Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, March 24, 2026:
- Georgia fuel tax suspended, IFTA reporting still required despite tax-free fuel.
- $7 million in stolen cargo, $1 million cash recovered in theft ring bust.
- Traveling I-81? Be aware of overnight lane closures upcoming.
Georgia’s fuel tax suspended for two months
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law March 20 that suspends the fuel tax in the state for 60 days to help motorists and truck drivers deal with skyrocketing gas and diesel prices.
Georgia's excise tax on gasoline is currently 33.3 cents per gallon and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel.
"Hardworking Georgians know best how to spend their money, not the government," said Kemp. "That's why I'm proud to sign these bills and, along with the General Assembly, deliver meaningful tax relief on top of the other measures we've taken in recent years. Because we budget conservatively, we can take steps like these that actually deliver on affordability issues for families in our state."
According to a guidance document released by the Georgia Department of Revenue, all motor carriers who are licensed with the International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) and traveling in Georgia are exempt from motor fuel excise tax from between March 20 and May 19.
Motor carriers will be able to purchase qualifying fuel tax-free and travel non-taxable miles in Georgia during the suspension period. IFTA returns are still required to be filed for the quarters that include the tax-free period.
The state is asking carriers to ensure that all fuel purchases are reported on IFTA returns to accurately reflect miles per gallon for the suspension period. Reporting should include both tax-free and tax-paid purchases.
During the effective suspension date of March 20 through May 19, all miles traveled in Georgia should be reported as non-IFTA miles, the state added. On the IFTA return, all filers should report all miles traveled and fuel gallons purchased in Georgia for the suspension period as non-taxable miles and non-taxable gallons.
Georgia DOR provided the following instructions for reporting activity from March 20 through May 19:
- Report all miles traveled in Georgia during suspension period in Total Miles
- Exclude all miles traveled in Georgia during suspension period in Total Taxable Miles
- Report tax-free fuel gallons purchased in Georgia in Total Gallons
- Exclude tax-free fuel gallons purchased in Georgia in Tax-Paid Gallons
[Related: Diesel soars past $5/gal. nationally, spot rates finally rise to respond]
Cargo theft ring busted in SoCal
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s (LASD) served search warrants at 13 locations between December 2025 and February 2026 as part of an ongoing investigation into organized crimes and cargo theft.
LASD’s Major Crimes Bureau Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team (CCATS) detectives served the warrants in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, resulting in the arrest of nine suspects.
Detectives seized approximately $7 million of stolen cargo and $1 million in U.S. currency. Thirty-six companies (including J.B. Hunt, Amazon, Sony, LG, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Costco, Wolff Shoes, Monster Energy, and Disney) were affected by these thefts, LASD said.
The stolen freight recovered included but was not limited to: Hisense televisions, LG microwaves, Canon printers, Wolff shoes, Sony soundbars, Milwaukee tools, golf carts, ATVs, Disney clothing, LG appliances, Jelly Cat plush animals, Axil XCor Pro headphones, Black & Decker tools, Craftsman tools, Pentair pool equipment, Ring cameras, Style Craft hair clippers, Mastercool AC units, Monster Energy drinks, Classica Cordials Premium Liquor, and cosmetics.
The suspects were arrested and booked on charges of Grand Theft Cargo, Money Laundering, and Receiving Stolen Property.
[Related: Cargo theft proliferation ups the ante on truckers' prevention]
I-81 overnight lane closures begin Sunday
Drivers hauling along I-81 in Virginia should plan ahead for overnight, left-lane closures along the southbound lanes in the months ahead. The closures in Rockbridge County will allow preliminary engineering work to begin for a widening project between Raphine and Fairfield.
The closures will begin March 29 and continue weeknights from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. through mid-June. Some overnight weekend closures are also possible, the Virginia Department of Transportation said.
During this time, crews will do test borings to collect soil samples as they prepare for the planned SB widening from Exit 205 to Exit 200. The SB route will be widened from two lanes to three lanes for more than 5 miles.
The first week of closures will focus on the area near Exit 200 at Fairfield, where crews will do preliminary engineering at the bridge over Route 710 (Sterrett Road). That will require single lane closures along both Route 710 and SB I-81 in Fairfield.
After that initial week, crews will move to the Raphine area at Exit 205 and will work their way SB over the following several weeks.
Motorists and truckers should be alert for shoulder closures and construction equipment entering and exiting the work zone, VDOT added. All work is weather permitting, and schedules are subject to change.
The Rockbridge widening is being constructed as part of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). Other major I-81 CIP projects in the VDOT Staunton District include:
- Weyers Cave truck-climbing lanes (scheduled for completion in late 2027)
- Strasburg-area widening (scheduled for completion in fall 2028)
- Harrisonburg-area widening (construction starts in spring 2026)
- Winchester-area widening (construction starts in 2028)
The nearly $4 billion CIP includes 65 construction projects plus operational improvements along I-81 in Virginia to enhance safety, reduce congestion and unlock the region for further economic growth.
[Related: Truckers' 2025 Highway Report Card: Worst roads, states, routes, parking]
