Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Jan. 5, 2026:
DOT announces $118 million in grants for commercial vehicle enforcement, licensing, more
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Dec. 30 announced more than $118 million in grant awards that the DOT said are intended “to strengthen the safety of America’s roadways, enhance commercial vehicle enforcement, and provide high-quality training for military veterans entering the trucking industry.”
The grants, awarded in three separate programs by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, provide resources to state and local authorities to reduce crashes through data-driven enforcement, DOT noted. One of the grant programs -- the Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) -- aims to bolster the integrity of the CDL system to ensure only qualified drivers earn CDLs, the department added.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, our department’s number one mission is to ensure that every American gets home safely,” Duffy said. “We’re backing aggressive enforcement and empowering states to keep unqualified, unvetted drivers off the road, investing in state-of-the-art technology to make our roads safer, and taking care of veterans interested in a career in trucking.”
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs added that the “grants are about giving our partners the tools they need to be effective. Whether it’s deploying smart technology to identify unsafe vehicles or auditing CDL programs to prevent fraud, every dollar is focused on raising the bar for safety and ensuring only qualified drivers and compliant vehicles are on our roads.”
Funding is being awarded through FMCSA’s three key competitive grant programs:
- $71.6 million in High Priority (HP) grants -- HP-Commercial Motor Vehicle (HP-CMV) and HP-Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD) grants support state and local enforcement efforts to reduce CMV-related crashes, safety data improvement projects, public awareness campaigns and high-visibility enforcement efforts targeting unsafe driving on high-risk CMV crash corridors, initiatives to improve the safe and secure movement of hazardous material, and the deployment of new technology to ensure CMV compliance with safety regulations.
- $43.8 million in CDLPI grants -- These grants help states comply with federal regulations and ensure the CDL issuance process is secure, accurate, and resistant to fraud. CDLPI grants also ensure that only qualified drivers are eligible to receive and retain a CDL. At both the national and state levels, agencies responsible for any component of the CDL program can use funding to strengthen compliance oversight, provide training to prevent the masking of driving violations, and implement solutions that improve the timeliness of conviction processing between courts and state systems.
- $3.4 million in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) grants -- This program is dedicated to supporting current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and reservists, and their families by providing them with high-quality, safety-focused commercial driver training.
Rhode Island declares heating fuel emergency
Joining 20 other states with emergency declarations due to winter weather, Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee has also declared an emergency for the state, waiving certain regulations for heating fuel haulers.
Rhode Island’s declaration, issued Dec. 22, grants temporary relief from 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 390-399 to any motor carrier or driver operating a commercial vehicle delivering home heating fuel (fuel oil, natural gas and propane).
McKee’s declaration noted that “recent cold temperatures have increased the demand for heating fuel” and “recent high winds have slowed the delivery of fuel into terminals.” It also cites “a shortage of qualified fuel delivery drivers.”
The waiver is effective through Tuesday, Jan. 6.
Allison completes $2.7B acquisition of Dana’s Off-Highway business
Allison Transmission Holdings on Jan. 2 announced the completion of a $2.7 billion acquisition of Dana Inc.’s Off-Highway Drive & Motion Systems business.
The combination of the two companies’ products and advanced technologies will accelerate Allison's growth and broaden the company's position as a global provider of commercial duty mobility and work solutions, the company said.
"We are excited to welcome our new colleagues from Dana Incorporated's Off-Highway Drive & Motion Systems business to Allison," said David Graziosi, Allison Chair, President and CEO. "Together, we have an expanded market reach and broader portfolio of high-quality and reliable products, creating a global platform that will continue to deliver strong financial performance from both organic and inorganic growth. Our talented colleagues are dedicated to helping support our customers and their end users to better capitalize on the global megatrends shaping the modern industrial world."
The combined company will be headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and led by Graziosi. The company will operate under the Allison name and be comprised of two business units. Allison Transmission will be led by Fred Bohley, President & Business Unit Leader, and Allison Off-Highway Drive & Motion Systems will be led by Craig Price, President & Business Unit Leader. Both Bohley and Price will report to Graziosi, and Bohley will continue to serve as Allison's Chief Operating Officer.
Dana said the proceeds of the deal will enable it to reduce debt by approximately $2 billion. Additionally, the company plans to return $1 billion to shareholders through 2027, including approximately $650 million already returned since the transaction was announced -- an increase of $50 million compared to the prior target.
"Closing this transaction marks an important step in Dana's evolution," said R. Bruce McDonald, Chairman and CEO of Dana. "We are now a more focused company, dedicated to serving light- and commercial-vehicle customers with both traditional and electrified systems. This divestiture, combined with the successful execution of our cost-reduction plan, will strengthen our balance sheet, improve margins, reduce complexity, and position us to accelerate innovation and growth in our core markets."
