FMCSA changes, ELD revocations, inspection blitzes, and the compliance news that affects small carriers — in plain English, with what each one means for your operation.
FMCSA's deputy administrator admitted the Motus rollout went badly and said a rule to end ELD self-certification is in the works, with no timeline.
Read more →A trucker group asked FMCSA to make ELDs optional for any driver who wanted paper logs. The agency said no, so the ELD requirement stays exactly as it is.
Read more →FMCSA and state police in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida ran 552 inspections in one night on I-95 and other corridors. One in seven drivers was sidelined.
Read more →A federal appeals panel heard arguments Sept. 28 on whether non-domiciled CDLs must expire with a driver's work authorization. No ruling yet.
Read more →Deaf and hard-of-hearing drivers can qualify for interstate CMV work through FMCSA exemptions, but only under conditions the driver has to keep meeting.
Read more →The ELD requirement stays in place for drivers who must keep hours-of-service records. Paper logs are still not an option for most interstate drivers.
Read more →States that take federal safety-grant money must now run inspection and crash challenges through a staged review with deadlines at each step.
Read more →A nationwide waiver in effect since September 16 lets drivers hauling gasoline and diesel drive up to 16 hours in a 24-hour period, with strict eligibility and rest conditions attached.
Read more →A Federal Register notice published September 15 asks for public comment, due October 15, on renewing the form medical examiners use to check drivers' prescriptions with their doctors.
Read more →CVSA published the results of its unannounced June 8-12 hazmat inspection initiative: 5,046 inspections across the U.S. and Canada and a 13.5% vehicle out-of-service rate.
Read more →A September 9 Federal Register notice asks for comments on the paperwork behind 49 CFR 390.15, the accident register every interstate carrier must keep; comments close November 9, 2026.
Read more →The Unified Carrier Registration fee every interstate carrier pays each year rises about 20% for 2027. This is a final rule, effective October 1, 2026.
Read more →The August 31 announcement pairs FMCSA with U.S. Attorneys and Homeland Security on CDL fraud, unqualified training schools and English-proficiency enforcement at roadside.
Read more →The split-sleeper and split-duty pilots are still tests, not rule changes — but the agency now says the full programs are on track for 2027.
Read more →As of Aug. 23, FMCSA says drivers still using the TRUCKSTAFF ELD are treated as having no record of duty status and are placed out of service at roadside.
Read more →For one week, roadside inspections across the U.S., Canada and Mexico put extra weight on brake systems, and any brake-related out-of-service violation parks the truck until it is fixed.
Read more →The agency's top safety post goes to someone who has spent decades on both sides of the inspection lane, which signals how FMCSA intends to approach enforcement and carrier safety programs.
Read more →A proposed rule published August 10 would write the roadside out-of-service practice in place since June 2025 into the federal regulations themselves; comments are due October 9, 2026.
Read more →DOT announced a proposed rule that would write the current English-proficiency out-of-service practice into federal regulation; comments are open through October 9.
Read more →If your trucks run MOONLIGHT, HGRS, HIGHEST, TRUCKFORD or Sparkle ELD, the device is no longer registered and must be swapped for a compliant one before October 6, 2026.
Read more →A July 30 Federal Register notice opens a 30-day comment window on an exemption request to run camera monitors instead of the two required rear-vision mirrors.
Read more →A July 30 White House kickoff extended the military skills-test waiver window from one year to two and added seven states to FMCSA's Even Exchange program.
Read more →CDL conviction self-reporting, the in-cab ELD manual, and automatic return of signed roadside inspection reports are no longer federal requirements as of July 22, 2026.
Read more →A final rule published and effective July 21, 2026 cleans up the safety regulations and removes tire size from the maintenance-record identification requirement.
Read more →The Part 396 paperwork carriers already keep is up for its routine approval renewal; comments are open until September 14, 2026.
Read more →Federal investigators are now looking at entry-level driver training providers suspected of falsifying records — a hiring-side risk for any small carrier that recruits new CDL holders.
Read more →Officers across the US, Canada and Mexico are watching driver behavior — speeding, phones, following distance, seat belts — through July 18, and citations go on the driver's record.
Read more →If one of the ten devices is in your trucks, you are on paper logs now and out of service after September 8 — check the list before your next inspection.
Read more →Two carriers asked for relief from HOS limits for emergency-response driving; FMCSA is taking public comment through July 30 before deciding.
Read more →A week of driver-behavior enforcement across the U.S., Canada and Mexico — the citations issued that week follow a small carrier's safety record long after it ends.
Read more →Another device revoked for failing the technical requirements — anyone running it has a 60-day window to switch or be treated as operating without an ELD.
Read more →Two final rules filed June 18 drop the ELD operator's manual from the required in-cab kit and end blanket return of roadside inspection forms to states, effective July 22, 2026.
Read more →A final rule filed June 18 ends the 30-day duty to report traffic convictions to the driver's home state; the separate duty to tell the employer within 30 days stays in place.
Read more →Two new pilot programs could give drivers more control over the 14-hour clock and sleeper-berth splits. Here's what's actually being tested.
Read more →FMCSA pulled 12 devices from its registered ELD list. Carriers running a revoked device have a hard deadline to switch before drivers get placed out of service.
Read more →CVSA's annual three-day inspection blitz is the largest in North America. Here's what gets a truck or driver pulled out of service — and how to be ready.
Read more →FMCSA is offering $217 million in grants to the trucking and bus industries. Applications close June 17, 2026 — a short window.
Read more →FMCSA's Electronic DVIR final rule confirms inspection reports can be created, signed, and stored digitally. Here's what it changes for your fleet.
Read more →Since June 2025, drivers who can't demonstrate English proficiency at roadside can be placed out of service. Here's how the check works.
Read more →Every new carrier faces a one-time FMCSA safety audit in its first year. Here's exactly what they check — and what happens if you fail.
Read more →A provision in the House highway bill targets carriers that re-register under a new name to dodge a bad safety record.
Read more →From hours-of-service flexibility to English-proficiency enforcement, FMCSA has teased a full slate of 2026 rulemaking. Here's the short version.
Read more →Expect more scrutiny of ELD data integrity and CDL credentials this year. Here's what clean operators should know.
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