Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025:
- Crash-victims advocates pressing D.C. for AEBs, new entrant testing, and more this week.
- Here's how a new bill would help farmers with restricted CDLs.
- One of the nation's largest brokerages has named its 2025 Carriers of the Year.
Crash-victims advocate calls for reforms after 'Deadliest Truck Crash States' report
The Truck Safety Coalition is calling for various reforms following the release of what it's calling a Deadliest Truck Crash States report, analyzing fatality data in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's databases.
Rather than analyze crashes per mile traveled, the report presents a list of "worst truck crash states" by presenting truck crash fatalities per 100,000 population in the state in 2023, the most recent year for which complete data is available.
According to the report, the "deadliest dozen" states, in order, are Wyoming, New Mexico, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Idaho, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and Alabama.Truck Safety Coalition
Safety appears on an upswing in the nearly two years since 2023. NHTSA is currently projecting an 8.2% decline in roadway deaths with the release of its early estimates for motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the first half of 2025. An estimated 17,140 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes from January through June 2025, down from 18,680 fatalities during the same period in 2024.
From 2016 to 2022, fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses in the United States increased 26.4%, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA in August kicked off the process to launch a new study into fatal heavy-duty truck crashes, as required by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA).
The Truck Safety Coalition, which brought together crash-victims advocacy groups Parents Against Tired Truckers and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Transportation some years ago, urged legislators and the Department of Transportation to:
- Require automatic emergency braking for all newly manufactured classes of CMVs.
- Have FMCSA require new motor carriers to pass a knowledge exam proving that they know and can implement Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) required to safely operate a motor carrier business.
- Provide greater incentive for carriers to comply with an existing statute that requires truck drivers to be tested for drugs and alcohol following a fatal crash.
- Pass the Sarah Debbink-Langenkamp Active Transportation Act, allowing states increased flexibility for federally funded cyclist and pedestrian safety improvements.
- Act on and pass the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act of 2025, which requires the U.S. Postal Service to issue regulations to mandate collecting, tracking, and publicly reporting information related to deaths and injuries resulting from traffic crashes involving vehicles transporting mail.
[Related: FMCSA, other agencies update timelines for bevy of in-progress regs]
New legislation looks to cut red tape for farmers during harvest
A new bill introduced in the Senate would ease the process for certain agriculture haulers to renew their commercial driver’s licenses and update classifications for farm equipment.
The “Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act” was introduced by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas). Specifically, the bill would:
- Authorize online renewal for restricted CDLs for farm-related service industries
- Alleviate unnecessary restrictions and penalties by clarifying that ag-related equipment does not contribute to vehicle weight calculations.
“When harvest season comes around, our farmers have enough on their plates -- they shouldn’t have to spend valuable time navigating bureaucratic red tape that hinders their work in the field and on the roads,” Ernst said. “My Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act would update outdated regulations by ensuring seasonal restricted CDL registrations and renewals can be filed online, and providing more flexibility for folks driving vehicles specifically designed for the farm.”
Current regulations in 49 CFR 383.3(f) allow for restricted CDLs for certain drivers in farm-related service industries. That provision allows states to waive the required knowledge and skills tests and issue restricted CDLs to employees in specific industries. Restricted CDL holders are limited to operating Group B and C vehicles, as defined here, with other restrictions.
C.H. Robinson names Carriers of the Year
C.H. Robinson has announced the recipients of its 2025 Carrier of the Year Awards (COYA), recognizing 20 carriers across North America for their exceptional service, reliability and partnership with the brokerage.
The COYA winners range from single-truck owner-operators to fleets with thousands of vehicles. In 2024, this group of honorees collectively hauled nearly 2 million loads with C.H. Robinson, the company said.
“These carriers exemplify the best in the industry,” said Michael Castagnetto, President of North American Surface Transportation at CHR. “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I also want to recognize the 360 other COYA nominees and the entirety of our 450,000+ carrier network. They help us and our customers succeed every day. We are proud to honor them for another year of exceptional achievements.”
The full list of 2025 C.H. Robinson Carrier of the Year Award winners:
- 1 truck – Jato Express, Channahon, Illinois
- 2-10 trucks – IB & DB Trucking, Avondale, Arizona
- 11-19 trucks – GARESP Transportation Solution, Phoenix, Arizona
- 11-19 trucks – ABR Transport, St. Paul, Minnesota
- 20-74 trucks – MEB Express, Miami, Florida
- 75-199 trucks – Timmons Transit, Jonesboro, Arkansas
- 75-199 trucks – Bettaway Beverage Distributors, South Plainfield, New Jersey
- 200-999 trucks – JIT EX, Memphis, Tennessee
- 200-999 trucks – Trucks For You, Muskogee, Oklahoma
- 1000+ trucks – Super Ego, Chicago, Illinois
- Canada – Load King Transport, Vaughan, Ontario
- Marine Drayage – Whimsy Mt., Prospect, Illinois
- Flatbed – E&R Transportation, Mendota, California
- Intermodal – Genesis Intermodal Services, San Antonio, Texas
- LTL – Southeastern Freight Lines, Lexington, South Carolina
- LTL – Estes Express Lines, Richmond, Virginia
- LTL – XPO Logistics Freight, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Mexico – Transportes de Carga Fema, Laredo, Texas
- Specialized Heavy Haul – KD Specialized, Irving, Texas
- Temperature Control – Aldrich Trucking, Dongola, Illinois
