Trucking news and briefs for Monday, May 18, 2026:
- Sick of scams mimicking DOT services? New legislation could help.
- Temporary HOS relief in two states.
House bill targets trucking scams
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House last week aims to bring an end to scammers who take advantage of truckers by convincing them to pay money for federal services that are actually free.
Introduced by Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Washington) and Dave Taylor (R-Ohio), the Stop Scamming Truckers Act targets misleading letters that try to scam truck drivers and motor carriers into paying to avoid hassles. Letters frequently mimic official documents from federal agencies but in reality are often sent by scammers. These services for simple renewals or registrations end up costing truckers wasted time and money, Gluesenkamp Perez said.
[Related: Don't be fooled by biennial-update scams]
“There is no end to the rage and confusion that comes with receiving scam letters that falsely purport to be from the federal government,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “When DOT licenses are the subject of these scams, it torches public goodwill towards federal agencies. This is a critical issue that disproportionately affects small businesses and it’s time to see some action taken.”
The new legislation would require third-party companies that transmit correspondence about USDOT numbers to include a disclosure, in at least 12-point font, that informs the recipient the letter is from a private company and that the company is not the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, or any other federal agency.
The disclosure must also be located on the first page of the communication, or without the need to scroll if the communication is digital.
The bill also clarifies that a company cannot use a name, seal, logo, insignia, or trade dress that would reasonably imply affiliation with the Department of Transportation.
For enforcement, the bill creates a private right of action -- any person who receives a communication that violates the act may bring a civil action in a U.S. district court. Damages can include actual damages, statutory damages of at least $500, and up to $5,000.
[Related: Trucking companies getting checks in fraud case]
Iowa suspends HOS for fuel haulers
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last week issued a proclamation that waives hours-of-service regulations for certain fuel haulers in the state.
The proclamation notes “refinery and terminal maintenance have strained fuel supply across the state,” adding that demand in the agricultural sector is high. Because of these factors, Reynolds said, trucks and drivers are having to transport fuel from farther distances and waiting longer at terminals to meet the state’s needs.
As such, Reynolds has suspended the HOS provisions in Iowa Code 321.449 for crews and drivers delivering diesel, gasoline or gasoline blends, ethanol and biodiesel into or within the state of Iowa.
The waiver is effective through May 28.
Nebraska’s wildfire-related HOS waiver extended
FMCSA extended an emergency declaration that provides relief for truck drivers responding to wildfires in Nebraska.
The hours-of-service exemption has been in place since March 16 for truck drivers hauling wildfire-support loads. Last month, FMCSA gave the waiver a one-month extension through May 14.
Because emergency conditions still exist, FMCSA issued yet another extension through June 14.
The exemption waives the maximum driving time regulations in 49 CFR 395.3 for motor carriers and truck drivers providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts related to the emergency. The relief applies regardless of the origin of the trip, so long as the carrier or driver is providing direct assistance to the emergency in Nebraska.
Direct assistance does not include transportation related to long-term rehabilitation of damaged physical infrastructure after the initial threat to life and property has passed, nor does it include routine commercial deliveries, including mixed loads with a nominal quantity of qualifying emergency relief added to obtain the benefits of the waiver.
[Related: Inspectors 'behind the curve' on new breed of ELD cheats]
