Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026:
- Border Patrol effort hits 95 "illegal alien" drivers with U.S. CDLs.
- NHTSA reverses course on commercial truck engine fuel economy standards.
- California advances bill aimed at reducing electric truck prices.
95 truck drivers among 143 arrested in immigration sting
The U.S. Border Patrol conducted a multi-agency operation with law enforcement partners in Arizona during the week of Aug. 10-14 that targeted human and drug smuggling and disrupted organized illegal activity.
During the effort, Border Patrol agents from Yuma Sector and supporting law enforcement agencies arrested 143 people from 18 countries, including 95 “illegal alien truck drivers,” Border Patrol said, “that possessed a state-issued” CDL.
[Related: How non-domiciled drivers will try to get FMCSA's CDL ban thrown out]
Of the 95 CDL holders arrested, 76 were in possession of a California CDL, six were in possession of a New York CDL, and the remainder were from other states.
Border Patrol agents also interdicted two human-smuggling events, which resulted in the arrest of four smugglers and 17 smuggled people. Additionally, agents seized a firearm, 74 pounds of methamphetamine, and 169 pounds of marijuana.
“We are committed to protecting our citizens from all international threats, whether that is from unlicensed or untrained drivers, or transnational criminal organizations engaged in human or drug trafficking,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin W. Caudle of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector.
The weeklong immigration blitz comes amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on non-domiciled CDL holders, English language proficiency, CDL schools and more.
[Related: CDL schools applaud DOT, DHS crackdown on 'deluge of bad actors' in driver training]
NHTSA drops fuel economy standards for truck engines
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is scaling back its authority to regulate fuel economy standards for commercial truck engines, reversing its own Obama-era policy to eliminate engine-only regulations.
Industry groups had previously pushed back against standalone engine rules during public comment periods, arguing NHTSA was overstepping its statutory limits by dictating engine components rather than whole-vehicle metrics.
NHTSA ultimately agreed. In an interpretive rule that published Monday in the Federal Register, NHTSA said it lacks the legal authority to set fuel efficiency rules for medium- and heavy-duty truck engines independent of the vehicles themselves.
Under the new interpretation, NHTSA will continue to mandate fuel efficiency improvements for complete vehicles and work trucks, but it will leave the specific engine design and powertrain choices entirely up to manufacturers. The agency said the rollback gives commercial truck manufacturers greater flexibility in how they meet overarching vehicle fuel economy standards, allowing them to tailor engineering decisions to the specific needs of their commercial buyers.
NHTSA said the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which the agency previously used as justification for regulating truck engines, requires NHTSA “to set fuel economy standards for medium- and heavy-duty on-highway vehicles and work trucks but did not authorize NHTSA to set standards for engines on a standalone basis.”
NHTSA also noted that the Clean Air Act specifically authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency, not NHTSA, to set separate standards for engines. --Jason Cannon contributed to this report.
[Related: Detroit stays course with 2027 engines, owner-ops worry over EPA changes]
California bill targeting electric truck prices heads to governor amid diesel spike
A California bill aiming to bring down the high price of electric commercial trucks passed the state Senate in a concurrence vote Sunday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Senate Bill 1213, authored by Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, has been approved unanimously by every committee and on both the Senate and Assembly floors since April.
To accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, the bill requires manufacturers to submit vehicle pricing data, including suggested retail prices, to the state. Companies must comply to maintain eligibility for state subsidies through programs like the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project.
[Related: Is a real diesel shortage brewing?]
The mandate responds to research from the International Council on Clean Transportation showing a growing disparity in the global market. While electric truck prices in Europe decreased by 27% in recent years, U.S. prices increased by 32%. SB 1213 seeks to address that gap by fostering a transparent, competitive marketplace that drives down upfront costs and maximizes public investments.
The legislation has garnered support from business groups and goods-movement stakeholders, including Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba.
Beyond price reporting, SB 1213 directs the California Air Resources Board to reevaluate voucher caps annually to accelerate zero-emission truck deployment, prioritizing fleets that serve disadvantaged communities. It also requires state agencies to explore innovative financing mechanisms by 2028—such as low-cost loans and residual value guarantees—to provide fleets with greater financial certainty.
