Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025:
- Fuel prices are down over the last month. How are rates on the spot market in comparison?
- Remember that CDL testing fraud scheme out of Massachusetts? It's prison for two more former state troopers sentenced.
- “I didn’t see the accident happen, but I was one of the first vehicles on the scene.” --trucker Mike Kimball, about the crash involving two fellow truckers, one of whom he helped to free from his cab
Fuel prices down 10 cents since hitting 2025 high, spot rates mixed
Since hitting the 2025 high mark to date during the week ending July 21, diesel’s national average is down a dime, according to the latest update from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Fuel prices peaked at $3.81 a gallon last month, but five consecutive weeks of declines -- three of the five saw a decrease of less than a penny -- the national average for a gallon of on-highway diesel is now $3.71 a gallon for the week ending Aug. 25.
Meanwhile, spot market rates were mixed during the same week. FTR Transportation Intelligence and Truckstop.com reported that, during the week ending Aug. 22, dry van rates hit their lowest level in 15 weeks, while refrigerated spot rates rose for a fourth straight week to their highest in seven. Flatbed spot rates continued a seven-week slide, though the cumulative decrease in the past four weeks is barely more than a penny per mile, easily accounted for by fuel fluctuations.
The total market broker-posted spot rate declined seven-tenths of a cent after holding flat during the previous week. Total rates were 2.3% higher than during the same 2024 week -- the strongest comparison in seven weeks -- but were a bit more than 7% below the five-year average.
Spot rates sit just slightly above both the 2024 and 2023 levels for the same week.FTR | Truckstop.com
Total freight volume declined 1.3% during the week after rising 5.5% in the previous week. Total volume was close to 27% higher than it was during same 2024 week but about 18% below the five-year average.
Looking at diesel prices by region, price changes were mixed during the most recent week. The West Coast, minus California, saw the largest increase -- nine-tenths of a cent -- while the Lower Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions saw the biggest declines at 1.2 cents.
As usual, California is the most expensive place to fuel up, with an average price of $4.87/gallon. The cheapest diesel is in the Gulf Coast region at $3.33/gallon.
Prices in other regions, according to EIA:
- New England -- $3.97
- Central Atlantic -- $3.92
- Lower Atlantic -- $3.63
- Midwest -- $3.70
- Rocky Mountain -- $3.75
- West Coast less California -- $4.10
ProMiles’ diesel averages during the same week fell by 3.3 cents to $3.64/gallon nationwide. According to the ProMiles Fuel Surcharge Index, the most expensive diesel can be found in California at $5.03, the cheapest in the Gulf Coast region at $3.28.
[Related: $2.30, $3, $10/mile: Which haul would you choose? Profit analysis might surprise you]
Former state troopers get prison time in CDL bribery scheme
Two former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) troopers have been sentenced to prison time this month for their roles in falsifying CDL test scores.
On Aug. 12, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts sentenced Calvin Butner to three months of incarceration, a year of supervised release with the first three months in home confinement, and a $900 special assessment. On Aug. 8, Perry Mendes was sentenced to one month in prison, a year of supervised release with the first two months in home confinement, and a $600 special assessment.
[Related: State troopers indicted in CDL test bribery scheme]
On April 11, Mendes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records, and two counts of making false statements. On April 7, Butner pleaded guilty to conspiracy to falsify CDL test scores. Butner also pleaded guilty to three counts of falsifying records, aiding and abetting by giving passing scores to applicants who failed the CDL test, and five counts of making false statements.
Mendes, Butner and others were charged in 2024 in a 74-count indictment for conspiracy to falsify records, conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, honest services mail fraud, falsification of records, false statements, and perjury.
The indictment alleged that from about May 2019 to January 2023, they conspired to give preferential treatment to CDL applicants by giving passing scores on their skills tests even if they had failed or did not take the test at all.
[Related: Police officer convicted of extortion over fake CDL testing]
Trucker's efforts to aid at horrific crash scene recognized
ABF Freight truck driver Mike Kimball of Edwardsville, Kansas, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for his quick thinking and compassionate actions after encountering a crash in Missouri.
Mike Kimball
“I didn’t see the accident happen, but I was one of the first vehicles on the scene,” Kimball said. “I drove past it, then I grabbed my fire extinguisher and my gloves, and I ran back to it.”
Kimball said a Covenant truck had been stopped on the shoulder and appeared to have pulled into traffic as vehicles were approaching. A Peterbilt struck the Covenant truck from behind, and the Peterbilt immediately caught fire.
“The truck had hit so hard that the motor was shoved completely under the truck,” said Kimball. “It had hit the firewall and pinned the driver in the truck.”
Kimball and several other truck drivers ran toward the burning vehicle with fire extinguishers. Kimball also called 911 and relayed a detailed account of the scene to emergency responders.
Inside the 2014 Peterbilt, a 72-year-old male driver was pinned by the dashboard and steering wheel. Kimball and the other drivers quickly emptied their fire extinguishers in an attempt to control the flames.
When a county sheriff arrived and stopped traffic, Kimball urged him to allow passing trucks through so he could request additional extinguishers. As each truck rolled past, Kimball ran to the driver’s side, asking for its fire extinguisher. He and the others cycled through extinguishers, using each until it was empty, working tirelessly to keep the fire from reigniting.
“We got probably four or five more fire extinguishers from different drivers that were driving past,” he said. “We finally got the fire to go out.”
Once the flames were reduced enough to attempt a rescue, Kimball climbed onto the diesel exhaust fluid tank to try to force the driver’s door open or move the steering wheel. When that failed, he reached through the shattered windows, attempting anything that might free the man from the crushed cab. He then ran to the passenger side, only to find the air cleaner and smokestack had been pushed into the seat, blocking that escape route.
Another rescuer produced a small saw, and someone else brought a crowbar. Together, they tried cutting through the wreckage and prying the doors open, but the tools were too small to make meaningful progress. Kimball said the trapped driver was yelling that he couldn’t breathe, so he stayed by the man’s side, speaking to him until EMS arrived.
“That’s what you do,” he said. “That’s the way I was raised, to help somebody out who’s in a spot.”
Local news reports about the crash indicate the driver Kimball helped was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. No additional information was available.
