New USDOT registrations drop 7.6% WoW to 3,606 as carrier entries fall 8.4% to 3,335; weekend fade and Sunday lull persist | USDOT Market Analysis Week of 2026-03-29

New USDOT registrations drop 7.6% WoW to 3,606 as carrier entries fall 8.4% to 3,335; weekend fade and Sunday lull persist | USDOT Market Analysis Week of 2026-03-29

Introduction For the seven days ending March 29, 2026, newly issued USDOT numbers totaled 3,606, with carriers accounting for the vast majority of registrations (3,335), alongside 111 brokers and 160 in other categories. The daily cadence shows a textbook weekday-to-weekend fade: volumes step down from Monday through Friday and collapse…

Daily Trucking Digest – March 30, 2026

Daily Trucking Digest – March 30, 2026

OIL SURGE TIGHTENS FREIGHT MARGINS AS BRENT JUMPS PAST $116; DIESEL COST PRESSURES BUILD Crude rallied again on Monday, March 30, with Brent topping $116 amid Middle East turmoil—an upswing that typically flows through to U.S. diesel prices and carrier fuel surcharges, squeezing trucking spot margins and contract profitability. IOWA…

Daily Trucking Digest – March 29, 2026

Daily Trucking Digest – March 29, 2026

UPS NIXES DRIVER BUYOUTS IN 13 STATES UPS is rolling back its Driver Choice buyout program across the Teamsters’ Central Region after more than 30 local grievances, though the company says discussions continue with local unions. Carriers and shippers should monitor potential labor impacts on parcel capacity and service areas.…

Shoeboxed adds hands-free mileage tracking and “IRS-ready” reports: what owner‑operators should know in 2026

Shoeboxed adds hands-free mileage tracking and “IRS-ready” reports: what owner‑operators should know in 2026

Why this matters for trucking businesses Shoeboxed’s iOS app now emphasizes automatic, always-on mileage tracking alongside receipt capture—positioning itself as a mobile back office for drivers. The App Store listing highlights background trip detection with nightly text summaries you can confirm by replying, plus OCR that pulls vendor, amount, date,…

Daily Trucking Digest – March 28, 2026

Daily Trucking Digest – March 28, 2026

MATS FRIDAY CONCERT PACKS FREEDOM HALL AS SHOW HITS FULL STRIDE The Mid-America Trucking Show’s free Friday concert in Louisville featured Frank Foster, Mark Ware and Long Haul Paul, drawing thousands after a full day of exhibits, education and networking. FINAL-DAY PLAYBOOK: WHAT’S ON TAP AT MATS 2026 TODAY Saturday…

IRS Safe Harbor: Which Truck Bodies Avoid the 12% Federal Excise Tax

IRS Safe Harbor: Which Truck Bodies Avoid the 12% Federal Excise Tax

What changed—and when The Internal Revenue Service clarified in formal guidance that certain common truck body types meet a “suitable for use” standard and therefore are excluded from the 12% federal retail excise tax (FET) under Internal Revenue Code §4051. The clarification, issued March 16, 2005 and effective for sales…

Daily Trucking Digest – March 27, 2026

Daily Trucking Digest – March 27, 2026

LAWMAKERS FLOAT FEDERAL GAS-TAX HOLIDAY AS FUEL SPIKE HITS TRUCKING With pump prices surging amid Middle East turmoil, members of Congress are pushing to suspend the federal gas tax. Carriers warn higher diesel costs will filter quickly into freight rates and consumer prices. MATS 2026 KICKS OFF FRIDAY WITH OPENING…