TRUCKERS REPORT – Trucks & Trucking | Business & Commerce

The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) is undergoing a leadership transition after Jennifer Hedrick, CAE, stepped down as president and CEO. Hedrick’s departure became effective August 5, 2026, ending a tenure that began in January 2023. During that period, she was responsible for overseeing the association’s operations, programs, events, and member engagement initiatives. WIT has appointed Lana Nichols, the association’s vice president, to serve as interim president and CEO. Nichols will lead the organization while its Board of Directors conducts a search for Hedrick’s permanent successor. The association has not yet announced a timeline for selecting or appointing its next president and CEO. Hedrick said she decided to leave the organization because she needs to focus on family matters. In announcing her departure, she expressed appreciation for WIT’s employees, members, and volunteers and highlighted the work accomplished during her time leading the organization. She also expressed confidence in WIT’s continued ability to advance its mission and serve the transportation community. WIT Board Chair Jennifer Plumlee, who also serves as vice president of managed logistics at J.B. Hunt Transport Services, thanked Hedrick for her service to the association. The board emphasized that maintaining continuity will be an important priority throughout the leadership change. According to the association, WIT has an experienced staff with nearly 50 years of collective experience within the organization. That institutional knowledge, combined with support from its Board of Directors and partner companies, is expected to help maintain programs and services while the search for permanent leadership moves forward. The leadership transition comes as Women In Trucking continues numerous initiatives designed to increase the participation and advancement of women throughout transportation. The association focuses on creating professional connections, recognizing industry achievements, supporting career development, conducting research, and providing programs that help both employees and trucking companies. One of WIT’s major ongoing research initiatives is the WIT Index, which measures women’s representation in transportation positions ranging from professional truck drivers to corporate executives. Its 2024-25 findings showed women holding approximately 28% of C-suite and executive positions, 34.5% of supervisory leadership roles, and 29.5% of board positions among participating organizations. For fleets and transportation employers, the association’s established programs provide resources for recruiting, developing, connecting, and recognizing women throughout the industry. FleetOwner noted that the eventual selection of a permanent CEO could influence WIT’s future priorities and how the association works with trucking companies, industry professionals, and corporate partners.… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Hundreds of the nation’s most accomplished professional truck drivers have gathered in Pittsburgh for the 2026 National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships, where competitors are testing their knowledge and skills for the opportunity to become the Bendix Grand Champion. The American Trucking Associations’ Safety Management Council is hosting the competition at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. This year’s national competition features 429 elite drivers from 49 states representing 55 companies. Competitors did not simply register for the national event. Each driver earned a spot by winning a state-level truck driving championship and maintaining the accident-free record required to compete. Together, the 2026 competitors have accumulated approximately 775 million accident-free miles during their professional driving careers. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs welcomed competitors to Pittsburgh as the championships began, congratulating them for reaching the national level. ATA officials described the competitors as examples of the safety, discipline, professionalism, and responsibility required from professional drivers responsible for moving freight throughout the country. The championships involve much more than maneuvering trucks through an obstacle course. Drivers must demonstrate their abilities across three major areas: a written examination, a pre-trip vehicle inspection, and a driving skills test. The written portion tests competitors’ understanding of trucking rules and regulations, while the inspection exercise requires them to identify potential vehicle defects and safety problems. During the driving portion, competitors must precisely maneuver commercial vehicles through a series of challenging obstacles. Drivers are evaluated on vehicle control, accuracy, and their ability to safely handle situations designed to reflect the demanding skills professional drivers use on the road. Performance across all portions of the competition determines who advances toward the championship round. The National Truck Driving Championships have a long history of promoting highway safety. ATA says the national event and its affiliated state competitions represent one of trucking’s largest safety programs. The annual competitions have been held since 1937, encouraging thousands of professional drivers to maintain accident-free records for an opportunity to qualify. ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said the finalists represent some of the trucking industry’s most highly skilled professionals. Beyond competing for trophies, participants demonstrate the expertise required to operate large commercial vehicles safely while delivering the freight that supports American businesses and communities. Awards extend beyond the overall championship. The event recognizes top finishers across multiple vehicle classes and includes honors such as the… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Proposed Rule Would Make English Proficiency Violations a Federal Out-of-Service Condition The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed changing federal regulations to formally codify stricter English-language proficiency requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The proposal would turn the agency’s current enforcement guidance into a regulation, making the standards more difficult for future administrations to change without going through the formal federal rulemaking process. English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers are not new. Federal regulations dating back to 1937 require drivers to have sufficient English skills to communicate with the public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official questions, and make required entries on reports and records. The debate has centered largely on how those longstanding requirements should be enforced. In 2016, FMCSA issued guidance that provided greater flexibility during enforcement. Inspectors were directed not to issue an English-language proficiency violation when drivers could communicate using tools such as interpreters or smartphone applications. Drivers cited for English proficiency violations also were not automatically placed out of service under that policy. The approach changed after President Donald Trump returned to office. Following an executive order directing FMCSA to strengthen enforcement, the agency introduced stricter roadside procedures. Drivers who fail the English-language proficiency assessment can now be cited and placed out of service. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance also added English-language proficiency violations to its North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria. FMCSA’s proposed rule would formally incorporate that enforcement approach into the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. It would identify failure to meet English-language proficiency requirements as an out-of-service condition, with an exception involving certain trips that remain within commercial zones along the U.S.-Mexico border. FMCSA’s current guidance explains that drivers traveling outside those border commercial zones can be placed out of service if they fail the assessment. Codifying the requirement would have implications beyond federal roadside inspections. FMCSA said states would be required to adopt compatible requirements into their own laws, helping establish more consistent enforcement nationwide regardless of future changes to CVSA’s out-of-service criteria. FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs emphasized the safety implications of drivers being able to understand critical signs such as steep-grade warnings, runaway truck ramp notices, and do-not-enter signs. According to FMCSA, more than 26,000 drivers have already been removed from service since stricter English-language proficiency checks were reinstated. For motor carriers, the proposed regulation reinforces the importance of evaluating English proficiency during hiring… [TheTopNews] Read More.

International Motors is preparing to exit two manufacturing operations in Springfield, Ohio, resulting in the elimination of 1,341 jobs as the facilities transition to new ownership. The truck manufacturer has reached an agreement to sell the operating assets of its Springfield Assembly Plant and Truck Specialty Center to Canadian commercial and defense vehicle manufacturer Roshel. The transaction is expected to close on October 2, 2026, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. International said virtually all employees working at the two Springfield facilities will be terminated when the transaction is finalized, except for certain employees who are on approved leaves of absence. The Springfield Assembly Plant accounts for most of the affected workforce, with approximately 1,314 employees expected to lose their jobs. Another 27 positions will be eliminated at the Truck Specialty Center. A large percentage of those affected are union workers. Approximately 1,137 employees at the assembly plant and 21 workers at the specialty center are represented by the United Auto Workers through Locals 402 and 658. International Motors, headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, employs approximately 14,500 people worldwide. The company also maintains a significant distribution network, including roughly 1,000 dealer locations throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. Springfield has a long history with International truck manufacturing. The plant opened in 1966 and currently produces medium-duty trucks and General Motors van chassis. In more recent years, however, the location has primarily operated as a contract manufacturing facility under an agreement with a major automotive manufacturer. That manufacturing agreement is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2026, creating uncertainty about the facility’s future. International said it had been working to identify an appropriate path forward for the Springfield operation as the end of the contract approached. Selling the facilities provides an opportunity for the manufacturing complex to remain active under new ownership. Roshel plans to transform the Springfield properties into a U.S.-based manufacturing hub for commercial, specialty, and armored vehicles. The Canadian company intends to use the site’s existing production capabilities to manufacture vehicles using chassis supplied by multiple original equipment manufacturers. The Springfield manufacturing campus provides Roshel with substantial production capacity. The complex spans more than 2 million square feet across approximately 500 acres and includes a complete vehicle assembly line and paint facility. These existing assets could allow Roshel to expand U.S. manufacturing without… [TheTopNews] Read More.

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) plans to build what will become the largest truck manufacturing plant in the United States, with production expected to begin by the end of 2029. The major investment is intended to expand DTNA’s manufacturing capabilities while giving the company greater flexibility to produce traditional, electric, and autonomous commercial vehicles as trucking technology and customer demand continue to evolve. DTNA President and CEO John O’Leary said the company’s existing manufacturing plants continue performing well, but additional capacity is needed to support future growth. DTNA currently holds a leading position in the North American commercial truck market, and the new facility is intended to complement its existing manufacturing network while improving customer service and strengthening supply chain resilience. Although tariffs and changing U.S. trade policies have encouraged many manufacturers to reconsider their production strategies, O’Leary indicated that tariffs were not a major factor behind DTNA’s decision. Instead, the company is focused on long-term manufacturing efficiency, technology, supply chain requirements, and the ability to respond to changing commercial vehicle demand. A key advantage of constructing an entirely new facility is the opportunity to design it around modern manufacturing technology from the beginning. Retrofitting an existing factory with advanced equipment could be difficult and disruptive. DTNA instead plans to create the new plant around a modern digital infrastructure incorporating advanced production technologies and flexible manufacturing systems. The factory will feature all-new equipment intended to improve production efficiency, worker safety, product quality, and operational resilience. DTNA believes these improvements could also help lower manufacturing costs, an important consideration because equipment acquisition and total cost of ownership remain major concerns for trucking fleets. Flexibility will be another major component of the plant’s design. Commercial truck demand can change significantly depending on freight cycles, economic conditions, regulations, and developments in alternative powertrains. DTNA wants the facility to respond quickly to those shifts rather than being dedicated to one specific vehicle technology. The company specifically indicated that the plant could manufacture traditionally powered medium- and heavy-duty trucks alongside electric and autonomous truck chassis. This flexible production strategy could allow DTNA to adjust manufacturing volumes as fleet demand changes without requiring extensive factory modifications. DTNA has not yet announced where the new manufacturing facility will be located. Multiple sites remain under consideration, with supply chain and logistics efficiency expected to play an important role in the final decision. The company plans to select… [TheTopNews] Read More.