Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, April 8, 2026:
- Get prepped for FMCSA’s new registration system rollout.
- More truck parking in Montana, New Mexico.
- Truckstop.com's new heavy-haul load pricing/rates tool.
- Trucking charity supporting Nebraska wildfire relief.
FMCSA urges carriers prep for new registration system
With the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finally rolling out its new Motus registration system this year, the agency asks asking motor carriers and other entities operating authority numbers to take action in the FMCSA Portal.
FMCSA said Motus will be a “single, secure, and mobile-friendly online dashboard for registration actions” that is rolling out in 2026 for all users.
“To facilitate the transition into the new system, motor carriers and other registered entities should ensure their FMCSA Portal account is active, the correct Portal Company Official is listed, and business information is updated,” the agency said.
[Related: Part of anti-fraud bid, FMCSA introduces 'one-stop shop' for all carrier business]
FMCSA is asking registered entities to take the following actions before Motus officially launches:
- Ensure your FMCSA Portal account is active by logging into the Portal here. If you don’t have an account, create one now.
- Verify your Portal Company Official. Ensure the correct Company Official is listed in your FMCSA Portal account, which will allow you to claim your USDOT Number in Motus and automatically populate your new Motus account with existing records, streamlining set-up in the new system. The Portal Company Official should be the company owner or individual authorized to sign documents on behalf of the company. To claim a USDOT Number in Motus when the system launches for registrants, the Company Official must use the same Login.gov email to log into the FMCSA Portal and Motus.
- Update your company information. For a smooth transition into Motus, easily submit an online Biennial Update (MCS-150) in the Portal “Registration” tab to ensure that the most up-to-date information is on file for your business.
FMCSA has compiled a Registration Modernization Resources Hub that includes Frequently Asked Questions, fact sheets and more to help registered entities prepare for the new system.
In 2025, Overdrive "test-drove" the agency's new ID-verification steps for registration. See results in the video below.
New Love’s stops in Montana, New Mexico add 200+ parking spaces
Love’s Travel Stops has opened new locations this week in Laurel, Montana, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, adding more than 200 new truck parking spaces to its network.
The Laurel truck stop, located at 415 19th Ave. W (Interstate 90, Exit 432) serves drivers traveling through southern Montana, and the greater Billings area, the company said. It boasts 177 truck parking spaces, an Arby’s restaurant, nine diesel bays, seven showers, a Cat Scale and more.
The Albuquerque store is located at 3200 Broadway Blvd. SE, off interstates 25 and 40. It offers 39 truck parking spaces, Dunkin’ and Subway restaurants, five diesel bays, four showers, a Cat Scale and more.
The Montana stop adds to an area already well-appreciated by Overdrive readers when it comes parking. Owner-ops last year ranked Montana as one of the best states in the U.S. for truck parking, tied for eighth overall in the 2025 Truckers’ Highway Report Card.
Billings, Montana, specifically was earmarked as one of the best metro areas in the country for parking.
Truckstop.com acquires tool to help brokers price heavy-haul loads
Truckstop.com this week acquired Wize Load, a provider of heavy-haul rate intelligence tools, as part of its continued investment in heavy-haul, oversized, and specialized freight, the company said.
Freight that involves open deck, heavy-haul, or overdimensional equipment is planning intensive, with permits, escorts, routing limits, and specialized equipment all complicating how loads are moved. Priced, too. Quoting specialized moves can take more time without the right data.
Truckstop Heavy Haul Rates, formerly Wize Load, aims to give brokers a faster way to estimate pricing by bringing lane data, permit rules, and equipment requirements together in one place, the company noted. It builds on the load board’s investment in heavy-haul, following the launch of the Truckstop Heavy Haul Load Board earlier this year.
Now, with Truckstop Heavy Haul Rates, Truckstop.com is adding pricing intelligence designed for oversized, overdimensional, and permit-required freight, helping brokers quote faster and move specialized shipments with confidence.
Truckstop will continue offering Truckstop Heavy Haul Rates with the same login and workflow customers use today.
[Related: New heavy-haul-specific load board]
Trucking Cares Foundation supports Nebraska wildfire relief effort
The American Trucking Associations’ Trucking Cares Foundation recently donated $2,500 to the Nebraska Trucking Association to support the delivery of wildfire relief in the Cornhusker State.
“Having TCF join our relief effort is huge,” said NTA President and CEO Kent Grisham. “With that donation, along with the support coming in from individuals and companies, we are now able to double our initial commitment to our Trucking Heroes Wildfire Relief Fund. We are seeing trucks roll to the devastated areas from throughout the region, some of them making many roundtrips. Rebuilding our legendary grazing territory in the sandhills of Nebraska will be a long-haul effort for everyone, but I know our trucks will keep rolling for as long as it takes, like always.”
Wildfires ignited in western Nebraska last month and ripped across the plains, burning hundreds of thousands of acres in their path. Fueled by strong winds, the fires affected large swaths of ranch and pasture lands; destroyed homes, barns, and fences; and injured or killed livestock and wildlife.
With more than 35,000 cattle displaced and countless acres lost, demand is high for feed and supplies. Trucks are needed to transport it all, but the soaring cost of fuel is hampering the response.
To help, the Nebraska Trucking Association launched the Nebraska Trucking Heroes Stipend through its charitable arm, the Nebraska Trucking Cares Fund. Truckers, farmers, and ranchers who assist with transporting emergency relief supplies can receive aid to offset the high cost of fuel.
The stipend offers $0.50 per mile, up to 500 miles per trip, for truckers helping with wildfire relief in western Nebraska. More about the Nebraska Trucking Heroes Wildfire Relief Fund can be found here.
Truck drivers responding to the wildfire relief effort in Nebraska currently are exempt from certain hours-of-service provisions through April 14.
[Related: Emergency HOS relief extended in Nebraska]
