Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, April 29, 2026:
Hyroad Energy reaches hydrogen fueling agreement
Hydrogen-powered truck manufacturer Hyroad Energy has announced a commercial fueling agreement with Total Hydrogen Solutions (THS), a division of Pneumatic & Hydraulic Company LLC, to support the development and operation of a new hydrogen refueling station (HRS) in Katy, Texas.
As part of the agreement, Hyroad has signed an offtake agreement for the station's full capacity to meet the growing fueling needs of its fleet customers in Texas.
"Hydrogen trucking is a space to watch right now, and relationships like this one are exactly why,” said Dmitry Serov, CEO and Founder of Hyroad Energy. “Hyroad is well on its way to offer our fleet customers in Texas the reliable, high-throughput fueling they need to operate at scale.”
The station, designed, built, and operated by THS, features onsite hydrogen production through electrolysis and is equipped for fast-fill fueling of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell trucks and trailers. The partnership reflects nearly two years of close collaboration between the two companies with the station planned to be fully operational later this year, the companies noted.
"We're proud to partner with Hyroad Energy on this important step forward for hydrogen trucking in Texas,” said Mark Mire, Owner and CEO of Total Hydrogen Solutions. “This station represents the kind of scalable, reliable infrastructure the industry needs, and it reflects our commitment to delivering end-to-end hydrogen solutions that help fleets transition with confidence.”
Lighting manufacturer requests exemption for flashing brake lights
The Intellistop manufacturer of a brake-light module that pulses the required rear clearance, identification, and brake lamps upon brake activation has requested a five-year exemption that would allow fleets to install the module.
Section 393.25(e) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations requires that all exterior lamps be steady burning, with certain exceptions. Intellistop has applied for an exemption from that requirement to allow motor carriers to operate CMVs equipped with its lamp module.
With the module, when the brakes are applied, it’s designed to pulse the rear clearance, identification, and brake lamps from a lower-level lighting intensity to a higher-level lighting intensity four times in two seconds and then to maintain the OEM’s level of illumination for those lamps until the brakes are released and reapplied.
Intellistop asserted that its module is designed to ensure that if the module ever fails, the clearance, identification, and brake lamps will default to normal OEM function and illumination.
Intellistop requests that the exemption be granted to all motor carriers subject to FMCSA's jurisdiction. FMCSA has previously granted waivers to specific fleets that have requested to use the Intellistop modules in their fleets.
FMCSA will accept public comments on the request here through May 28.
NMFTA names new Director of Cybersecurity
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) has promoted Ben Wilkens to Director of Cybersecurity, where he will lead the association’s cybersecurity strategy, research initiatives, and industry engagement efforts.
Wilkens brings a blend of hands-on transportation experience and advanced cybersecurity expertise to the role. Previously serving as a Cybersecurity Principal Engineer at NMFTA, he has led efforts to develop innovative technologies, methodologies, and strategies to help safeguard critical information systems across the freight and logistics ecosystem, the organization said.
“Ben’s leadership and real-world understanding of both cybersecurity and transportation make him exceptionally well-positioned to advance NMFTA’s mission in this critical area,” said Joe Ohr, chief operations and technical officer for NMFTA. “As cyber threats continue to evolve, his expertise will help ensure our members – and the broader industry – are better equipped to detect, prevent, and respond.”
In his role, Wilkens will collaborate closely with industry partners, academic institutions, and government agencies to strengthen cybersecurity practices and knowledge-sharing across the sector. He is known for providing actionable insights that help organizations improve their security posture in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Prior to joining NMFTA, Wilkens held a leadership role at a family-owned trucking and logistics company, where he focused on integrating technology to improve operational efficiency while maintaining strong cybersecurity standards.
A Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Wilkens also holds an active Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL), bringing a rare, first-hand perspective to the intersection of cybersecurity and freight operations.
[Related: Cyber-enabled cargo theft is rising. Here’s what the industry is learning.]
