Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, July 30, 2025:
ECM theft ring shut down in Florida
Four members of a crime ring have been charged for stealing more than $400,000 worth of semi-truck parts. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the charges Tuesday.
According to an investigation led by the Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff's Office's Organized Crime Task Force, the four individuals being charged committed dozens of burglaries of electronic control modules (ECMs) from Freightliner trucks throughout Florida and Texas.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, all four arrested are Cuban nationals believed to be in the U.S. without legal status. The suspects and their charges:
Based on evidence collected during the investigation, law enforcement linked the defendants to ECM theft cases in Hillsborough, Duval, Lee, and Polk counties in Florida, as well as additional cases in Travis and Williamson counties in Texas, officials said. In total, the defendants stole $404,668 worth of ECMs, caused $372,000 in damage to trucks by prying open engine compartments and cutting wiring harnesses to remove the ECMs, and stole from 93 truck owners.
"This case is a strong example of what can be accomplished when local and state agencies work as one," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. "The support from Attorney General James Uthmeier and our statewide prosecutors was not just helpful but essential. Without their partnership, the scope and success of this investigation simply would not have been possible. Together, we didn't just gather intelligence, we acted on it and delivered justice.”
The defendants are currently awaiting trial; however, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed detainers on three of the four defendants and will reexamine the fourth defendant's permanent resident status upon conviction.
[Related: Serial cargo thief offender found guilty in $5M scheme]
FMCSA Administrator nominee clears Senate committee
Derek Barrs, the Trump administration’s nominee to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is now just one step away from being confirmed to the post.
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved Barrs’ nomination by a 15-13 vote. Barrs will now face a full Senate vote to be officially confirmed as administrator of the FMCSA.
Barrs is a former law enforcement officer who retired in 2020 as chief of the Florida Highway Patrol. He was an active member of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and served as chair of CVSA’s Enforcement and Industry Modernization Committee. He has also served on the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board.
During a confirmation hearing earlier this month with the Senate committee, he touted his record of working with industry and government to advance highway safety during his law enforcement career. Trucking groups have voiced support for Barrs’ nomination, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association encouraging “a swift confirmation by the full Senate."
OOIDA President Todd Spencer said the association looked "forward to working with him to advance the priorities of small business truckers across America, including fighting freight fraud, rolling back unnecessary regulations, and closing regulatory loopholes to ensure the safest truck drivers remain in the industry.”
The American Trucking Associations also offered its support for Barrs, urging confirmation. “Derek has the qualifications and expertise that will make him exceptionally well prepared to take on this challenge, and under his leadership, the trucking industry is confident that FMCSA will make significant progress towards achieving our shared priorities of improving highway safety and efficiently delivering the nation’s freight,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.
[Related: FMCSA Administrator nominee Derek Barrs makes first Congressional appearance]
FMCSA extends comment period for propane haulers’ winter HOS exemption request
Those interested in filing comments on an exemption request from the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), which would allow propane haulers extra driving and on-duty time during winter months, have an additional 15 days to do so.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced in a July 28 Federal Register notice that it is extending the comment period on NPGA’s request, extending the comments deadline to Aug. 15. The move comes in response to a request from the New York State Department of Transportation to extend the period to Aug. 29, expressing concern that exemptions from safety and hazardous materials regulations have the potential to undermine safety. And complicate the enforcement process, too.
If granted, the NPGA request would allow propane haulers to drive up to 12 hours a day and be on duty up to 15 hours a day, without weekly limits. It would also replace the 34-hour restart with a 24-hour restart, with prior notice by NPGA to FMCSA.
Under the requested exemption, with prior notice to FMCSA by NPGA, any period of six consecutive days during the exemption “window” may end with the beginning of an off-duty period of 24 or more consecutive hours, as opposed to the current option of 34 or more consecutive hours off duty to reset the “weekly” HOS limits.
NPGA said these waivers would allow its members to respond to emergency crises.
FMCSA agreed to a 15-day comment period extension. Comments can be filed here through Aug. 15.
[Related: Propane haulers seek wintertime HOS relief]
Ohio DOT to begin I-90 rehab project
The Ohio DOT will begin an I-90 repaving project on Aug. 4, which is expected to be completed by October 2028.Ohio DOT
The Ohio Department of Transportation is set to begin a $173 million project to replace the pavement on I-90 between West Blvd. and Hilliard Blvd. in Rocky River, Lakewood, and Cleveland.
Work on the project also includes median barrier wall replacement, drainage improvements, minor shoulder widening, and overhead lighting replacement. The estimated completion date for the project is October 2028. This section of I-90 sees average daily traffic of more than 140,000 vehicles and was originally built between the 1960s and 1970s, ODOT said.
Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 4, with various off-peak lane restrictions to install temporary pavement. Both I-90 eastbound and westbound traffic within the project limits will be shifted to the outside shoulders once the temporary pavement is in place.
On Friday, Aug. 8, I-90 EB between Hilliard Blvd. and Alger Rd. will be reduced from four to three lanes. Various lane restrictions and ramp closures will continue to be announced throughout the project's timeline.
ODOT urges drivers to use “simple, responsible driving behaviors, such as obeying the work zone speed limit, paying attention to work zone signage, maintaining a safe following distance, and eliminating distractions” to ensure safety in the work area.
