Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026:
Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors recalled over fire risk
Kalmar Solutions LLC is recalling more than 16,000 terminal tractors and is advising owners to park them outside and away from structures until the vehicles are repaired.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the recall includes 16,127 model year 2014-’26 Kalmar Ottawa T2 4x2 and 2016-’26 T2 6X4 DOT/EPA terminal tractors.
In the affected units, the printed circuit board (PCB) insulation may become damaged, resulting in a short circuit. A short circuit increases the risk of a fire even when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is in the 'Off' position, the recall states.
“While the root cause of the electrical insulation breakdown or initial short has not been determined, the lack of controlled electrical failure protection against PCB shorts can result in a fire when the vehicle is off, parked and unoccupied,” recall documents add.
The issue “generally occurs without warning, though some reports have identified erratic horn and lighting behavior of vehicles parked and off prior to failure events.”
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until their vehicle is repaired. Kalmar will rewire the cabin power and add a 5A fuse to the PCB circuit, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by Dec. 4.
Owners can contact Kalmar customer service at 1- 888-229-6300, select option 4, then option 2. NHTSA’s recall number is 26V-648.
28 trucks, 13 drivers OOS in one-day California blitz
The California Highway Patrol’s Newhall division just north of Los Angeles partnered with the Southern Division Commercial Unit last week to focus on commercial vehicle safety and compliance.
As a result of the one-day effort on Oct. 13, officers issued a total of 279 citations, including citations for mechanical violations, improper lane use, speeding, and non-emergency stops on the freeway.
A total of 28 vehicles and 13 drivers were placed out of service for various mechanical and operator violations.
CHP used the opportunity to issue reminders to truck drivers to avoid receiving similar citations:
- Never stop on the freeway unless required by an emergency or otherwise permitted by law
- Remain in your designated lane and follow all lane-use requirements
- Obey the posted speed limits and any speed restrictions applicable to your vehicles
- Plan you routes ahead of time and take breaks only in legally permitted locations
- Conduct your pre-trip safety inspection on your vehicles prior to each trip
Piston cardless fuel network now accepted at large Western U.S. chain
Cardless fuel payment network Piston has announced that fleets can now use Piston at 341 Jacksons Food Stores locations across multiple states in the western U.S. All locations are live, giving fleets on Piston's network more places to purchase fuel and creating a new avenue for Jacksons to grow commercial fuel volume, the companies said.
Piston allows drivers to authorize and pay for fuel purchases through secure mobile authorization, replacing the physical card entirely. Each transaction is tied to a specific driver and vehicle, giving fleet operators real-time visibility into their fuel spending.
Additionally, by connecting directly to the point of sale, Piston has access to more data than a traditional open-loop network does, enabling improved fraud prevention, the company said.
At Jacksons, Piston is now an additional method of payment available to participating fleets, alongside the payment options already offered at those locations.
"Every merchant partner makes our network more valuable to the fleets that rely on it," said Vikram Sekhon, co-founder and CEO of Piston. "Jacksons has a strong presence across the West, and bringing hundreds of new locations onto Piston at once gives fleet operators more flexibility when planning routes. It also connects Jacksons directly with the commercial fuel demand on our network."
Founded in 1975 as a single service station in Caldwell, Idaho, Jacksons has grown into a family-owned convenience store operator with locations across eight western states, including Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California, Montana, and Utah. Its stores operate under the Jacksons Food Stores and ExtraMile by Jacksons brands.
"Commercial fueling is an important part of our business, and the way fleets pay is changing," said Cory Jackson, President of Jacksons Food Stores. "Working with Piston helps us keep pace with that shift and makes Jacksons a practical stop for fleets using modern payment technology."
