November, 2025

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - DOT

Federal law will require all State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) to remove commercial driving privileges from the driver's licenses of “Prohibited” individuals. These are drivers who are prohibited from driving commercial vehicles due to drug and alcohol violations or not completing the return-to-duty process. These license downgrades will remain in place until the Return-to-Duty process is completed.

V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology is revolutionizing the trucking industry by enabling vehicles, infrastructure, and pedestrians to communicate with each other. This connectivity offers numerous benefits, including:

Safety Improvements

• Collision Avoidance: V2X systems can detect potential hazards, such as vehicles ahead, blind spots, and pedestrians, and provide real-time warnings to drivers.

• Emergency Alerts: In the event of accidents or emergencies, V2X can quickly alert other vehicles and infrastructure, thereby reducing response times and preventing secondary accidents.

• Traffic Management: V2X can help trucks avoid congestion and reduce fuel consumption by sharing information about traffic conditions.

Efficiency and Productivity

• Platooning: V2X enables trucks to form platoons, driving closely together to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency.

• Route Optimization: V2X can provide real-time information about traffic conditions, road closures, and construction zones, helping trucks choose the most efficient routes.

• Load Optimization: By sharing information about available loads and capacities, V2X can help match trucks with suitable shipments, improving utilization and reducing empty miles.

Environmental Benefits

• Reduced Fuel Consumption: Platooning and efficient routing can significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

• Improved Traffic Flow: V2X can help optimize traffic flow, reducing congestion and associated emissions.

Challenges and Considerations

• Infrastructure Deployment: Widespread deployment of V2X infrastructure requires significant investment and coordination.

• Security: Ensuring the security of V2X communications is crucial to prevent cyberattacks and protect sensitive data.

• Standardization: Establishing global standards for V2X technology is essential for interoperability and widespread adoption.

In conclusion, V2X technology has the potential to transform the trucking industry by enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability. As the technology continues to evolve and infrastructure is deployed, we can expect significant benefits for truck drivers and the environment.

FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION - FMCSA

Drug testing after an accident is mandatory and should be carried out within 32 hours of being released from the accident scene. Alcohol testing following an accident must be conducted within 2 hours of the incident. These tests are obligatory only for accidents that are considered recordable. According to 49 CFR 390.5, a (recordable) accident is described as an event involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a public road in interstate or intrastate commerce resulting in:

(I) A fatality;

(ii) Bodily injury to a person who, due to the injury, receives immediate medical treatment away from the accident site; or

(iii) One or more motor vehicles suffering disabling damage from the accident, necessitating the vehicle(s) being towed from the scene.

If the driver is unable to reach a drug testing facility within the specified timeframe, a statement detailing the reason must be included in their Driver Qualification File.

UNIFIED CARRIER REGISTRATION SYSTEM - UCR

The Unified Carrier Registration System (UCR) is a federal regulation that pertains to the activities of trucks or buses engaged in interstate or foreign trade. The 2026 submissions are on schedule this year. Individuals and businesses that run commercial motor vehicles in interstate or foreign trade must register their enterprise with their home state. If you have multiple businesses, each must be registered separately, including those possessing vehicles or holding a brokerage license. Companies that function exclusively as brokers, freight forwarders, or lessors must also register and remit a $46 fee. Companies that offer both motor carrier services and broker, freight forwarder, or leasing services must pay the fee at the motor carrier rate.

CALIFORNIA

California has a new emissions program for heavy-duty trucks – known as Clean Truck Check. This program is not just for California-based carriers. All out-of-state and out-of-country vehicles, California motorhomes, and agricultural vehicles that operate in the state are required to comply.

Owners of vehicles subject to the program must report their vehicles to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and pay the annual compliance fee of $30 per unit.

Clean Truck Check is designed to ensure trucks operate at maximum efficiency for the life of the vehicle and to help California meet its air quality standards. The program applies to diesel and alternative fuel trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of over 14,000 pounds.

Trucks equipped with 2013 and newer model-year engines with onboard diagnostics (OBD) will need to submit an emissions test twice a year, with that number increasing to four times a year after three years. The tests on these trucks will be conducted by a telematics device that meets CARB’s data format submission requirements, or hand-held scan tools and plug-in dongles that meet CARB’s data submission requirements.

Pre-2013 model-year engines without OBDs must submit an opacity test and a visual/functional inspection twice a year. The opacity test must be up to the SAE J-1667 opacity standard. Alternative fuel trucks are exempt from the opacity test. The visual/functional inspection must be performed by a credentialed tester and is meant to check for tampering with the emissions system.

Passing tests must be submitted within 90 days before compliance test deadlines. For trucks registered in California, the deadline is based on the truck’s DMV registration date. For example, if the truck’s DMV registration date is March 31, its periodic submission deadlines would be March 31 and September 30 (6 months later) for a given year.

Since January 2023, Roadside Emissions Monitoring Devices (REMD) have been used throughout California to screen for potential high-emitting vehicles. Owners of vehicles identified as potential high emitters are being issued a Notice to Submit to Testing (NST) letter and have 30 days to submit a passing emissions test to CARB. Failure to submit a passing test may result in:

An enforcement violation with a fine, loss of compliance certification, and a California vehicle registration hold.

The test can be conducted anywhere using the truck’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) system, provided it’s performed by a CARB-credentialed tester using a CARB-certified readout device. When submitting testing and reporting data using telematic devices that have received CARB certification, a CARB-credentialed tester is not required.

If you received an NST letter, you have 30 days to submit a passing emissions test to CARB. To help get your vehicle tested, check the list of “Available for Hire Credentialed Testers” on the CARB website. The list includes commercial CARB-credentialed Clean Truck Check Testers with contact information.

The Clean Truck Check program applies to all trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating over 14,000 pounds operating in California, including out-of-state and out-of-country vehicles.

KENTUCKY

Carriers may contact our office to update their equipment inventory with the state. Every truck or combination unit that has a combined gross weight of 60,000 pounds or more must be registered with the state before entering the state. The state is requiring the license plate number for each vehicle to be on file.

NEW YORK

The current Ton Mile Tax registration and decals in the state will not expire in December. The current issued 25th series decals and registration certificate will be valid for three years, starting from 2025 until the end of 2027.

Before driving a motor vehicle on New York State's public highways, it is necessary to obtain a registration certificate and decal for each vehicle subject to the highway use tax.

A TMT registration certificate is mandatory for any truck, tractor, or other self-propelled vehicle weighing over 18,000 pounds.

If you choose to utilize the unloaded weight method for your tax filings, a certificate is required for trucks with an unloaded weight exceeding 8,000 pounds and tractors with an unloaded weight over 4,000 pounds.

OHIO

The state has moved the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) filings and renewals to OH|Tax eServices. To access the account, an OhioID must be created. For 2026 Ohio IFTA renewals, the vehicle's serial number must be provided.

Permits that expire December 31, 2025:

• UCR Registration

• State IFTA licenses and decals

• New Mexico Tax ID Permit

• New York Ton-Mile-Tax Certificate and Decals (expire in 2027)

• Various Intrastate Authorities

• Michigan Intrastate CVED Decals

(Intrastate carriers only and towing companies)

• Various State Hazmat Permits

• US Customs Transponders