Trucking news and briefs for Friday, March 27, 2026:
- Move over reminder: New York truck driver charged for hitting stopped State Police car.
- 11 Indian national truck drivers arrested in Arizona without legal U.S. presence.
- More truck parking in Indiana.
New York truck driver charged after allegedly hitting state patrol vehicle
The New York State Police have charged a Little Falls, New York-based truck driver following an investigation into a tractor-trailer that struck a patrol vehicle on the New York State Thruway in Madison County.
At approximately 1 p.m. on March 25, a trooper assigned to SP Syracuse stopped his vehicle near mile marker 273 in the town of Sullivan to remove an obstruction in the roadway. The patrol vehicle was in the right lane with emergency lights activated in order to safely remove the debris.
Investigation revealed that a 2022 Peterbilt with a dump trailer, operated by Seth J. Horender, 55, of Little Falls, approached the scene and attempted to go around the patrol vehicle by illegally passing onto the right shoulder. The truck struck the patrol vehicle but continued traveling eastbound on the Thruway until it was eventually located and stopped by troopers approximately 20 miles away.
The trooper saw the approaching truck and moved to the median to avoid injury.
The tractor-trailer, registered to Longhorn Trucking Company of Fort Plain, New York, was moved to the Thruway Verona tandem lot for inspection by the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, where damage to the left trailer wheels and rims was identified. The patrol vehicle was towed off scene.New York State Police
Troopers conducted field sobriety tests on Horender, which returned no indicators of impairment. He was charged with multiple vehicle and traffic law violations, including failure to avoid colliding with an emergency vehicle (Move Over Law). He was also cited for having an overweight vehicle.
Horender is due in Sullivan Town Court on April 21.
This is the second incident of a trooper being struck on the Thruway in less than two weeks, New York State Police said. The New York State Police is reminding drivers that New York’s Move Over Law requires motorists to slow down, be alert, and move over when safely possible for all vehicles stopped along the road. In 2025, more than 2,500 tickets were issued for Move Over Law violations along the NYS Thruway.
Arizona Border Patrol reports 11 Indian national truck drivers arrested in February
Border Patrol agents in Yuma, Arizona, arrested 11 Indian national truck drivers in February, all of whom were found to be in the United States illegally.
A brief Facebook post from the Yuma Sector Border Patrol said the drivers held CDLs from Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and California.
The effort came as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in February finalized its non-domiciled CDL rule strictly limiting which categories of foreign workers are allowed to obtain a CDL.
[Related: Trump's FMCSA effectively ends non-domiciled CDLs]
Indiana opens new I-64 rest area
The Indiana Department of Transportation this week joined public officials and contracting partners for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to mark the opening of the newly constructed Black River Welcome Center on eastbound I-64 near mile marker 7 in Posey County.
The new welcome center is inspired by the boyhood home of President Abraham Lincoln. Interactive exhibits feature historical information about the 16th president. Also featured are former presidents from Indiana, Benjamin Harrison (23rd president) and William Henry Harrison (9th president). Visitors will be able to utilize additional interactive exhibits and design elements that highlight southern Indiana.
“The new Black River Welcome Center showcases the very best of Indiana, our history, our hospitality, and our commitment to serving travelers,” said Gov. Mike Braun. “Opening this facility as our nation approaches its 250th anniversary gives visitors a meaningful opportunity to connect with Indiana’s role in shaping America’s story.”
Other amenities at the welcome center include an adult recreation area, children's playground, and dog park. Increased semi-truck parking will also be available, with 75 spaces in total, an increase of 60 spaces from the previous welcome center.
Through INDOT's long-term rest area and welcome center improvement plan, the agency will add more than 1,200 truck parking spaces, nearly doubling capacity statewide.
"INDOT is committed to providing safe, informative environments where travelers can rest and recharge through our Rest Area and Welcome Center Improvement Plan,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. “Giving motorists a place to take a break is just another way INDOT is working to make our roadways safer.”
The additional parking should be welcome news for truck drivers in Indiana, who ranked the state as one of the worst in the nation for truck parking availability -- tied for ninth worst overall -- in Overdrive’s 2025 Truckers’ Highway Report Card survey. Truckers’ opinions on parking in the state were split, as it also tied for eighth overall for best parking in the country.
The statewide improvement plan includes more than $600 million in federal funding for improvements to 21 rest areas and welcome centers to be completed by the end of Fiscal Year 2034. Improvements include modernizing facilities, constructing new buildings, and improving parking.
[Related: Reservable truck parking in five new shared-terminal locations]
