|
Top Stories
Trump’s independent contractor rule is back but industry says it barely changed
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division published a revived independent contractor rule that the American Trucking Associations described as "a significant step forward" for the hundreds of thousands of truckers who work as ICs. The new proposal centers on the same two core factors as the original Trump-era rule — control and opportunity for profit or loss — as primary indicators of worker classification. Critics note the near-identical language to its predecessor, which the Biden administration spent two years dismantling. The rule is now in a public comment period, and litigation is widely expected once a final rule is issued.
So What? An IC-friendly classification rule clears the path for carriers and brokers relying on owner-operator models. The misclassification litigation risk from the Biden rule was already reshaping some operational structures. Comment period outcomes and court challenges will determine the timeline — but the direction of travel is clear.
Read the full story →
FMCSA renews Wilson Logistics’ CDL waiver but opens inquiry into its training program
FMCSA approved a five-year renewal of Wilson Logistics’ CDL exemption, effective Feb. 24, 2026, and running through Feb. 24, 2031. The waiver permits CLP holders who have passed a CDL skills test to operate commercial vehicles without a licensed CDL holder present for up to 30 days. In the same notice, the agency confirmed it will follow up on allegations that Wilson lowered its driver qualification standards and shortened its training program in December 2025. FMCSA said it found no evidence of a safety degradation attributable to the current exemption but signaled the inquiry is active and ongoing.
So What? The waiver renewal signals continued regulatory flexibility on CDL training timelines. The simultaneous inquiry is a harder signal to read — if FMCSA finds that shortened training produced measurable safety degradation, it will have the data to tighten waiver criteria across the industry, not just for Wilson.
Read the full story →
Maersk retreats from the Red Sea again, just weeks after declaring a return
Maersk announced Friday it will reroute several sailings — including U.S.-bound services — around the Cape of Good Hope after encountering unforeseen constraints in the Red Sea corridor. The reversal comes roughly six weeks after Maersk committed to a structural return to trans-Suez routing for its MECL service, linking the Middle East and India with the U.S. East Coast. The U.S.-flagged Maersk Denver had successfully transited the Red Sea in January, and the carrier had expanded Suez transits through its Gemini cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd in February. The current disruption suspends some of those voyages indefinitely.
So What? Shippers who rebuilt lane pricing and transit timelines around the Suez reopening need to update their models again. The Cape route adds 10 to 14 days to Asia-to-U.S. East Coast transit times and drives up carrier operating costs. Each reversal makes durable rate agreements harder to structure and keeps U.S. importers exposed to supply chain unpredictability.
Read the full story →
New York’s toughened driving penalties are adding compliance pressure on CDL holders
New York is already under federal order after FMCSA found the state issued more than 32,000 nondomiciled CDLs in violation of federal immigration status requirements — a 53% failure rate on sampled records. New state-level driving penalties are layering additional compliance risk on CDL holders operating in and through the state. Federal English Language Proficiency enforcement is tightening simultaneously: drivers who fail a roadside language evaluation face immediate out-of-service orders. FMCSA has given New York 30 days to audit and void non-compliant licenses or risk losing tens of millions in federal highway funding.
So What? Carriers routing freight through New York with non-domiciled drivers need to audit CDL records now. The federal compliance deadline lands on the state DMV, but carriers holding non-compliant credentials will feel the operational consequences first — out-of-service orders at the roadside don’t wait for state bureaucracies to catch up.
Read the full story →
|
