Trucking news and briefs for Friday, April 17, 2026:
- Truckers supporting plains-state wildfire relief get regs exemption extension.
- Large fleet planning big Southeast expansion.
- Future ATRI research to focus on safety, weather impacts, more.
Nebraska’s wildfire HOS exemption extended again
After issuing a two-week extension to an emergency declaration in response to wildfires in Nebraska late last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is tacking on another month of regulatory relief for truck drivers hauling wildfire-support loads.
The declaration was first issued by Nebraska’s governor on March 16 and waived hours of service restrictions and adjusted maximum load width/weight limits allowed for some carriers operating in the state. FMCSA extended the declaration on March 30 for two weeks through April 14.
On April 10, 2026, Nebraska officials requested a second extension of the emergency relief from federal hours regulations. Because emergency conditions have not abated, FMCSA issued the extension, granting HOS relief through May 14.
[Related: Sleeper berth: Will truckers be able to split as they see fit?]
Under terms of the declaration, motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in Nebraska are granted emergency relief from the maximum driving time regulations in 49 CFR 395.3.
The regulatory relief applies regardless of the origin of the trip, so long as the carrier or driver is providing direct assistance to the emergency. Direct assistance does not include transportation related to long-term rehabilitation of damaged physical infrastructure after the initial threat to life and property has passed. It also does not include routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to get the benefits of the declaration.
[Related: Nebraska declares emergency over wildfires]
Prime Inc. to open $160 million regional hub in Georgia
Prime Inc. will invest $160 million to establish a new regional hub for the Southeast in Spalding County, Georgia, near Griffin, south of Atlanta.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement, noting that the new facility will create more than 120 new, full-time jobs, in addition to hiring more than 50 truck drivers.
“Prime Inc.’s new campus will further add to Georgia’s $107 billion transportation and logistics industry that creates and supports jobs in every corner of our state,” Kemp said. “I want to thank the state and local economic developers who made this great project possible and the company leaders who chose the No. 1 state for business for this exciting new chapter.”
Specializing in refrigerated, flatbed, tanker, hopper, intermodal, and logistics transportation services, Prime Inc. operates a fleet of more than 7,000 units with more than 8,500 drivers.
Prime’s new Southeastern campus will be located at High Falls 16 Business Center near Griffin. The terminal will house facilities to complement its driving base, including driver development and training, equipment maintenance, and comfort amenities.
Additional services will include selling well-maintained used truck/trailer equipment and recycling used truck tires to produce aggregate rubber material for usable mulch and pellets.
The company will be hiring mechanics, drivers, and facility maintenance personnel to start.
“Prime Inc. is thrilled to announce growth of our company with construction of a new terminal campus to be located in Georgia, a state renowned for its strong work ethic, which aligns perfectly with our company’s values of dedication and excellence,” said Robert Low, CEO and Founder of Prime Inc. “Spalding County’s strategic proximity to many of our top customers enhances our ability to deliver exceptional service, while also being conveniently located for the benefit of our fleet of professional drivers.”
[Related: Reservable truck parking in five new shared-terminal locations]
ATRI’s 2026 research priorities: Safety, driver health, weather, more
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) Board of Directors recently reviewed and approved its 2026 Top Research Priorities, which were identified last month by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee.
ATRI’s RAC selected a diverse set of topics designed to address some of the industry’s most critical issues focused on improving safety, enhancing driver health and wellness, and understanding how major weather events impact trucking operations. The 2026 ATRI top priorities:
- Outcomes of Coaching Practices and Front-Line Management on Safety. Through a series of data collection efforts and statistical analyses, this research will identify industry best practices for driver coaching that have the greatest impact on safety outcomes.
- Advancing “Beyond Compliance.” More than 15 years ago, ATRI published the first research examining potential benefits of an “Alternative Compliance” program – a concept that would motivate and reward motor carriers for voluntary investments in safety technologies, strategies, and programs that have proven safety benefits. Now referred to as “Beyond Compliance,” that same concept continues to generate interest. The research will examine potential incentives for participation in a Beyond Compliance program and develop a pilot test methodology and evaluation plan.
- State Benchmarking: Identifying the Best Business Climate States for Trucking. There currently exists significant variances in the 50 states’ economic, operational and regulatory environments for motor carriers. This research will develop a benchmarking index based on state data relating to each state’s business climate measures including insurance costs and litigation exposure, taxes and fees assessed on truck fleets, labor costs including workers compensation, and operational costs such as fuel prices, tolls and parking availability.
- Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Federal and State Regulations by Stakeholder Group. The trucking industry is subject to myriad regulations at the state and federal levels, many of which present increased costs, decreased productivity, and unclear benefits, while others may provide measurable benefits but are not enforced. This research will develop a template for trucking industry regulatory cost-benefit analyses that index regulations based on how beneficial they are, whether or not they are clearly understood and implemented by the industry, and the degree to which they are enforced.
- Quantifying the Relationship Between Medical Card Status & Operational Impacts. Truck drivers face myriad health and wellness challenges exacerbated by the sedentary nature of truck driving, extended periods away from home, and inconsistent support for exercise and healthy eating. These challenges increase operational costs, including healthcare, workers compensation, reduced driver productivity and increased driver turnover. This research will utilize drivers’ medical card status as a proxy for driver health and quantify the nexus between driver health and increased industry operational costs.
- Major Weather Event Impacts on Trucking. Major weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires and snowstorms have a significant impact on roadway operations, particularly when the impacts close major freight routes for an extended period of time. This research will utilize case studies to identify best practices for fleets, state DOTs and state trucking associations for preparing for and responding to major weather events.
[Related: Wind, rain, fire, flood: How owner-ops navigate increasingly extreme weather at home/on-highway]
