Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025:
- Passenger-vehicle stops continue multiyear decline in CVSA's "Operation Safe Driver Week" initiative.
- Recalls issued for these Mack, Autocar models.
- More truck parking just outside Denver with the opening of a new truck stop.
Truck drivers net nearly five times more citations, warnings than passenger vehicle drivers during traffic enforcement blitz
For the third year running, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's Operation Safe Driver Week traffic enforcement initiative, conducted in July, showed much more attention paid to truck driver behavior than that of passenger vehicle drivers.
From July 13 to 19, officers issued 3,230 warnings and 1,839 tickets/citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and just 345 warnings and 665 tickets/citations to passenger vehicle drivers for various unsafe driving behaviors. Combined, commercial drivers received 5,069 warnings and tickets compared to just 1,010 for passenger car drivers.
It wasn't always this way. Consider year 2020, when Operation Safe Driver Week results showed passenger vehicle drivers receiving nearly three times as many warnings and citations as truck drivers, as reported in Overdrive, with activity well above recent years' efforts. That year, a grand total of more than 32,000 tickets and warnings were issued, roughly five times the activity than this year.
Operation Safe Driver Week sees CVSA’s truck-enforcement jurisdictions across North America devote time, personnel and resources annually to put the focus on driving behaviors -- speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, etc. All are among top contributors to roadway crashes.
This year's express focus for enforcement was reckless, careless, and/or inattentive driving, but just a total of 20 citations and 53 warnings resulted. Broken out by driver classification, 12 such citations and 47 warnings were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and a mere eight citations and six warnings were given to passenger vehicle drivers.
As is usual, speeding represented the most common infraction during Operation Safe Driver Week, with a total 1,249 warnings and 917 citations/tickets issued. Commercial drivers received 1,073 warnings and 491 tickets/citations for speeding, while passenger vehicle drivers received 176 warnings and 416 citations/tickets for speed-related infractions.
[Related: The 14-state truck speed trap: Where enforcement is most prominent]
Another top violation during Operation Safe Driver Week was failure to wear a seat belt. A total of 219 warnings and 264 tickets/citations were issued, with commercial drivers receiving the majority -- 204 warnings and 248 tickets/citations. Passenger vehicle drivers were given 15 warnings and 16 tickets/citations for failure to wear a seat belt.
Texting or using a handheld device was another frequently cited violation. A total of 129 warnings and 116 tickets/citations were issued to drivers who were texting or using a mobile device while driving. Passenger vehicle drivers received 22 warnings and 37 tickets/citations, while commercial drivers received 107 warnings and 79 tickets/citations.
Fourteen commercial motor vehicle drivers received warnings and 22 were issued citations for possession/use/under influence of drugs/alcohol. Four passenger vehicle drivers received warnings and five received citations for the same violation. Combined, 18 drivers received warnings and 27 were given a ticket/citation for possession/use/under influence of drugs/alcohol.
[Related: Roadcheck results: 10K vehicles, 3K drivers sidelined for OOS violations]
15.8K Mack trucks recalled for seat belt assembly issue
Mack Trucks is recalling more than 15,000 trucks equipped with a passenger bench seat in which the seat belt anchorage bracket may be improperly welded, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
As such, the affected units fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
The 15,841 affected Mack models include:
- 2020-‘25 Mack MD
- 2019-‘25 Mack Anthem
- 2019-‘25 Mack Granite,
- 2024 Mack MD Electric
- 2025 Mack Pinnacle
Dealers will install a reinforcement plate, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Dec. 5. Owners can contact Mack's customer service at 800-866-1177 with recall number SC0485. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-666.
[Related: Door recall to prevent truckers being trapped in-cab]
Autocar recalling severe-duty trucks over potentially faulty steering wheels
Autocar is recalling approximately 4,687 model year 2023-‘26 ACX (Xpeditor) and DC (Legend) trucks in which the steering wheel nut may be improperly secured, allowing the steering wheel to separate from the steering column.
Autocar noted that a manufacturing error resulted in the steering wheel nut being improperly secured.
Autocar will inspect and secure the steering wheel nut as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 28. Owners can contact Autocar customer service at 888-218-3611 with recall numbers ACX-2504 and DC-2506. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-660.
New Love’s opens in Colorado
Love’s Travel Stops is continuing its network expansion with the addition of a new location in Brighton, Colorado.
Located at 672 Riverfront Dr. off Highway 85, the Brighton travel stop provides amenities for professional drivers, RVers and four-wheel customers traveling. The Brighton location, just northeast of Denver, provides a stop between Love’s existing Berthoud and Hudson locations and the state’s capital.
Truck drivers will find 89 truck parking spaces, five diesel bays and eight showers designed to maximize comfort and efficiency on the road, the company said. The store also includes a Love’s Fresh Kitchen concept with fresh food items such as sandwiches, salads and fruit prepared daily; Carl’s Jr.; and Subway.
[Related: A brick-and-mortar paid truck parking network, expanding quickly]
