Article Summary
Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, July 22, 2026:
- Documented carrots haul turns into guilty plea for truck driver hauling undocumented immigrants.
- Murder suspect truck driver on the run nabbed.
- Arizona enforcement blitz nets big results.
- Truck tonnage barely budging.
Truck driver pleads guilty to illegally smuggling 24 immigrants
A 61-year-old truck driver from Houston, Texas, has pleaded guilty to transporting illegal immigrants.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, Rodney William Gipson admitted that, despite nearly 30 years as a commercial truck driver, he knew or recklessly disregarded the fact he was illegally transporting two dozen illegal immigrants in his truck.
On Feb. 19, Gipson drove a tractor-trailer to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. He claimed he was transporting a load from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston, but a K-9 soon alerted to the rear of the trailer.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered 24 illegal immigrants hidden inside the vehicle. They also found a cargo document showing the truck was supposed to be hauling a load of carrots.
Gipson was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Sentencing will be set a later date. At that time, Gipson faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Murder suspect truck driver arrested in New Mexico
A suspect wanted for murder out of California and considered armed and extremely dangerous was recently apprehended while sleeping in the cab of a tractor-trailer in New Mexico.
On July 16 at approximately 6:30 a.m., New Mexico State Police officers received information that 27-year-old Raymond Garcia, wanted out of San Bernardino, California, was traveling westbound on I-40 in a commercial motor vehicle.
Officers were provided with a description of the CMV while investigators in California worked to establish Garcia's location. As updated location information was relayed, NMSP officers learned the suspect was traveling near mile marker 300 on I-40. NMSP officers responded to the area and located the CMV traveling westbound near mile marker 298.
After confirming the vehicle's identity, NMSP officers, with the assistance of the Santa Rosa Police Department, conducted a coordinated high-risk felony stop near mile marker 276. Due to the threat posed by the suspect, the westbound lanes of the interstate were temporarily closed to ensure the safety of the public and responding personnel.
The driver complied with officers' commands, exited the CMV, and was detained for investigative purposes. During the investigation, the driver confirmed Garcia was his co-driver and remained asleep inside the sleeper compartment of the CMV.
Officers issued numerous lawful commands for Garcia to exit the vehicle, but Garcia refused and barricaded himself inside the cab. After continued negotiations and repeated commands, Garcia eventually displayed his hands through the driver's side window, exited the truck, and was taken into custody without incident. He was booked into the De Baca County Detention Center on the California murder warrant.
Three-day blitz news 39 OOS orders, 350 violations
Arizona Highway Patrol State Troopers, from July 15-17, conducted an enforcement detail on Arizona Highway 87 near Payson.
Among the most common violations were drivers without CDLs, no log book or tampered logs, and equipment violations. One driver was cited for drug-related charges.
The three-day detail resulted in the following enforcement activity:
- 96 total inspections
- 350 total violations
- 13 vehicles out-of-service
- 23 drivers out-of-service
Truck tonnage mostly flat in June
Trucking activity in the United States was essentially flat in June, rising just 0.1% after decreasing 3.2% in May, according to the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
“While tonnage was little changed during June, there was a definite weakening in volumes during the second quarter as the index contracted a total of 4.1% during April and May,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “After five straight year-over-year gains, tonnage has now contracted from year-earlier levels for the last two months.”
Costello added that the broader economy “remains on solid footing overall,” yet “the freight economy isn’t as strong. With that said, the decrease in capacity over the last year probably has fleets feeling a little better than volumes would suggest.”
In June, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 113.1. The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, decreased 0.1% from the same month in 2025, which was better than May’s 0.7% drop.
During the first half of the year, tonnage was up 1.4% from the same period last year thanks to strength in the first quarter. In 2025, the tonnage index was flat compared to the 2024 average.
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 116.5 in June, 2.7% above May’s reading of 113.4.
