Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, May 20, 2026:
- 42 people found being smuggled in tractor-trailer -- 38 of them inside a 92-degree trailer.
- Border Patrol nabs another ‘illegal’ immigrant truck driver.
- New truck stop opens near Chicago.
Truck driver arrested for allegedly smuggling 42
A 43-year-old Beaver, Oklahoma-based truck driver has been charged with smuggling numerous illegal immigrants, as well as possession with intent to distribute meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck in the Southern District of Texas.
On May 16, Juan Nasario-Reyes allegedly drove a white Volvo tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita, Texas, where authorities noticed nervous behavior. According to a complaint filed in court, he claimed his vehicle was empty and he was alone, but a K-9 alerted to the sleeper portion of the tractor and the front of the trailer.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered four illegal aliens concealed inside the cab area and 38 more inside the trailer, according to the complaint.
The charges further allege the trailer had been latched shut from the outside with no means for the individuals inside to open the doors or escape.
A subsequent search allegedly revealed water bottles, trash, a cushion and a bucket for urination inside the trailer. According to the complaint, the temperature inside the trailer was approximately 92.5 degrees.
The people being smuggled were from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Cuba and Brazil, according to the charges.
Authorities also allegedly located approximately 16 grams of meth, a glass pipe and glass funnel inside a headphone box in the cab area.
If convicted of the human smuggling offenses, Nasario-Reyes faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine, while the drug charges carry a maximum of 40 years.
A total of 13 of the migrants are facing either illegal entry or reentry charges, while the remaining are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
‘No Name Given’ CDL holder arrested for unlawful presence
The U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma, Arizona, sector in April arrested an Indian national truck driver for being illegally present in the United States.
According to a post on X, the driver was in possession of a California-issued CDL with the first name of “No Name Given.” He was also allegedly driving a truck with a handwritten piece of paper as a license plate. Child sexual abuse material was also allegedly found on the subject’s phone.
The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Yuma to face criminal charges.
[Related: California cargo thief's 'No Name Given' CDL, explained]
New Love’s open near Chicago; Florida location reopened
A new Love’s Travel Stops location has opened in Joliet, Illinois, off of I-80 at exit 134.
The new travel stop has 91 truck parking spaces and provides free parking for Love’s customers, helping address the national truck parking shortage. So far in 2026, Love’s has added 733 truck parking spaces across the country.
As a primary intersection for Interstates 80 and 55, Joliet serves as a vital gateway for the national supply chain, Love’s noted. By establishing a presence at this junction, the company said it “is providing a much-needed relief point for professional drivers who often face congestion and limited-service options when navigating this high-traffic corridor.”
In Overdrive’s 2025 Truckers’ Highway Report Card survey of owner-operators and truck drivers about the best and worst states for truck parking availability and highway upkeep, Illinois ranked among the worst for parking. The state tied for sixth overall for worst parking.
In addition to truck parking, the new Love’s also offers a Hardee’s restaurant, nine diesel bays, seven showers, a Cat Scale, among other amenities.
Love’s also recently celebrated the grand reopening of its travel stop in Auburndale, Florida, which was updated under the company’s Road Ahead Plan and includes an updated sales floor, restrooms and showers and an overall updated look and feel.
So far in 2026, Love’s has completed updates to 14 locations and opened eight new locations.
