TRUCKERS REPORT – Trucks & Trucking | Business & Commerce

Wesley Salley, a senior technician with FedEx Freight from Round Rock, Texas, has been named the TMCSuperTech 2026 Grand Champion at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council National Technician Skills Competitions. The annual event recognizes professional technicians who demonstrate advanced knowledge and hands-on expertise across critical commercial vehicle maintenance categories. The competition was held September 20-21 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Participants were tested through a series of technical skills stations designed to evaluate their ability to diagnose, repair, and maintain modern commercial vehicles. Categories included electrical systems, brakes, wheel ends, advanced driver assistance systems, fifth wheels, remote diagnostics, electric vehicle safety, and other areas essential to fleet maintenance. Salley also earned first place in the Fasteners skills station, adding an individual category victory to his overall Grand Champion title. His performance placed him ahead of a highly competitive group of technicians representing fleets and maintenance organizations from across the trucking industry. FedEx Freight had a particularly strong showing in the professional competition. Kelby Bentley, who previously won the TMCSuperTech Grand Champion title in 2019, finished second overall. Fellow FedEx Freight technician Mitchell Buelow placed third. The three results gave FedEx Freight all of the top three individual positions in the final standings. FedEx Freight also captured the team championship, represented by Salley and Buelow. Hogan Truck Leasing finished second in the team standings, while TravelCenters of America placed third. TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell said Salley demonstrated the technical skills, knowledge, and professionalism expected from competitors at the national event. The competition is designed not only to recognize experienced technicians but also to highlight the increasing complexity and importance of commercial vehicle maintenance as fleets adopt new safety systems, diagnostics, and electric vehicle technologies. The event also included the TMCFutureTech National Student Technician Skills Competition, which focuses on students preparing for careers in commercial vehicle maintenance. Corbin White of the University of Northwestern Ohio earned first place overall. Madison Boone of Forsyth Technical Community College finished second, while Jeffrey Jackson of Francis Tuttle Technology Center placed third. TMCSuperTech gives technicians an opportunity to demonstrate specialized skills while showcasing careers in fleet maintenance. TMC represents technicians, fleets, manufacturers, suppliers, educators, and other industry professionals and develops recommended practices used to improve commercial vehicle maintenance and equipment performance. Source: https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/wesley-salley-earns-top-title-tmcsupertech-grand-champion The post Wesley Salley Named TMCSuperTech 2026 Grand Champion appeared first on TruckersReport.com. [TheTopNews] Read More.

Nussbaum Transportation and Roehl Transport have announced their second driver pay increases of 2026, continuing a broader trend of rising compensation across the trucking industry as freight capacity tightens and carriers compete to attract and retain qualified drivers. Illinois-based Nussbaum Transportation is increasing several parts of its driver compensation program, including activity pay, detention pay, weekly minimum guarantees, and trainer compensation. The carrier previously introduced the largest driver pay increase in its history in May, which included higher mileage rates, expanded guarantees, and a new profit-sharing program. Under the newest changes, activity pay will increase from $20 to $23 for every pickup, delivery, and stop-off. Pay for trailer relays and shuttles will rise from $12 to $15 per event. Nussbaum’s detention pay will also increase 25%, from $20 to $25 per hour, while continuing to begin after one hour of waiting. The company will raise its weekly minimum guarantee by $50 per week. Drivers assigned to its special Illuminate Loop project will receive an additional $50 weekly. Meanwhile, trainer pay will increase 50%, from an additional $500 to $750 per week, on top of regular mileage, activity, and guaranteed compensation. Nussbaum said its compensation approach is designed to pay drivers for duties that traditional cents-per-mile systems may overlook. These include time spent at guard shacks, staging trailers, completing paperwork, handling pickups and deliveries, and waiting at docks. The company noted that drivers handling numerous shorter loads may perform significantly more hands-on work despite accumulating fewer miles. Roehl Transport has also announced its second pay increase this year. The Wisconsin-based carrier said the combined increases represent one of the largest driver compensation investments in its history. The new rates will take effect October 4 for most company drivers in Roehl’s Refrigerated, Flatbed, Van, Curtainside, and Dedicated divisions. According to Roehl, many of its highest-earning professional drivers could earn more than $100,000 annually while receiving weekly home time and, in some cases, returning home daily. The company also announced increased compensation for owner-operators and lease operators who partner with Roehl. Earlier in 2026, Roehl increased compensation based partly on driver longevity and tenure, including drivers who entered the industry through its on-the-job CDL training program. The carrier also increased Certified Driver Trainer compensation and added retention bonuses. Other fleets are making similar moves. Anderson Trucking Service recently increased its company flatbed mileage rate by 16.7%, from 60 cents… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Tesla has been selected as the lead supplier for a major order of 2,500 battery-electric Class 8 trucks, a project organizers describe as the largest electric truck order in the United States to date. The order is being coordinated through the ZET SCALE alliance, which aims to accelerate adoption of zero-emission trucks by combining freight demand from multiple shippers. ZET SCALE stands for Zero-Emission Truck Shipper-Carrier Alliance Leading Electrification. The initiative is operated by Catalyst Mobility, formerly known as CALSTART, and Smart Freight Centre. Founding shippers include Microsoft and PepsiCo, while the alliance has set a broader goal of supporting 10,000 or more zero-emission trucks. The program combined freight demand from participating companies before issuing an independent request for proposals to truck manufacturers. Bids were evaluated based on price, range, charging capability, and production capacity. Tesla was selected as the primary supplier, although Catalyst Mobility has not disclosed exactly how many of the 2,500 vehicles will be Tesla Semis. Kenworth, RIDE, and Volvo were selected as secondary manufacturers. Their trucks will remain available for carriers whose routes or operational needs require different vehicle configurations. The order represents a significant expansion compared with current electric truck sales. Only 875 zero-emission heavy-duty trucks were sold in the U.S. during 2025, accounting for approximately 0.3% of the market. Organizers say the new order alone could nearly double the number of electric Class 8 trucks operating nationwide. Financing will be handled by ZET Financial, which will purchase the trucks and offer them to fleets through a fair-market-value leasing program called ZET Lease. The model is designed to reduce one of the biggest financial concerns surrounding electric trucks: uncertainty over future resale values. ZET Financial will also evaluate each fleet’s operating cycle, financing costs, electricity expenses, diesel costs, and maintenance requirements before deployment. The first phase will focus on 10 major freight hubs, including Los Angeles, Stockton, and Bakersfield in California; Seattle-Tacoma; Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio; Chicago; Atlanta; and the Newark-New York City region. The alliance plans to add more carriers, shippers, and regions over time. Charging infrastructure remains a key challenge. No charging provider has yet been announced for the initial hubs, although ZET Financial plans to provide infrastructure and charging guidance to participating fleets. Industry participants also stressed that truck availability alone will not guarantee successful deployments. Fleets will need dependable charging, carefully planned routes, trained technicians and drivers, and operating… [TheTopNews] Read More.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has released results from a special human trafficking awareness, identification, and prevention initiative conducted during this summer’s international men’s soccer competition. The campaign focused on educating commercial drivers, motor carriers, law enforcement personnel, and the public about recognizing possible trafficking situations and knowing how to report suspected activity. Commercial motor vehicle enforcement agencies from 10 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces participated in the effort. Data was collected from June 1 through July 30, covering the period before and during the international competition, when millions of visitors traveled throughout North America. CVSA coordinated the initiative with TAT, formerly known as Truckers Against Trafficking. The organizations emphasized increased awareness around large international events because significant travel and visitor activity can create environments where trafficking and exploitation may occur. Participating jurisdictions distributed 4,484 human trafficking awareness materials. These included 2,851 wallet cards, 767 window decals, 704 postcards, and 162 posters. Enforcement personnel also delivered 37 presentations, organized 11 public events, and made 41 media contacts as part of the education campaign. Outreach efforts frequently involved direct conversations with commercial drivers. Inspectors provided information about trafficking warning signs and reporting resources after roadside inspections. Some agencies also added anti-trafficking information to inspection reports and distributed materials that drivers could keep in their vehicles or share with others. Commercial vehicle inspections played an important role in the initiative because roadside encounters can give enforcement officers opportunities to observe passengers, vehicles, and situations that could indicate exploitation. During the campaign, inspectors conducted 4,340 Level I, Level II, and Level III commercial motor vehicle inspections. Authorities reported inspecting 237 commercial vehicles carrying passengers. Those vehicles included 244 authorized passengers and three passengers identified as unauthorized. The results highlight the trucking industry’s potential role in combating human trafficking. Professional drivers regularly travel through truck stops, rest areas, distribution centers, border crossings, hotels, and other locations where warning signs could potentially be observed. Commercial vehicle inspectors also interact with thousands of drivers and vehicles, giving them additional opportunities to recognize suspicious circumstances. CVSA’s broader Human Trafficking Prevention Program operates throughout the year and combines enforcement, investigation, education, and industry outreach across North America. The organization provides free awareness resources designed to help transportation professionals identify indicators of trafficking and understand appropriate reporting procedures. CVSA also maintains reporting information for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In the U.S., suspected human trafficking situations… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Halliburton has signed two non-binding agreements aimed at supporting new oil and natural gas development projects in Venezuela, expanding the energy services company’s involvement as international firms explore opportunities in the country’s energy sector. The Houston-based company announced on September 21 that it will work with Eneva SA, Brazil’s largest private natural gas operator, to identify potential natural gas development opportunities in Venezuela. Halliburton also signed a separate memorandum of understanding with engineering firm West-Construcciones CA, or WESCA, to support field development and planning activities. The agreements represent another step in Halliburton’s potential return to a market where it previously maintained significant operations. The company reduced and ultimately shut down its primary Venezuelan activities in 2020 as U.S. sanctions and political tensions limited energy-sector business in the country. Halliburton is one of the world’s largest providers of oilfield services, including drilling, hydraulic fracturing, well construction, reservoir evaluation, and production technologies. Its expertise could become important as Venezuela attempts to restore aging energy infrastructure and increase oil and natural gas production. The latest agreements come as several U.S. and international companies examine possible investments in Venezuela. Chevron has announced plans to expand its Venezuelan operations, while ExxonMobil has held discussions with government officials about a potential return. Venezuela holds more than 303 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest total in the world, according to OPEC data cited by Transport Topics. The Trump administration has also encouraged U.S. energy companies to explore opportunities in Venezuela as part of its broader effort to increase oil supplies. In August, the White House announced a partnership involving North American Blue Energy Partners that includes development rights covering 17 Venezuelan oil fields. Administration officials have said increased Venezuelan production could eventually contribute to greater global energy supply, though analysts have cautioned that rebuilding the country’s deteriorated infrastructure could require years and substantial investment. For Halliburton, the agreements with Eneva and WESCA do not yet represent binding commitments to begin major projects. Instead, they establish frameworks for identifying development opportunities and providing technical support if projects move forward. The company’s renewed interest comes as Venezuela’s energy industry seeks outside capital, technology, and expertise to increase production. Years of underinvestment, infrastructure deterioration, sanctions, and operational challenges have limited output despite the country’s enormous oil reserves. If projects advance, Halliburton could provide technology and oilfield services needed to develop wells, improve production, and support natural… [TheTopNews] Read More.