Trucking news and briefs for Monday, April 20, 2026:
- Six Congressional Republicans want oral fluid testing for truckers, other federally-regulated industries.
- New fast food option, truck parking in new truck stop coming to the the already No. 1 Best Parking state in the nation, according to Overdrive readers in 2025's Highway Report Card.
- Driver health app offers new tips.
HHS urged to move on oral fluid drug testing
A group of lawmakers urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take action to allow oral fluid drug testing for federally-regulated workplace drug testing programs.
Oral fluid testing was approved for use in 2023, yet no laboratory has been able to achieve certification because of regulatory barriers at the Food and Drug Administration, the lawmakers wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The group said that "structural misalignment" at the FDA is preventing employers from using modern methods to combat a what they called a massive surge in test cheating.
“Regulated employers therefore cannot utilize this reliable, flexible, and directly observed testing method, which allows detection of recent drug use and a more effective response to today's rapidly evolving drug threats,” they added. “In fact, absent regulatory action, it is possible that U.S. employers will only be able to access federally authorized oral fluid testing by sending specimens to Canada -- only a Canadian laboratory has applied National Laboratory Certification Program (NLCP) oral fluid certification.”
[Related: Oral fluid drug testing approved by DOT]
Led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Maryland), the lawmakers contended that current rules incorrectly treat workplace safety programs as clinical diagnostic tools -- a distinction that subjects new testing technologies to the FDA’s 510(k) medical device clearance process, a pathway the letter describes as a "regulatory barrier" ill-suited for forensic occupational standards.
Clearing regulatory hurdles, the lawmakers said, would “provide employers with reliable alternatives to address the ongoing and alarming rise in urine testing subversion -- an issue that has generated a niche industry of sophisticated products designed to defeat drug tests.”
The Congressmembers asked HHS to take the following four actions:
- Affirm that laboratory-based workplace drug testing is non-clinical and falls outside FDA medical device authority.
- Recognize the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as the sole governing oversight body for these programs.
- Designate SAMHSA’s Division of Workplace Programs as the authority for updating drug panels and testing technologies.
- Finalize hair testing guidelines originally mandated by Congress in 2015.
In addition to Harris, the letter was signed by Pete Sessions (Texas); Mike Collins (Georgia); Ben Cline (Virginia); Mike Bost (Illinois); and Claudia Tenney (New York).
[Related: Trucker locked in FMCSA's Drug and Alcohol 'Clearinghouse jail' fights to break out]
New San Antonio Love’s boasts company’s first Whataburger
Love’s Travel Stops is expanding its footprint in Texas with the opening of a new travel stop in San Antonio, its second in the city. The newest travel stop is along I-410, off exit 412 at 9530 Southton Road.
The new location adds 70 truck parking spaces to an already-rich parking scene statewide, at least according to Overdrive readers' state and metro-area rankings in the 2025 Truckers Highway Report Card. Texas came in at No. 1 best state for parking there.
So far in 2026, Love’s has added 534 parking spaces across the country, the company said.
The new Love’s will also feature the company’s first Whataburger, opening May 4, where guests can enjoy fan-favorite menu items like the honey butter chicken biscuit for breakfast, the patty melt, Whataburger, and shakes.
Other amenities include laundry facilities, seven showers and a Cat Scale, among others.
[Related: Truck parking replacing old coops]
Driver health app expands to help with nutrition
The Project 61 nonprofit aiming to improve truck driver health has announced the launch of Fuel, a new in-app feature designed to help truck drivers build stronger nutrition habits one day at a time.
Now live inside the free Project 61 app, Fuel is built to help drivers improve nutrition consistency without calorie counting, guilt, or unrealistic expectations, the company said. The feature gives drivers a simple daily checklist focused on practical nutrition fundamentals that can support better energy, steadier focus, improved mood, and long-term health.
"Drivers already understand fuel," said Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO of Project 61. "If you put the wrong fuel in your truck, performance drops, problems show up sooner, and the avoidable costs add up. Your body works the same way. Fuel was built to give drivers a practical, realistic way to make better choices more often without making nutrition feel complicated."
Inside the feature, drivers build awareness and habits around the primary building blocks of better nutrition, including protein, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy fats, and non-sugar drinks.
The feature also places special emphasis on fiber, one of the most overlooked and valuable tools for driver health. Fiber can help support steadier energy, better digestion, and greater satiety, all of which matter in a profession defined by long hours, sedentary work, and limited food options.
Fuel is one of the 5 Axles of Health, Project 61's driver-first framework for helping truck drivers build better long-term health in a job that makes health harder. The 5 Axles are Fuel, Move, Recharge, Mental Drive, and Preventative Maintenance.
"Fuel is not a diet plan," Reymer said. "It is a practical way for drivers to stay aware, stay consistent, and build momentum. This is about progress, not perfection."
[Related: How to combat stress on road to trucking safety, OTR well-being]
