Trucking News from May
As the industry gears up for the busy summer months, May has brought a wave of significant developments and insightful trends. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on trucking news from May.
Trucking Safety & Regulation
Colorado governor signs bill to ban truckers from left lane on parts of I-70, expand chain law – Truckers travelling through Colorado should prepare for new left lane restrictions and more expansive chain law requirements starting in just a few months.
Week-long brake blitz to focus on brake linings and pads – Brake Safety Week is an educational and enforcement initiative during which law enforcement will conduct regular commercial vehicle inspections with a special emphasis on brake systems and components. Trucks with major brake violations will be placed out-of-service until the violations are corrected.
Arizona law enforcement uncovered over 3000 violations during 72 hour trucker inspection blitz – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck inspection effort took place May 14 through May 16. During that 72 hour period Arizona law enforcement officers conducted more than 1000 CMV inspections, focusing on I-17 from McGuireville to Flagstaff and I-40 from Flagstaff to the Parks rest areas, in addition to ports of entry in northern Arizona.
Roadcheck fails 2024: The best of the worst? – With Roadcheck 2024 in the rearview, and the biggest question remaining around whether or not rates actually went up (well, though some of you may beg to differ, DAT and Truckstop/FTR are both saying yes on average), the Iowa State Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit shared some of the biggest fails they saw during the annual inspection blitz.
Idaho amends regulations to allow truckers to idle while resting or hauling reefer load – A law taking effect soon in Idaho will allow truckers to idle while resting or while hauling a refrigerated perishable load.
How to ensure brakes pass DOT roadside inspection – Barring an unforeseen statistical anomaly, brake violations will be among the top equipment out of service violations found during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck.
Truck Parking
New Montana I-90 Rest Area Adds 35 Truck Parking Spots – A newly opened rest area near Three Forks offers 35 truck parking spaces, and construction is starting on another rest site to have 58 truck parking stalls between Hardin and Billings.
New Truck Parking Lot in Florida to Add 120 Spots in 2026 – A stretch of Interstate 4 in Florida from Orlando to Tampa where 90 lonely public parking places exist for 18,000 trucks passing daily will gain a companion in two years when a new lot with 120 slots opens.
New truck stop opens in New York State – A new truck stop opened for business in Niagara Falls, New York
Love’s reopens Texas truck stop following renovations – On May 16, Love’s announced the reopening of the store in Ranger, Texas.
Newest TA Express opens off Interstate 20 in Grambling, Louisiana – TA Express Grambling is a franchise site located off Interstate 20 at 1130 RWE Jones Rd. in Grambling. It offers a variety of amenities for professional drivers including fuel, convenience items, fresh deli food items including hot foods, and a dining option coming later this summer.
Other Trucking News
Truck tire anomaly sensors coming to Idaho ports of entry – Truck tire anomaly sensors are coming to ports of entry around the state of Idaho as part of a “proactive approach to safety” by the Idaho Transportation Department.
CBSA Employees Continue Strike Vote Process – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues to monitor the evolving situation regarding the strike vote by some Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees.
ATA Critical of Proposed Federal Downgrade of Marijuana – American Trucking Associations has expressed safety concerns over a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency proposal to downgrade the classification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a less serious category.
Watch the evolution of semi trucks over the last century – Take a quick trip through the evolution of semi trucks over the last century of trucking innovation in this clip.
