DOL MOVES TO LOOSEN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR RULES, EYES RETURN TO ‘ECONOMIC REALITY’ TEST
Labor Department plans to rescind the 2024 IC rule and revert to a more flexible standard under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a potential tailwind for leased‑on owner‑operators and carriers using contractor models.
FMCSA EXTENDS HOS RELIEF FOR HEATING FUELS IN 16 STATES THROUGH MARCH 14
Citing ongoing winter impacts and refinery issues, FMCSA renewed regional emergency relief from 49 CFR 395.3 for carriers hauling propane, natural gas and heating oil across the Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic to stabilize supply and protect public safety.
AURORA EXPANDS DRIVERLESS NETWORK; TARGETS 200 AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS BY YEAR‑END
New Fort Worth–Phoenix lane joins a 10‑route Southwest footprint, with the company highlighting transit‑time gains and new customers as it scales supervised and fully driverless freight operations in 2026.
RYAN TRANSPORTATION, BOT AUTO TO LAUNCH DRIVERLESS HOUSTON–DFW LANE THIS SPRING
The 3PL will use Bot Auto’s Level‑4 trucks on an overnight Texas corridor to improve utilization and reliability, integrating the provider’s TaaS model into its brokerage network as autonomy expands on key lanes.
ATA: JANUARY TRUCK TONNAGE EDGES UP 0.4% AS CAPACITY CUTS, STORMS TIGHTEN MARKET
ATA’s index showed slight year‑over‑year improvement, with analysts noting weather disruptions and fleet exits are lifting pricing traction despite uneven freight demand to start 2026.
TRAILER ORDERS START 2026 MIXED; JANUARY BOOKINGS UP 9% YEAR OVER YEAR TO ~23,000
ACT data show fleets still cautious amid cost inflation and trade uncertainty; manufacturers watch federal probes into alleged unfair trailer imports from China, Mexico and Canada that could reshape pricing in 2026.
TMC 2026 TO SPOTLIGHT AI, ADAS AND LONGER LIFE CYCLES AS MAINTENANCE DEMANDS EVOLVE
Marking its 70th year, ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council will ballot new practices and showcase nearly 400 exhibitors in Nashville as fleets adapt to software‑heavy, sensor‑rich trucks and extended asset cycles.
UPS OFFERS FINAL BUYOUTS TO DRIVERS AHEAD OF 2026 LAYOFFS AMID NETWORK RESTRUCTURING
A letter obtained by WLKY details a voluntary separation package as UPS accelerates its consolidation and automation push, signaling continued labor and footprint changes impacting parcel‑adjacent trucking capacity this year.
NS, CMA CGM LAUNCH TRUCK‑LIKE INTERMODAL FROM MIDWEST TO WEST COAST TO SHIFT FREIGHT FROM HIGHWAYS
Norfolk Southern’s Triple Crown unit and CMA CGM rolled out a door‑to‑door 40‑foot container service linking Cleveland/Detroit to Los Angeles (and Columbus to Seattle), designed to mimic truck service and convert highway freight to rail.
PORT OF LA SEES STABLE FACTORY ORDERS AS SHIPPERS PLAN 90 DAYS OUT DESPITE TARIFF WHIPLASH
Executive leadership expects more traditional seasonal patterns after last year’s tariff‑driven front‑loading, though February arrivals were flat and a post‑Lunar New Year lull is anticipated in March.
TEAMSTERS CALL MARCH 2 RALLY IN SAN FRANCISCO TO OPPOSE WAYMO AFTER POWER OUTAGE FIASCO
Unions and city officials plan to press safety and jobs concerns tied to robotaxis ahead of a city hearing, underscoring growing political headwinds for autonomous operations in urban corridors served by freight and parcel networks.
With LA volumes under pressure and policy shifts roiling rates, shippers are adopting dynamic procurement tools to hedge spot exposure and stabilize ocean‑to‑truck flows during contracting season.
U.S. CRUDE OUTPUT SLIPS TO 6‑MONTH LOW; DIESEL DEMAND EDGES HIGHER INTO JANUARY COLD SNAP
EIA’s monthly update shows December production cooling while winter weather tightened distillate markets, a backdrop fleets are watching closely for near‑term fuel price risk and surcharges.
ATRI OPENS 2026 OPERATIONAL COSTS OF TRUCKING SURVEY; DATA DUE APRIL 24
Following record non‑fuel expenses in 2024, carriers are invited to submit 2025 cost data for benchmarking; multiyear comparison reports debut as fleets seek sharper visibility into margins and cost drivers.
MAERSK GROUND FREIGHT TO ADD 5–7 U.S. SITES IN 2026 AFTER OPENING NEW FONTANA TERMINAL
The integrator is accelerating its inland build‑out—adding to 65 existing locations—to improve routing, speed and reliability between key hubs as it deepens end‑to‑end offerings for shippers.
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