Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, March 4, 2026:
FMCSA extends comment period for Grote’s lighting exemption request
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending the comment period on a recent exemption request from Grote Industries to give interested parties more time to weigh in.
Grote’s request, published in the Federal Register by FMCSA on Feb. 9, sought an exemption that would allow motor carriers to operate CMVs equipped with auxiliary rear or side lamps that flash or strobe when controlled by Grote’s Rear-End Collision Warning (RCW) system.
Grote’s request would allow motor carriers the use of one or more non-steady-burning auxiliary lamps installed symmetrically about the vertical centerline on the rear or sides of trucks when used in conjunction with Grote’s RCW system.
The company’s RCW system uses rear-facing, long-range radar to calculate time-to-collision (TTC) for vehicles approaching from behind and activates auxiliary warning lamps when a collision risk threshold is reached. The system activates a signal circuit when the TTC is less than or equal to a specific safety threshold – typically between 2.1 and 4.0 seconds – which represents the average time required for a driver and vehicle to react to a hazard.
Under the request, when the RCW system detects an imminent risk, the auxiliary lamps would either be:
- Red in color and flash 4–16 times within four seconds, or
- Amber in color and function as an SAE J595 Class 3 or Class 2 strobe lamp for up to four seconds.
Following either initial sequence, the lamps burn steady red for the remaining duration of the warning event as long as the collision risk persists. Once the potential risk has subsided and the TTC exceeds the safety threshold, the signal circuit is deactivated, ending the warning event and turning off the auxiliary lamps.
With the comment period extension, FMCSA said it “finds it is appropriate to extend the comment period to provide interested parties additional time to submit their responses to the notice.”
The comment period was initially set to conclude on March 11, but the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance filed a comment requesting an extension. CVSA said a 60-day extension would allow its membership to discuss the proposed exemption request during its 2026 Workshop, which is scheduled for April 19-23.
FMCSA granted the request, and comments are now due by May 10.
[Related: Lighting manufacturer, fleet seek exemption for flashing rear lights]
PacLease rolls out patriotic rental trucks to celebrate America’s 250th birthday
With the country’s 250th birthday just around the corner, PacLease has begun celebrating the milestone with a custom graphics package on its U.S.-based rental trucks. The effort is in conjunction with Freedom 250, the national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of the U.S.’ 250th birthday.
New rental box trucks and day cabs that are put into service at PacLease U.S. company stores and participating U.S. franchises showcase vibrant red, white, and blue designs with PacLease branding featuring the logo from the Freedom 250 organization.PacLease
The Freedom 250 logo draws inspiration from the flag that Betsy Ross created. It’s one of the earliest symbols of American Independence and has stars representing the original 13 colonies – echoing the unity and spirit of 1776.
“We are excited to announce the new graphics package design in honor of America’s 250th anniversary,” said Michelle Harry, Paccar Leasing Marketing & Service Director. “We want to celebrate with the rest of the industry – other companies will be doing similar projects. Our rental trucks allow us to showcase the pride we have in America.”
St. Christopher Fund offering free cervical cancer screenings for female truckers
In recognition of Women’s History Month, the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) has launched free cervical cancer screenings for female over-the-road (OTR) truck drivers nationwide.
The new program expands SCF’s growing list of free preventative health screenings available to professional drivers, which already includes at-home/on-the-road prostate and colon/colorectal cancer screening kits.
Female OTR drivers can request a cervical cancer screening kit directly through SCF’s website. Once a driver selects the Cervical Cancer Screening option, her information is routed directly to a St. Christopher Health & Wellness Case Manager. The case manager completes the registration process and coordinates shipment of the kit to the driver’s preferred location -- including a home address, carrier terminal or P.O. box.
Drivers complete the screening in the privacy of their own space and return it using a pre-addressed, stamped envelope. Results are delivered within 7-10 days, and if a test returns positive, the driver is offered a free Telehealth appointment for follow-up consultation.
“Access to preventative care can be incredibly challenging for women who spend weeks at a time on the road,” said Lindsey Bryan, Health & Wellness Manager at SCF. “By offering free, discreet, at-home cervical cancer screening kits, we’re removing barriers and meeting female drivers where they are. Early detection saves lives, and we want every woman in trucking to have access to that peace of mind.”
Cervical cancer is highly preventable and treatable when detected early. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 14,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States. Early detection is critical. The five-year survival rate is approximately 91% when caught early but drops significantly if the disease spreads. Regular screening dramatically reduces both incidence and mortality rates.
