SUPREME COURT SETS JAN. 14 RULINGS AS LOGISTICS AWAITS DECISION ON TRUMP-ERA TARIFFS A ruling next week on the legality of sweeping tariffs could reshape import costs and freight flows; businesses are bracing for potential disruption and refund claims. THOUSANDS OF COMPANIES SUE U.S. FOR TARIFF REFUNDS AS COURT WEIGHS…
Why this matters to carriers and fleets The IRS is pressing a novel legal strategy against Meta Platforms that could broaden how the government recalculates cross‑border prices inside large companies. In a December 2025 Tax Court filing, the IRS sought roughly $16 billion and spotlighted “periodic adjustments,” a tool that…
Why this matters now for fleets and owner‑operators With filing season underway for calendar‑year businesses, the IRS’s Revenue Procedure 2025‑28 changes how companies can treat research and development costs—opening the door to immediate deductions for U.S.‑based R&D and refund opportunities for prior years. Trucking businesses that invest in in‑house software,…
USPS TIGHTENS RULES ON NON-DOMICILED CDL DRIVERS FOR CONTRACTED TRUCKING USPS said it will work with highway contractors to phase out non‑domiciled CDL drivers who haven’t been vetted by the Postal Inspection Service, aligning with federal safety policies and heightened scrutiny of licensing practices. RYDER ACQUIRES TRUCK SERVICE DEPOT, EXPANDS…
Why owner-operators and fleets are hearing about a “$600 rule” If you’ve ever been paid through Venmo for a side haul, roadside repair, or parts resale, you’ve likely heard about a “$600 rule.” That nickname refers to a federal change Congress passed in 2021 that would have required payment apps…
TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY FALLS TO 4-YEAR LOW AS LMI SIGNALS TIGHTER TRUCKLOAD MARKET December’s Logistics Managers’ Index showed transportation capacity plunging to 36.9 (lowest since October 2021) as utilization and pricing climbed, pointing to the strongest freight environment in 3+ years heading into 2026. CLASS 8 ORDERS SURGE TO 42,200 IN…
Introduction New USDOT registrations edged higher during the holiday-shortened week of December 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026. Using verified filings, we analyze daily flow, week-over-week momentum, and where new entrants are clustering by state. We then connect those trends to current market signals—from manufacturing demand to fuel costs and…
What the “$600 rule” actually means The “$600 rule” is shorthand for a 2021 law that would have required payment apps to send IRS Form 1099-K to anyone who received $600 or more for goods and services in a year. That label stuck, even as the federal threshold changed multiple…
SAFETY GROUPS PUSH FMCSA TO KILL TEEN-TRUCKER PILOT EXTENSION Crash victim advocates asked FMCSA to reject extending the under‑21 interstate pilot (SDAP), citing limited data and higher crash risk among teen drivers. The agency is reviewing results and must report to Congress by March 10. BRAD JACOBS’ QXO SECURES $1.2B…
Why this matters now A new year is the right time to get ahead of tax trouble. A recent trucking-focused YouTube message urged owner-operators to “take ownership” of IRS issues and highlighted that 2026 brings fresh bracket thresholds. That’s true: the IRS has released 2026 inflation adjustments, plus updated per‑mile…
