The Fleet Lead

This week in trucking: ELD tampering out-of-service extension, Indiana's 1,790 non-dom CDLs

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of April 2:
Indiana removed nearly 1,800 non-domiciled CDLs
International and Ryder are using an autonomous truck for real freight
Out-of-service orders will now treat ELD tampering differently
EPA is removing DEF sensor requirements?
Diesel prices rose three cents
 

Volvo Trucks' Peter Voorhoeve on tariffs, market timing, the all-new VNR, and North American manufacturing

With cross-border tariffs making headlines and the average North American tractor reaching the oldest age in years, fleets are caught between a soft freight market and the impending 2027 emissions cliff. 
FleetOwner was at Volvo Group's largest manufacturing plant in the world this week and sat down with Volvo Trucks North America President Peter Voorhoeve in Dublin, Virginia. He breaks down how a $500 million investment in the New River Valley plant and a new $700 million facility in Mexico are insulating Volvo's supply chain—and what that means for your next purchasing cycle.
We also discuss how Volvo Trucks' redesigned VNL and VNR models are serving as "smartphones on wheels," leveraging automated over-the-air updates to slash unplanned downtime by 24%. Plus, Voorhoeve explains why the all-new VNR's "Swiss Army knife" versatility and standard safety features are critical tools for regional fleets trying to survive on thin margins.
Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.
Timestamps:
1:37 – Are customers following Peter’s previous advice to buy trucks now?
4:27 – The new VNR model
8:06 – Connectivity, over-the-air updates
9:47 – A $700 million investment in Monterrey, Mexico
12:17 – How tariffs impact Volvo
14:34 – Peter's advice to fleets on equipment purchasing

Is broker liability about to change? Supreme Court case on Montgomery could decide

The Supreme Court took up the opportunity to standardize how states look at negligent hiring claims against freight brokers. The decision could change how brokers view the risk of small carriers.
The case is Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, also known as Montgomery v. C.H. Robinson. The legal battle started with a truck collision in 2017.
Hear more from FleetOwner's Jeremy Wolfe and Matt Reh, a partner and trial attorney with Armstrong Teasdale who represented C.H. Robinson in the lawsuit.

This week in trucking: New wheel-end sensor, diesel prices

Heavy-duty repair businesses are doing better, survey finds
Hendrickson shows off its new wheel-end sensor
In the spot market, refrigerated and flatbed rates are still up
In fuel this week, diesel is up 30 cents and counting

This week in trucking: Rear impact guard milestone, truck tech lawsuits

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of March 19.
Another House bill mandating English proficiency just passed committee
Stoughton Trailers successfully completed a 40-mph rear impact guard crash test
Trailer manufacturer Hyundai Translead is bringing manufacturing to the U.S.
In the storied Motive-Samsara legal battle, Samsara recently won $30 million
Diesel prices shot up 21 cents and continue to rise

Autonomous spotlight: PlusAI's software-first approach to trucking

Autonomous trucking has real-world operations today—and the developers have bold plans for commercialization within the next two years. This week, the Fleet Lead's Jeremy Wolfe is hosting interviews with four of the industry's autonomous developers.
PlusAI is taking a software-first approach to autonomous trucking, supplying its virtual driver technology to several major OEMs, rather than operating its own fleet. Dr. Shawn Kerrigan, co-founder and COO, joins the Fleet Lead to discuss the company's global data strategy, its factory-integrated trucks, and its roadmap to commercial launch in 2027.
Timestamps:
0:35 - PlusAI's company history
1:35 - PlusAI's global partner strategy
2:32 - Roadmap for commercializing in the U.S.
4:50 - Technology designed to work across various truck platforms
6:46 - Where are PlusAI's trucks on the road today?
8:48 - Recent breakthroughs and the road ahead
14:10 - Benefits of autonomous trucking
15:18 - Challenges for fleets adopting autonomous trucks

Looming trade dispute ruling could reshape the U.S. trailer industry

A high-stakes trade dispute could reshape the North American trailer market.
U.S. manufacturers say low-priced imports from China, Mexico, and Canada are harming domestic production. Importers argue the industry’s struggles stem from the prolonged freight downturn, not unfair trade.
The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled that domestic trailer builders have a case.
 
Timestamps:
1:11 - U.S. trailer makers claim unfair competition from imports
6:52 - Importers rebut coalition's claims, blame downturn on 'macroeconomic' forces
11:46 - What's next for regulators and the trailer industry

This week in trucking: 13,000 CDLs gone, diesel price hikes

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of March 12:
California removed 13,000 non-domiciled CDLs.
Pell Grants might pay for some workforce training
Daimler producing new camera system for medium-duty, vocational trucks
Harbinger Motors is launching a medium-duty cabover truck
Diesel prices shot up by a whopping $0.96

Autonomous spotlight: Torc Robotics driving Freightliners

Autonomous trucking has real-world operations today—and the developers have bold plans for commercialization within the next two years. This week, the Fleet Lead's Jeremy Wolfe is hosting interviews with four of the industry's autonomous developers.
Torc Robotics is integrating autonomous software into the Freightliner Cascadia, the most popular Class 8 truck in the U.S. for many years. The developer is also using generative AI to develop training simulations for its virtual driver. Andrew Culhane, Torc’s chief commercial officer, describes the company’s work and the state of the technology.
Timestamps:
1:54 - Benefits of autonomous vehicles
4:56 - The growing pains a carrier might face
6:12 - What makes Torc unique?
8:29 - Torc’s current operations
10:19 - Recent major milestones
18:09 - Torc's near-future plans.

Autonomous spotlight: Bot Auto narrowing cost per mile

Autonomous trucking has real-world operations today—and the developers have bold plans for commercialization within the next two years. This week, the Fleet Lead's Jeremy Wolfe is hosting interviews with four of the industry's autonomous developers.
Bot Auto operates its own autonomous truck fleet to pursue a transportation-as-a-service model, vying for the business of shippers and brokers. The company is focused on minimizing its cost per mile, achieving costs significantly below its competitors. Xiaodi Hou, Bot Auto's founder and CEO, joins the Fleet Lead to talk about the state of autonomous trucking.
Timestamps:
0:34 - Benefits of autonomous technology
2:24 - Challenges to autonomous operation
6:41 - The history of Bot Auto
8:43 - The "Transportation as a Service" model
11:27 - Cost per mile compared to competitors
16:32 - Bot Auto's active truck fleet
19:58 - Texas partnerships
22:54 - Bot Auto's future roadmap