Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, May 6, 2025:
How fleet used AI to increase load volume
In an effort to make its load dispatching more efficient, 170-truck Nebraska-based reefer carrier Grand Island Express is using artificial intelligence to help match its freight with the operators best equipped for the jobs.
The carrier last year grew its fleet by 10%, and since implementing AI mid-year 2024, it's handling 35% more loads than the prior year with no change in length of haul, the company said, and saw a greater than 13% increase in revenue per truck per week.
Grand Island is the May honoree in Overdrive sister publication CCJ’s Innovators series, recognizing carriers who've found innovative ways to overcome challenges. As CCJ’s Jason Cannon wrote, just covering loads isn’t always an efficient process, as loads often find their way to drivers not best equipped to take them for various reasons that have nothing to do with selecting logistically the best available driver -- or pairing them with the logistically best load for the operator.
"That's not always what we as human beings think is the case," said Dean Albert, vice president of operations at Grand Island. "We get into, 'Well, you know this driver isn't a very hard runner, so maybe we shouldn't put him on that load' or, 'You know, I think I've got to do something else with this driver because he's got home time coming up' or something like that."
[Related: AI cameras coming to a guard shack near you?]
The fleet has now removed most of the human element of dispatch, layering Optimal Dynamics artificial intelligence with data gathered by the fleet's McLeod platform (order entry, driver events -- like home time or if a truck needs to get back to the shop -- breakdowns, and such).
"It takes the best driver for that load," Albert said of the AI dispatch, "and that's not always the same guy."
The Optimal Dynamics AI platform aims to remove bias by selecting logistically the best available driver and pairing the operator with the logistically best load for that driver. AI still considers important outlying factors, like upcoming home time and maintenance needs of the equipment, it just doesn't weigh them like a human might. Grand Island is now able to plan loads up to four additional days in advance, Albert said.
Grand Island retains a process to veto computer-based decisions, Albert noted. When a human decides that the AI-suggested load simply isn't going to work, they will manually dispatch it, but it's rare at this point.
Read Cannon’s full story about Grand Island here.
[Related: AI for owner-ops? 'Hey Bubba' AI wants to deal with brokers for you]
Two Plains states waive HOS over fuel shortages
The governors of Kansas and Nebraska have declared emergencies over fuel shortages in their states, prompting hours of service relief for truck drivers hauling certain fuels.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on April 30 issued a declaration to allow a waiver for hours of service for motor carriers in Kansas.
According to the Kansas Adjutant General's Department, parts of Kansas and surrounding states “are experiencing a fuel shortage causing long lines at fuel terminals, thereby causing a disruption in supply delivery and a need for drivers to increase the number of hours of service to deliver product.” Wichita County Emergency Management clarified that there’s not an outright shortage of fuel, but rather a bottleneck in the supply chain “due to multiple causes” resulting in long lines at fuel terminals. The declaration, effective for 14 days through May 13, is intended to give truck drivers more time to deliver the fuel.
The Kansas Adjutant General’s Department noted that diesel has been the most impacted, but gasoline could be affected, too.
Nebraska Gov. Jared Pillen’s declaration temporarily allows drivers to work extended hours to haul gasoline or gasoline blends, diesel, fuel oil, ethanol, propane and biodiesel into or within Nebraska.
Pillen issued the order on May 2, and it’s effective through May 15. He noted that the declaration was issued in response to “fuel shortages due to high demand for petroleum products,” adding that motor carriers and truck drivers hauling such products “are engaged in the business of transporting fuel from further distances and waiting longer at terminals in order to meet needs.”
Both states’ declarations waive the hours of service regs in 49 CFR 395.3 -- maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles.
[Related: Roadcheck looms with focus on hours of service, tires]
International recalls nearly 15K trucks for windshield wiper issue
International Motors is recalling more than 14,000 trucks covering five different models due to an issue with the windshield wipers, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The recall includes approximately 14,786 model year 2025-’26 International HV, HX, LT, MV, and RH vehicles.
In the affected units, the linkage that connects the right-side wiper arm to the motor may separate, causing the wipers to fail. Windshield wiper failure can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash, NHTSA said.
International identified the affected trucks by build date. Recalled HV series trucks were built Nov. 11, 2024, through April 9, 2025; recalled RH series trucks were built Nov. 11, 2024, through March 28, 2025; and recalled HX, LT and MV series trucks were built Nov. 11, 2024, through April 8, 2025.
Dealers will replace the wiper module, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 23. Owners can contact International customer service at 800-448-7825 with recall number 25505. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-276.
[Related: OEMs issue recalls of 2K trucks, various models]
Bill would extend the biodiesel tax credit
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced the "Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2025," which would extend the "40A" biodiesel blender's tax credit.
The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) along with Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-New York), Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota), Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania), Darin LaHood (R-Illinois), Claudia Tenney (R-New York), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa). Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Nikki Budzinski (D-Illinois) have also signed on as co-sponsors.
The bill would extend the biodiesel tax credit for two years at the blender level. Taxpayers would be able to choose between claiming the Biodiesel Tax Credit or the "45Z" Clean Fuel Production Credit.
Total renewable diesel and biodiesel volumes have declined by 58.8% since the Biodiesel Tax Credit expired at the end of 2024, according to NATSO, representing America's travel centers and truck stops, SIGMA: America's Leading Fuel Marketers, and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).
"This legislation comes at a critical juncture, as diminishing renewable diesel and biodiesel volumes are intensifying industry concerns about the ability to meet customer demand," said David Fialkov, executive vice president of government affairs for both NATSO and SIGMA.
