The Fleet Lead

Daimler Truck's next diesel engine and the urgency of fleet renewal

As EPA's new NOx standards creep nearer, Daimler Truck North America this month revealed its next generation of complaint heavy-duty engines. The Detroit-branded Gen 6 diesel engines will be available in 13-, 15-, and 16-liter options that meet the looming 35-milligram NOx limit, and will power future Freightliner and Western Star trucks.
In the historic Detroit Manufacturing Plant, FleetOwner's Josh Fisher talks with David Carson, SVP of sales and marketing at DTNA, about the new engine, the state of on-highway and vocational trucking, and Carson's advice for fleets. To avoid a repeat of the 2022 capacity crunch and manage the rising maintenance costs of aging equipment, Carson advises fleet managers to "order early, order often" rather than waiting for perfect economic certainty.

Is manufacturing coming back to U.S.? Reshoring Institute talks tariffs, China, nearshoring

The relocation of manufacturing back to the U.S. could be a boon for domestic freight. The pandemic recently spurred business interest in reshoring, but tariff volatility also paralyzed many investment decisions. Rosemary Coates, executive director of the Reshoring Institute, explains the current state of U.S. reshoring.
Timestamps:
00:42 - The Reshoring Institute's mission
04:00 - Global supply chain vulnerability
06:30 - Tariff volatility and business paralysis
12:45 - Manufacturing moving to Mexico

This week in trucking: emissions rollback, non-domiciled oversight

Here are the trucking industry's headlines this week, as of February 12:
EPA finalizes removal of trucks’ greenhouse gas regulations
FMCSA makes another attempt to tighten non-domiciled CDLs
TCA's next president will be Jim Mullen
In fuel, diesel prices rose by 1 cent

Ford Pro's take on tech shortage, work truck TCO, and journey to zero downtime

Modern work trucks have become very advanced, and OEMs' strategies to manage those trucks even more advanced. Ford Pro's Eric Rice, general manager of U.S. fleet sales, details the industry's latest trends: driver assistance, predictive maintenance, the technician shortage, and more.
Timestamps:
02:23 - Total cost of ownership
07:35 - Advanced safety tech
11:35 - The technician shortage
16:30 - Machine learning for actionable data
18:30 - Race to zero downtime

This week in trucking: Sysco loses retaliation suit, $200 million for truck parking

Here are the trucking industry's headlines this week, as of February 5:
The latest highway funding bill includes truck parking
Five employees won a $52 million verdict against food distributor Sysco
EPA is looking to further weaken DEF derates
Heavy-duty equipment demand in January was very strong
Spot rates made a record-high jump
Diesel prices increased 6 cents

An AV vs. EV horse race: ACT Expo 2026

Erik Neandross, president of TRC’s Clean Transportation Solutions Group, previews ACT Expo 2026 in Las Vegas. As the industry pivots from clean fuel goals to "clean intelligence," Neandross shares an insider’s look at where OEM and fleet capital is actually flowing this year.
Timestamps:
2:00 - Shift to economic sustainability
9:53 - ACT Expo's focus on continuing education
13:40 - The rise of virtual drivers
20:06 - Software-defined devicles
24:11 - ACT Expo's keynote speakers: Rivian and Mack Trucks
30:23 - The Expo's move to Las Vegas

This week in trucking: Werner acquired FirstFleet, autonomous milestones

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking, as of January 29:
Werner acquired FirstFleet
Gatik completed 60,000 autonomous medium-duty hauls
Traton gave $25 million to PlusAI for autonomous truck development
Diesel deleting no longer risks jail time
FMCSA issued HOS exemptions to most states
Eaton is spinning off its commercial vehicle business
Diesel prices increased 9 cents

2026's regulatory rodeo with David Heller, Truckload Carriers Association

2025 had no shortage of regulatory changes for the trucking industry, vacillating between rapid crackdowns and sluggish rulemakings. David Heller, senior VP of Safety and Government Affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, shares his outlook for the next year’s regulatory landscape—from English proficiency to CSA scores and beyond.
Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.
Chapters:
1:59 - The 2026 regulatory space 
2:30 - Regulation pacing
4:22 - English proficiency and CDL crackdowns
9:59 - How might lawsuits impact regulations?
11:09 - Rules to look out for
15:00 - Might CSA score calculations change?

This week in trucking: Spot rates down, California enforces English

Here are the headlines this week in trucking, as on January 22:
California started enforcing English language proficiency requirements
United States Postal Service launched a bidding website for last-mile delivery
A judge blocked New York’s truck tolling surcharge
Spot rates decreased for dry van and refrigerated 
Diesel prices jumped 7 cents

2026 Outlook: Rise of AI, dwindling EV focus, and brain-reading trucks

The first 2026 roundtable of the Fleet Lead podcast brings together editors from Fleet Owner and Bulk Transporter to analyze a commercial vehicle market currently transitioning from a stagnant 2025 toward a cautiously optimistic 2026.
Despite continued carrier bankruptcies and consolidations, there are signs that the market might turn later this year. FMCSA's continued crackdown on driver qualifications could help bring upward pressure on rates. On the technology side, appetite for EVs is shrinking while autonomous and AI deployment marches on—and a brainwave scanner could be the next driver safety tech tool.
Featuring Jason McDaniel from Bulk Transporter and Josh Fisher, Jade Brasher, and Jeremy Wolfe from FleetOwner.
Timestamps: 
1:30 – FMCSA's driver crackdowns
3:55 – Fleet bankruptcies
8:33 – How are carriers feeling about the market?
10:00 – General Motors's new headquarters
11:15 – GM strategy for EVs
20:36 – Survey: Fleets don't want EVs
27:08 – Autonomous truck expectations
29:42 – Brain monitoring devices for driver fatigue.
34:55 – Heil Trailer military contracts and expansion.
36:39 – Global mergers, acquisition deal trends.