NEW ENGLISH EXAMS SIDELINE 6,000 TRUCKERS, TESTING SUPPLY CHAINS AND SPARKING BIAS CONCERNS
Since June, stepped-up roadside English-proficiency enforcement has put about 6,000 drivers out of service; critics call the tests subjective and warn of labor shortages, while DOT says the policy improves safety.
U.S. WITHHOLDS $40.6M FROM CALIFORNIA OVER TRUCKER ENGLISH ENFORCEMENT DISPUTE
USDOT froze Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funds, saying California isn’t enforcing English rules for CDL holders; the state argues its licensing and enforcement meet federal standards and touts lower fatal crash rates for CA-licensed drivers.
DOT TO WITHHOLD $40M FROM CALIFORNIA OVER CDL ENGLISH RULES, WITH MORE AT RISK
The funding fight follows a fatal Florida crash that intensified scrutiny of licensing and English standards; DOT has also threatened to pull additional highway funds if states don’t comply with federal requirements.
J.B. HUNT Q3 PROFIT JUMPS 12% ON COST CUTS AS REVENUE HOLDS STEADY
The carrier posted EPS of $1.76 on $3.05B revenue, with margin improvement led by cost removal and productivity gains; shares rallied as results topped expectations despite a sluggish freight market.
JBHT SHARES SURGE AFTER EARNINGS BEAT AS ANALYSTS LIFT TARGETS
Investors cheered J.B. Hunt’s cost discipline and intermodal margin gains, with multiple Wall Street firms boosting price targets while cautioning that freight pricing recovery remains uncertain.
U.S. DIESEL AVERAGE FALLS TO $3.665/GAL, DOWN 4.6¢ W/W IN LATEST EIA UPDATE
National on‑highway diesel prices eased for the week ended Oct. 13, with declines across most regions; Gulf Coast remained the cheapest and West Coast the highest, led by California near $5/gal.
CSX BEATS Q3 ESTIMATES ON INTERMODAL STRENGTH AND PRICING RESILIENCE
Adjusted EPS of $0.44 topped forecasts as intermodal volumes improved; lower coal revenue weighed on the top line, but the railroad maintained a robust capex outlook, a key tell for surface freight capacity planning.
PORT OF LOS ANGELES LOGS RECORD QUARTER DESPITE SEPTEMBER IMPORT DIP
The port handled 883,053 TEUs in September (−7.5% y/y) but still posted its best quarter ever at 2.9M TEUs, with leaders warning tariffs and policy swings are adding cost and demand volatility for shippers and truckers alike.
NEWSOM VETOES BILL TO LIMIT LA-AREA PORT POLLUTION RULES, KEEPING REGULATORS’ AUTHORITY INTACT
The veto preserves South Coast AQMD’s ability to pursue port-related emissions controls at Los Angeles/Long Beach, a decision closely watched by drayage fleets and cargo owners amid ongoing clean-air negotiations.
DAT: SPOT RATES EDGE HIGHER EVEN AS SEPTEMBER VOLUMES SOFTENED
DAT says van and reefer volumes slipped month to month while flatbed ticked up, yet spot prices improved on imbalances and capacity shifts rather than demand—an indicator to watch heading into peak season.
SUPERTANKER RATES SPIKE ON U.S.–CHINA PORT FEES, ADDING PRESSURE TO FUEL COSTS AND SUPPLY CHAINS
VLCC rates jumped as reciprocal port levies and sanctions diverted ships and tightened capacity, raising per‑barrel transport costs—another headwind for diesel and petroleum flows downstream to trucking.
ATA’S 2025 MCE TO UNITE INDUSTRY IN SAN DIEGO OCT. 25–28 AMID POLICY AND MARKET CROSSWINDS
ATA’s annual conference will spotlight policy, workforce and tech with a busy expo floor—timely as fleets navigate tariffs, emissions battles, and a stubbornly uneven freight cycle.
UNION PACIFIC SETS OCT. 23 DATE FOR Q3 RESULTS AS TRANSPORT EARNINGS HEAT UP
Following JBHT’s beat and CSX’s update, UP will report next week with an investor webcast—important context for intermodal outlooks tied to trucking demand and network fluidity.
ODFL RISES BUT LAGS TRUCKING PEERS AS TRANSPORTS RALLY ON EARNINGS
Old Dominion shares gained modestly while J.B. Hunt and other transports outpaced, reflecting investor rotation within trucking as Wall Street digests mixed rate and volume signals.
SENATORS UNVEIL BILL TO CODIFY CDL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AMID NEW ENFORCEMENT PUSH
New legislation introduced in the Senate aims to formalize English standards for commercial drivers, dovetailing with the administration’s executive actions and funding penalties for noncompliant states.
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