Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026:
Truck tonnage improved to close out third quarter
Trucking activity in the United States increased 0.8% in September after falling in the previous two months, according to the American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index.
In September, the ATA advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 114, up from 113.1 in August.
The index, which is based on 2015 as 100, was unchanged from the same month in 2025, which was better than August’s 1.3% decline.ATA
Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2025, tonnage is up 0.9% due to robust year-over-year increases from February through April.
“Truck tonnage ended the quarter on a better note, but weakness in July and August pushed the third quarter reading into negative territory both sequentially and from a year earlier,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “We are seeing soft tonnage levels, but capacity is still contracting, which is leading to a better market for motor carriers.”
The not seasonally adjusted index, which calculates raw changes in tonnage hauled, equaled 114.8 in September, 1.4% below August’s reading of 116.4.
Nebraska waives HOS, expands weight limit for fuel haulers
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Monday, Oct. 19, issued a new executive order to help the state meet fuel supply demands.
Pillen noted that shortages have been reported by customers and retailers across the state for a variety of fuel types, and haulers have found themselves having to travel further distances to secure supplies and make those deliveries.
“A combination of factors, including global supply disruptions and the incredibly short and busy harvest season, has boosted demand across the board,” said Gov. Pillen. “This order will help ensure that Nebraska farmers, businesses and families have access to the fuel they need.”
Pillen’s order builds on a federal waiver issued Sept. 16 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to relax hours-of-service requirements for interstate fuel haulers. Nebraska’s waiver applies to truck drivers hauling gasoline, ethanol blends of gasoline, and diesel fuel.
The Governor’s order takes similar action but also allows vehicles to exceed weight limits by up to 10%, as long as no single axle exceeds the maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds.
The proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Nebraska, excluding the interstate system. Nebraska’s waiver is effective through Nov. 18.
Drivers operating under the order are required to carry a copy of the proclamation with them as evidence of their direct support to the state during the emergency period.
[Related: FMCSA eases hours-of-service for gas, diesel haulers]
Medium-duty Freightliner trucks, custom chassis recalled
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is recalling certain vehicles and custom chassis equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines for an issue in which the remote fuel filter hoses may separate from the fitting, causing a fuel leak and an engine stall.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire, and an engine stall increases the risk of a crash, recall documents state.
The recall affects approximately 2,592 of the following vehicles:
- 2022-‘25 Freightliner Business Class M2
- 2023 Freightliner 108SD
- 2022-‘27 Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. (FCCC) XCM
- 2022-’27 FCCC XCR
- 2024-‘27 FCCC XCS
- 2024-‘27 FCCC XBS
Cummins will replace the fuel hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Nov. 20. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number F1042 or Cummins customer service at 1-800-286-6467 with recall number C7311. NHTSA’s recall number is 26V-660.
DTNA’s recall stems from a recall from Cummins that covers certain Cummins L9 engines equipped with a remote Stage 2 fuel filter. The subject engines were sold to various OEMs for installation in transit buses, trucks, recreational vehicles, and fire trucks. Cummins’ recall includes approximately 39,052 engines.
