Article Summary
Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, June 30, 2026:
- Mega broker C.H. Robinson is no longer party to a lawsuit after disputing allegations levied against it.
- Wildfire-relief HOS waiver extended out West.
- Truck dealer network expands with Peterbilt of Louisiana acquisition.
C.H. Robinson out of crash liability lawsuit
The plaintiffs in a lawsuit stemming from the August 2025 triple-fatal crash on the Florida turnpike involving non-domiciled CDL driver Harjinder Singh have dropped C.H. Robinson from the case after learning the brokerage did not actually broker the load being hauled at the time of the crash.
When C.H. Robinson was named in the suit earlier this month, the brokerage challenged the claim, denying that it brokered the load to the fleet involved -- White Hawk Carriers -- or even worked with the trucking company at all at the time of the crash. C.H. Robinson at the time said “White Hawk Carriers is not an approved carrier for C.H. Robinson nor been authorized in our system for years,” and added that the last load the carrier hauled for the brokerage was in January 2024.
In a court filing on June 26, Yaniel Cantelar, a representative of the estate of Fanolia Joseph, who was killed in the crash last summer, dropped C.H. Robinson from the case after learning the brokerage had, in fact, not brokered the load being hauled at the time of the crash.
C.H. Robinson in a statement Tuesday reiterated that the allegation that it had brokered the shipment was untrue. The brokerage’s full statement follows:
"The lawsuit in Cantelar v. White Hawk Carriers incorrectly alleged that C.H. Robinson brokered the shipment involved in the accident. That was false, which is why C.H. Robinson has been dismissed from the case.
"C.H. Robinson did not broker or arrange the shipment, nor was it involved in the selection of the trucking company that moved the shipment. In fact, at the time of the accident, the trucking company in question was blocked in C.H. Robinson’s system from being booked on any load.
"Once the plaintiff learned the truth, they voluntarily dismissed C.H. Robinson from the case on June 26, 2026.
"C.H. Robinson should not have been named as a defendant in this case, and its dismissal reflects the underlying facts.
"Any commentary suggesting that C.H. Robinson may have been involved through a ‘double brokerage’ arrangement or somehow booked the load outside of its mandatory, rigorous, and multi-layered carrier vetting process is false. This was not a C.H. Robinson load, and neither C.H. Robinson nor any C.H. Robinson employee had any role in brokering or arranging the transportation of this load with any carrier."
The lawsuit is still pending against White Hawk Carriers, its manager Harpreet Singh, and the driver, Harjinder Singh.
[Related: Lawsuit filed over triple-fatal Harjinder Singh crash]
Oregon wildfire relief haulers’ HOS waiver extended
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration extended an emergency declaration waiving hours-of-service regulations for truck drivers and motor carriers responding to the wildfire threat in Oregon.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency on June 15 due to the “imminent threat of wildfire,” prompting the Oregon Department of Transportation to waive HOS for certain motor carriers and truck drivers. That waiver was effective through 6 p.m. on July 1.
On June 25, due to “ongoing wildfire activity and continued drought,” Oregon requested FMCSA extend the emergency relief. Because emergency conditions have not abated, the agency granted the extension through July 13.
Under terms of the relief, truck drivers and motor carriers providing direct assistance to the emergency in Oregon related to wildfire suppression, prevention, and mitigation are exempt from the maximum driving time regulations in 49 CFR 395.3.
The regulatory relief applies regardless of the origin of the trip, so long as the carrier or driver is providing direct assistance to the emergency in Oregon, FMCSA noted.
[Related: How troopers tackle remote ELD manipulation, 'chameleon' operations]
Rush Enterprises expands network with big acquisition
Commercial vehicle dealership network Rush Enterprises has acquired certain assets of Peterbilt of Louisiana, expanding the company's dealership network into South Louisiana and strengthening its presence across the Gulf Coast.
The acquisition adds five full-service Peterbilt dealership locations, one collision center and one PacLease operation to the Rush Truck Centers network. The transaction adds 46 service bays, more than 23,000 square feet of parts storage and approximately 107,000 square feet of facility space to the company's footprint.
The locations, now operating as Rush Truck Centers and Rush Truck Leasing, are in Baton Rouge, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles and New Orleans.
"Peterbilt of Louisiana has built an outstanding reputation for serving customers throughout the region, and we are excited to welcome its employees to the Rush Enterprises family," said W.M. "Rusty" Rush, chairman, CEO and president of Rush Enterprises. "This acquisition strengthens our presence along the Gulf Coast, expands our service capabilities and positions us to better serve customers operating throughout one of the country's most important freight corridors. We look forward to building on the strong customer relationships the Peterbilt of Louisiana team has established over many years."
The locations will operate as part of Rush Truck Centers' newly formed Gulf South Region under the leadership of Regional General Manager Mark Kanitz.
With the acquisition, Rush Enterprises now boasts 167 Rush Truck Centers dealership locations and 61 Rush Truck Leasing locations across 24 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada.
