Industry News
Stay informed with the latest trucking industry updates
NHTSA Seeks Renewed Federal Sign-Off on Safety Reporting Shield
NHTSA is asking the White House budget office to reinstate, for another three years, an existing data-gathering program tied to its safe harbor from criminal penalties. The agency says the earlier three-year authorization has run its course, and that its prior call for public input drew no responses.
NHTSA Rejects Call for Nationwide Digital Road Map Rules
The federal vehicle safety regulator has turned down a September 2025 request from Eric Dauster to create a unified national digital map of fixed road features. The proposal would have compelled worldwide navigation providers to follow the new data rules. The agency cited insufficient supporting information under its governing safety statute and a preference for directing its resources elsewhere.
Ford asks NHTSA to excuse dash display flaw on 2024-25 Rangers
Ford has told federal safety regulators that some 2024 and 2025 Ranger pickups fall short of a rule governing dashboard controls and indicators, and it wants the problem treated as one that poses no real safety risk. The automaker disclosed the issue in a September 11, 2025 report and followed with a formal request on October 3, 2025. The agency has now published notice that it received that request.
Regulators Won't Probe 2006 Frontier Pickups Over Leaks, Stalls
The federal auto safety agency's defects office has turned down a citizen's request to open an inquiry into 2006 Nissan Frontier pickups over reported gasoline leakage and engines cutting out. After weighing complaint records and other information it holds, the office concluded the concerns were unlikely to lead to a finding of a safety flaw, so it will not investigate further.
Federal Safety Agency Convenes Forum on Getting Defects Fixed Faster
The federal vehicle safety regulator is hosting an in-person gathering to look at how often owners actually get defective vehicles repaired and what has worked or failed in earlier campaigns. Carmaker executives and agency officials will discuss ways to contact owners, convey hazards clearly, and encourage them to get fixes done. The agency plans to use what it hears to guide its upcoming work.
Federal Regulators Reject Request to Probe Honda Minivan Airbags
The federal vehicle safety agency has turned down a citizen's request to open a defect inquiry into unexpected airbag firings in Honda Odyssey minivans from model years 2011 through 2017. After reviewing complaint records and other information it holds, the agency's defects office concluded that a safety-defect finding was unlikely, so it ended the matter without further investigation.
Federal Anti-Theft Marking Paperwork Heads to OMB for Review
NHTSA is preparing to ask the White House budget office to sign off on renewing a paperwork requirement tied to vehicle anti-theft marking rules. The request covers part-marking labels under 49 CFR part 541 and the process for choosing which vehicle lines fall under the theft prevention standard in part 542. An earlier 60-day public comment window, announced March 20, 2026, drew no responses.
NHTSA Seeks Federal Sign-Off on Expanded Vehicle Label Rules
NHTSA is preparing to send the White House budget office a request to renew and broaden its paperwork authority covering the warning and identification labels that must appear on motor vehicles. The package spans nine safety standards and would be enlarged to pick up five more label rules, three long-standing and two newly created. A 60-day public comment window that opened on April 8, 2026 drew no responses.
NHTSA Seeks to Expand Surveys Tied to Its Road Safety Ad Pushes
NHTSA is asking the public to weigh in on its plan to ask the White House budget office to renew an existing permission for gathering audience feedback, with some alterations. The update would add yearly follow-up studies for four annual intensive enforcement-and-media campaigns, along with more satisfaction questionnaires. Since these studies were absent from the earlier streamlined renewal, the number of people surveyed and the hours of effort required would both go up.
Federal Agency Seeks Sign-Off to Study Cab Driver-Watching Tech
NHTSA is preparing to ask the White House budget office for clearance on a data-gathering effort aimed at evaluating in-vehicle systems that track driver attentiveness while factoring in surrounding conditions. An earlier public notice inviting input over 60 days ran on June 10, 2026, and was amended on June 18, 2026. This step now opens another opportunity for public feedback before approval is decided.
NHTSA Seeks Feedback on Reviving Its Safety Complaint Intake Program
The federal vehicle safety regulator is asking the public to weigh in on its plan to ask the White House budget office for permission to bring back a formerly cleared program that gathers reports from motorists about problems. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, agencies must first gather public input before requesting that kind of clearance. The notice covers data collected through complaints submitted by consumers.
13 Luxury Coach Builders Ask to Keep Lap-Only Belts on Sideways Seats
Thirteen last-stage builders of upscale entertainer coaches have asked federal safety regulators to extend their existing relief from a crash-protection rule. The relief lets them fit sideways-facing seats with lap-only restraints rather than the combined lap-and-shoulder type the standard calls for. The agency has opened a public comment window on the requests.
Federal Regulators Open Two-Day Forum on Vehicle Safety Studies in December
Federal highway safety officials will host an in-person gathering on December 1-2, 2026, to share progress from their ongoing crash-prevention and driver-behavior studies. On the first afternoon, a separate session led by the agency's automation office will examine self-driving technology. Presentations will be filmed for later online viewing, but there will be no live broadcast.
Federal Panel Planned to Hash Out Future Truck and Car Light Rules
Federal vehicle safety regulators say they plan to assemble a group of stakeholders to work out proposed rules on lighting equipment for motor vehicles. The group would develop its recommendations through a consensus-driven process and hand them to the Transportation Secretary. Officials are asking the public for feedback on the idea and on who should sit on the panel.
Federal Agency Wants Feedback on Redesigned Spill and Release Report Form
The federal pipeline and hazmat safety regulator is asking the public to weigh in on a overhauled version of the paperwork carriers file after a dangerous-cargo mishap in transit. The agency plans to seek White House budget office clearance to modify the existing authorization for the form, adding some questions, clarifying others, and trimming or rearranging the rest. A sample of the new layout is posted for review on regulations.gov.
Tank Truck Builders Get New Pressure Vessel Rulebook Option
Federal hazmat regulators have approved a newer pressure-vessel engineering standard for building and maintaining certain tank trucks, super-cold portable tanks, and multi-unit rail tank cars. A companion national inspection standard was also approved to govern upkeep and repair of tanks made under the new rules, plus some existing tank trucks built to earlier ASME and federal requirements. The agency says the change lowers costs and gives industry more flexibility while keeping safety intact.
Federal Regulators Reject Push to Let Drivers Keep Paper Logs
The federal motor carrier safety agency has turned down a request from a trucker advocacy group seeking permission for drivers to keep handwritten duty-hour records rather than rely on electronic recorders. After reviewing the petition and feedback from the public, officials concluded that the proposed relief could not deliver safety results at least on par with those achieved under the existing mandate.
Steel Mill Haulers Get Longer Shifts Under Provisional Waiver
Federal regulators plan to extend and merge two earlier waivers for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel, the company formerly known as ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor. The waivers cover relaxed shift limits for its in-house CDL drivers and equipment exceptions for its purpose-built coil haulers. The agency is taking public input on the interim extension.
FMCSA Study to Test Pausing the Clock on Truckers' 14-Hour Day
FMCSA plans to submit a new information collection request to OMB for a research study on letting truck drivers extend the 14-hour driving window by up to 3 hours of non-driving time. The pause would need to be taken at the location of cargo pickup or delivery. The agency is inviting public comment as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act process.
Federal Study to Test Looser Rest Rules on 256 Truckers
The federal motor carrier safety agency is preparing to ask the White House budget office to sign off on a data-gathering effort tied to a trial of more adaptable rest-period options for truck operators. Roughly 256 drivers will take part, with researchers comparing their alertness and on-road performance under today's driving-time rules versus under special exemptions that allow more freedom in dividing rest time in the bunk. The agency is also seeking public feedback on the proposal.