Article Summary
Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, July 16, 2026:
- “Public trust on our roads is earned, not given”: NHTSA to AV developers
- Two arrested at U.S.-Canada border for alleged attempted smuggling.
- More truck parking in the Hoosier State.
NHTSA to driverless-vehicle makers: Emergency responder interference 'unacceptable'
A July 8 letter from National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jonathan Morrison to “Driverless Automated Driving System Developers” tells the developers they need to ensure the autonomous vehicles are able to navigate around emergency responders without interference.
The letter coincided with NHTSA announcing a number of initiatives aimed at clearing the way for autonomous vehicles to operate on the nation’s highways.
Morrison noted that in recent months, “NHTSA has identified a clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders,” adding that “the agency has documented multiple instances in which AVs drove directly into active emergency scenes, blocked the paths of ambulances and firefighters, or failed to recognize and respond to basic safety conditions like flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones.”
[Related: DOT clearing way for driverless trucks with wiper, mirror, steering exemptions]
Morrison was clear in the letter AV developers must fix the issues, noting that AVs “must support [law enforcement’s] efforts and get out of the way, not disrupt their life-saving mission or compound the dangers they face.”
Such interference “is unacceptable," he said. "To state it bluntly: an AV that cannot safely interact with first responders is a danger to the general public. Every second matters when law enforcement officers, firefighters, or paramedics are answering a call because lives are on the line. That is why human drivers who impede these operations are subject to fines and even jail time.”
Morrison’s letter makes a “call to action” for AV developers and operators “to immediately focus their resources on fixing this issue.” NHTSA expects developers to prioritize interactions with first responders and noted that the agency will be scheduling meetings with them by the end of July to hear about solutions to the problem.
“NHTSA has already been active in this space and will continue to exercise our enforcement authority for developers that do not address significant safety concerns,” Morrison added. “Public trust on our roads is earned, not given.”
[Related: Trucker to Congress: Keep drivers in autonomous trucks]
Canadian truck driver, passenger arrested at border for human smuggling
Two individuals were arrested in late June at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry in Buffalo, New York, while seeking entry into the United States in a commercial truck.
Khvicha Chalisuri, 63, a Canadian citizen and native of the nation of Georgia, was charged with alien smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Alexandru-Stefanita Iordache, 34, a Romanian native living in Canada, was charged with eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison.
According to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, in the early morning hours of June 24, Chalisuri was allegedly encountered at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry seeking entry to the United States in a commercial truck. Chalisuri claimed no one else was in the truck with him, but referral by officers to X-ray of the truck and cargo revealed an anomaly -- a person standing in the sleeper portion of the cab.
The individual was removed and ID'd as Iordache, according to authorities. Subsequent investigation determined Iordache, who was living in Canada, had no authorization for lawful entry to the United States.
Both defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained.
[Related: Make truckers prove passenger authorization documentation: CVSA]
Two updated Indiana welcome centers expand truck parking
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in recent months opened two newly constructed welcome centers expanding amenities and truck parking in the state.
The Abraham Lincoln-themed welcome center on eastbound I-64 and auto racing-themed welcome center on EB I-70, both in western Indiana just over the Illinois border, are the latest updates in INDOT’s statewide improvement plan for 21 rest areas, welcome centers, and truck parking facilities to be completed by the end of fiscal 2034.
In late March, the I-64 Black River Welcome Center in southwest Indiana reopened with 75 truck parking spaces -- a big upgrade over the 15 offered at the facility prior to its 2023 demolition. It also features truckers’ restrooms, designated parking for food-truck vendors, a 0.3-mile walking loop, cardio workout machines and more.
In November 2025, the reimagined, Indianapolis Motor Speedway-themed I-70 Clear Creek Welcome Center in western Indiana reopened, also with a big truck parking upgrade. The updated facility boasts 128 truck parking spots, compared to just 50 prior to the previous facility’s demolition. It also features picnic pavilions, cardio workout machines, a dog park, walking path and more.
Indiana DOT is also planning six more themed welcome centers coming soon, as well as one new rest area and the truck-parking conversion of several rest areas.
Truckers’ opinions on Indiana’s parking situation is mixed, as the state ranked as both a top 10 best and worst state for truck parking in Overdrive’s 2025 Truckers’ Highway Report Card.
The same can't be said for the state of big trucking routes in the state. Indiana was far and away truckers' No. 1 choice for worst roads nationwide, with I-70 across the state ranked as the worst segment overall.
[Related: Indiana wants to toll I-70, truckers' worst road in the nation]
