plug Power liquid green hydrogen plant in Woodbine, Ga. (Agnes Lopez/Bloomberg) Plug Power Inc. shares jumped the most in nearly a year after the hydrogen company announced a $525 million secured debt facility, said it doesn’t plan to raise more equity in 2025 and reported preliminary first-quarter results in line with analysts’ estimates. Plug ...more
The front of the stock exchange is decorated with Traton SE posters to mark the company's IPO. (Boris Roessler/dpa/TNS) MUNICH — Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle subsidiary Traton on April 28 reported a slump in sales and profit in the first quarter. The Munich-based company saw turnover fall by 10% to 10.6 billion euros ($12 billion) compared ...more
