Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, March 25, 2026:
Georgia’s fuel tax suspended for two months
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law on March 20 that suspends the fuel tax in the state for 60 days to help motorists and truck drivers deal with skyrocketing gas and diesel prices.
Georgia's excise tax on gasoline is currently 33.3 cents per gallon and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel.
"Hardworking Georgians know best how to spend their money, not the government," said Kemp. "That's why I'm proud to sign these bills and, along with the General Assembly, deliver meaningful tax relief on top of the other measures we've taken in recent years. Because we budget conservatively, we can take steps like these that actually deliver on affordability issues for families in our state."
According to a guidance document released by the Georgia Department of Revenue, all motor carriers who are licensed with the International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) and traveling in Georgia are exempt from motor fuel excise tax from between March 20 and May 19.
Motor carriers will be able to purchase qualifying fuel tax-free and travel non-taxable miles in Georgia during the suspension period. IFTA returns are still required to be filed for the quarters that include the tax-free period.
The state is asking carriers to ensure that all fuel purchases are reported on IFTA returns to accurately reflect miles per gallon for the suspension period. Reporting should include both tax-free and tax-paid purchases.
During the effective suspension date of March 20 through May 19, all miles traveled in Georgia should be reported as non-IFTA miles, the state added. On the IFTA return, all filers should report all miles traveled and fuel gallons purchased in Georgia for the suspension period as non-taxable miles and non-taxable gallons.
Georgia DOR provided the following instructions for reporting activity from March 20 through May 19:
- Report all miles traveled in Georgia during suspension period in Total Miles
- Exclude all miles traveled in Georgia during suspension period in Total Taxable Miles
- Report tax-free fuel gallons purchased in Georgia in Total Gallons
- Exclude tax-free fuel gallons purchased in Georgia in Tax-Paid Gallons
[Related: ATA chief sounds off on Iran conflict's 'significant' impact on trucking]
Rowdy Transport names new president
Rowdy Transport, a provider of specialized full-truckload, final-mile, and heavy-haul logistics services for energy, industrial, and infrastructure supply chains, has announced the appointment of Jason Ickert as President of the Rowdy Family of Companies.
In this role, Ickert will oversee overall strategy, operations, and growth across Rowdy's divisions – including Rowdy Transport, Rowdy FR8, Rowdy Logistics, and Rowdy Resources. Ickert will partner closely with Founder and CEO Craig Gandy to accelerate the company's momentum in serving demanding sectors such as frac sand last-mile delivery, aggregates, steel processing, over-dimensional freight, and complex project cargo.
"Jason brings exactly the proven leadership, operational excellence, and strategic vision we need as Rowdy continues to evolve and expand our capabilities," Gandy said. "His deep experience in scaling logistics organizations, integrating teams and technology, driving P&L performance, and delivering exceptional customer outcomes aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering mission critical solutions. We're thrilled to welcome him to the Rowdy Family and look forward to the impact he'll make alongside our talented team."
Ickert joins Rowdy with more than 30 years of experience in transportation, third-party logistics (3PL), and supply chain management. Most recently, he served in senior roles including President and COO positions at asset-based and brokerage organizations, where he focused on operational transformation and strategic growth in dynamic markets.
"I am grateful to Craig and the leadership team to be asked to join Rowdy at this pivotal time," Ickert said. "Rowdy has built an exceptional reputation for reliability, grit, and customer obsession in some of the toughest logistics environments. I look forward to working with Craig and each member of the Rowdy Family to strengthen our specialized expertise, expand our flexible solutions, and continue delivering the essentials that power progress across some of the most rugged industries."
Since its founding in 2011, Rowdy Transportation has grown from East Texas roots into a trusted partner for critical, highly-specialized freight, the company said. With Ickert's appointment, the company is positioned to further innovate, enhance service offerings, and drive sustainable growth while upholding its core values.
Cargo theft ring busted in SoCal
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s (LASD) served search warrants at 13 locations between December 2025 and February 2026 as part of an ongoing investigation into organized crimes and cargo theft.
LASD’s Major Crimes Bureau Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team (CCATS) detectives served the warrants in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties and resulted in the arrest of nine suspects.
Detectives seized approximately $7 million of stolen cargo and $1 million in U.S. currency. Thirty-six companies (including J.B. Hunt, Amazon, Sony, LG, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Costco, Wolff Shoes, Monster Energy, and Disney) were affected by these thefts, LASD said.
The stolen freight recovered included but was not limited to: Hisense televisions, LG microwaves, Cannon printers, Wolff shoes, Sony Soundbars, Milwaukee tools, golf carts, ATVs, Disney clothing, LG appliances, Jelly Cat plush animals, Axil XCor Pro headphones, Black & Decker tools, Craftsman tools, Pentair pool equipment, Ring cameras, Style Craft hair clippers, Mastercool AC units, Monster Energy drinks, Classica Cordials Premium Liquor, and cosmetics.
[Related: Cargo theft in 2026: Top targets, high-risk states]
The suspects were arrested and booked on charges of Grand Theft Cargo, Money Laundering, and Receiving Stolen Property.
