Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Aug. 25, 2025:
- More fallout from last week's triple-fatal Florida turnpike crash: Florida Agricultural Law Enforcement officers will now be conducting ELP checks at ag inspection stations.
- We have a winner: find out who came out on top as the Grand Champion at the National Truck Driving Championships this past weekend.
- Brake Safety Week under way: don't forget to listen for air leaks.
Florida to use ag inspection points for immigration enforcement
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Monday announced increased immigration enforcement in the state with the help of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.Office of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Monday that he is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to revoke CDL program authority and funding from California and Washington state, as well as adding immigration enforcement to agricultural interdiction stations in the state.
Uthmeier said he is sending a formal letter to the U.S. DOT and FMCSA related to the CDL program and funding for the two states as a result of the triple-fatal Florida turnpike crash involving Harjinder Singh, who held a non-domiciled CDL from California and had previously been issued a regular full-term CDL from Washington state.
“States like California and Washington ignored the rules, gave an illegal alien a license to drive a 40-ton truck, and three people are dead as a result. A preventable tragedy due to sanctuary state policies,” Uthmeier said. “In response, we’re supporting our Agricultural Law Enforcement and state police to ramp up inspections at state entry-points for illegal aliens who may be operating large trucks using out-of-state driver’s licenses. If you’re here illegally or can’t speak English, you have no business operating large commercial vehicles on Florida’s roads.”
[Related: DOT blasts New Mexico police as 'dishonest' in dispute over Harjinder Singh's English test]
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Wilton Simpson made the announcement alongside Attorney General Uthmeier at an agricultural interdiction station along Interstate 10 in Live Oak. All FDACS sworn law enforcement officers were certified in July, and they are stationing at interdiction checkpoints to work together with federal and state partners on immigration enforcement and checking for English proficiency for commercial drivers while continuing agricultural inspections.
The interdiction stations will add enforcement points for ELP and other checks that happen at FDOT weigh stations, and will serve as critical enforcement points to stop human smuggling, fraudulent documents, and unsafe commercial vehicles, a press release from Uthmeier’s office said.
Singh's crash “tragically took the lives of three Floridians and was a completely preventable consequence of illegal immigration and sanctuary-state policies,” Simpson said. “It is also a reminder of why the work of our law enforcement community to combat illegal immigration is so critical.”
Simpson added that there are 23 agricultural inspection states along Florida roadways, and 100% of the Florida Agriculture Department’s officers are certified in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 287(g) Program that allows state and local law enforcement officers to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight. “Agricultural Law Enforcement officers are uniquely skilled and positioned to help prevent another tragedy and be a force multiplier in the fight against illegal immigration and criminal activity,” he added.
[Related: Homeland Security to work with DOT to 'prevent illegal aliens' from getting CDLs]
FedEx Freight driver crowned National Truck Driving Grand Champion
FedEx Freight's David Comings crowned 2025 Bendix Grand Champion
After four days of competition among some of the nation’s best professional truck drivers, the 88th American Trucking Associations (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) concluded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with FedEx Freight driver David Comings, based out of North Dakota, taking the top spot.
Comings has been a professional driver for nearly 30 years, accumulating 3.1 million safe driving miles. He competed three times in the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association state trucking championships and three times in nationals as well. Bendix sponsored the Grand Champion Award for the 14th consecutive year, continuing its support for driver excellence in safety and performance.
The 2025 NTDC, held Aug. 20-23, brought together 425 truckers and other drivers representing 56 companies from 49 states, competing across nine vehicle classes. This year’s participants collectively logged nearly 756 million accident-free miles – showcasing the safety, skill, and commitment that define the commercial driving profession.
“We extend our sincere congratulations to David Comings, and to all the professionals who competed this year,” said Nicole Oreskovic, vice president of sales and marketing at Bendix. “These drivers are the heart of our industry. Their performance during the competition, and their dedication every day on the road, inspire all of us at Bendix and throughout the transportation community.”
At this year’s event inside the Minneapolis Convention Center, drivers put their knowledge and skills to the test across three phases: a written exam, a detailed pre-trip inspection, and the ever-popular driving skills course. On the course, drivers were evaluated on their ability to expertly handle their vehicles – navigating tight turns, reversing with precision, and positioning their trucks accurately around obstacles, over scales, and through challenging spaces.
Full results from the competition can be seen here.
Brake inspection tips to avoid a violation
With Brake Safety Week in swing, the Bendix company also offered braking system inspection advice to avoid violations, whether you're running drums or rotors in air disc systems.
Inspections -- pre-, post-trip, and regular -- can be important to catching brake-related issues before they become problems, everything from damaged components like air brake chambers or pushrods to loose hoses. Bendix technical training and service manager Brian Screeton recommended:
Every day:
- Check for damaged or loose-hanging air brake chambers, pushrods, or slack adjusters.
- Make sure slack adjusters on each axle are extended out to the same angle. Different angles can indicate an out-of-adjustment brake, a broken spring brake power spring, or a broken service brake return spring.
- Examine tubing and hose condition, positioning, and connections.
Every week:
- Perform a 90- to 100-psi brake application with the wheels chocked and the parking brakes released, and listen for leaks.
- Check air disc brake (ADB) rotors for cracks.
- Inspect drum brake linings for wear and cracks.
Every month:
- Check for moisture in the air system to prevent contamination that leads to component deterioration and system leaks.
Any time you’ve got a vehicle in the shop, it’s also worth greasing the drum brake S-cam tubes and automatic slack adjusters. This quick process helps prevent rust and corrosion, purges out water and contaminants from the components, and also helps keep the slack functioning properly.
[Related: Toughest 10 states for brake violations, as inspection blitz kicks off]
