Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025:
New legislation looks to protect truckers from lawsuit abuse
Last week, U.S. Reps. Tom Barrett (R-Michigan) and Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) introduced H.R. 5268, the Forum Accountability and Integrity in Roadway (FAIR) Trucking Act aimed at protecting truck drivers and trucking companies from lawsuit abuse.
Specifically, the bill would give federal courts original jurisdiction over highway accident civil actions against commercial motor vehicles involved in interstate commerce when the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million.
Bill sponsors said the FAIR Trucking Act restores fairness and balance to litigation, protects against forum shopping, ensures cases of national scope are heard in federal courts, and keeps the focus on justice. Specifically, it grants federal courts jurisdiction over truck crash cases when the following criteria are met:
- The matter involves interstate commerce
- The amount being sought exceeds $5 million
- At least one defendant and one plaintiff are from different states
“American truckers play an essential role in every aspect of our economy -- from keeping the store shelves stocked to getting fuel to gas stations and delivering medical supplies to hospitals,” Rep. Barrett said. “Allowing them to keep falling victim to lawsuit ambushes in handpicked courtrooms is bad for business and bad for our supply chains. This bill will restore fair and balanced litigation while ensuring that our truckers, trucking companies, and owner-operators can keep our commerce flowing.”
Bill sponsors noted that the trucking industry has become increasingly targeted by personal injury attorneys “who unfairly capitalize on trucking accidents by abusing our justice system” in recent years. Part of these attorneys’ tactics include handpicking state courts that they believe have more favorable juries and higher likelihood for larger payouts.
[Related: New study analyzes impacts of nuclear verdicts]
Nearly 14K Kenworths recalled for instrument cluster issue
Paccar has announced a recall of nearly 14,000 Kenworth trucks in which the 15-inch digital display could fail to display warning lights or the vehicle’s speed, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The issue means the affected trucks do not comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Affected trucks include model year 2024-’26 Kenworth T680, T880 and W990 units, in which the digital display may enter recovery mode (blue screen) without prior indication. In such a mode, the screen is non-responsive and may reset after a key cycle or reprogramming.
Dealers will update the vehicle display software, free of charge. Paccar has not yet provided a schedule for notifying owners of the recall. Owners of affected trucks can contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 with recall number 25PACG. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-569.
Legislation aims to protect livestock during interstate transport
Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-Nevada) has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting farm animals from disease and inhumane treatment when they are transported over long distances in the United States.
“For far too long, federal regulations requiring humane treatment of transported farm animals have not been enforced,” Titus said. “The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would stop this lax regulation that has resulted in many animals being injured or succumbing to disease during transport.”
Titus introduced the same bill during the previous Congressional session, but no action was taken on it.
The Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act would require the Department of Transportation and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a mechanism to monitor compliance with the Twenty-Eight Hour Law, which requires animals to be offloaded for food, water and rest if they have travelled for 28 hours or more.
While U.S. regulations on international animal exports guarantee livestock are healthy and fit to travel, interstate transportation lacks similar requirements, Titus said. Without these guidelines, sickly and newborn animals are permitted to be transported over long distances, contributing to the spread of pathogens. To remedy this, the bill would also prohibit the interstate transport of livestock deemed unfit for travel due to sickness, injury, or other conditions.
“The worst abuses in farmed animal transport occur when animals are hauled extremely long distances or when they are ill, disabled, or otherwise in such poor condition that they can’t withstand the journey,” said Adrienne Craig, senior policy associate and staff attorney for the Animal Welfare Institute’s Farmed Animal Program. “The millions of animals carried on our roads every year should be entitled to protection under our nation’s oldest animal welfare law -- the Twenty-Eight Hour Law -- but that’s not possible without a clear mechanism for enforcement and cooperation among agencies.”
Representatives Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, D.C.), Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) also signed onto the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act as original cosponsors.
Orange EV’s electric yard tractor recalled
Orange EV is recalling approximately 16 model year 2024-’25 HUSK-e tandem yard tractors because the driveshaft could contact and damage the passenger side brake chamber or brake chamber bracket.
Damaged brake components may cause a reduction of brake performance and unexpected activation of the emergency braking system, increasing the risk of a crash, the recall noted.
Orange EV field service will inspect and replace the driveshaft and brake chamber components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Sept. 19. Owners may contact Orange EV customer service at 1-866-688-5223 with recall number 2025-SRC-06. NHTSA’s recall number is 25V-571.
[Related: Orange EV rolls 1,000th electric terminal tractor off assembly line]
