Trucking news and briefs for Friday, April 24, 2026:
New Senate legislation links federal funding to states’ license issuance practices
A bill introduced this month in the U.S. Senate would require states to verify an individual’s legal status before issuing a driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, or personal identification card.
Failure to do so would result in a 10% reduction in the state’s federal highway funding, and those funds would be redirected to states that are compliant with the law, should the bill pass.
The bill, titled the “No Licenses for Illegal Drivers or Truckers Act,” was introduced by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming). It’s co-sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).
The legislation defines “evidence of lawful presence” as “valid, unexpired documentary evidence issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security” that an individual is:
- A citizen of the United States
- An alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act
If a state fails to comply and loses 10% of its federal highway funding but later comes into compliance, the Homeland Security Secretary is required to apportion the withheld funds back to the state for that fiscal year.
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, where it would need to be approved to advance to the full Senate for a vote.
[Related: Amended Dalilah's Law targets English-only CDL, ban of foreign dispatch]
Amazon, Einride partner to add 75 electric trucks to Amazon’s U.S. fleet
Swedish electric and autonomous truck maker Einride has announced a new partnership with Amazon to scale its electric truck capacity in the U.S.
Following a successful initial trial, Einride said via a LinkedIn post that it will deploy 75 manually operated electric heavy-duty trucks and supporting charging infrastructure across five locations in the U.S.
The trucks will be used to support Amazon’s middle-mile network, powered by Amazon Relay, and are projected to drive up to 3 million electric transport miles annually -- about 40,000 miles per truck.
“Working with Amazon is yet another powerful validation of Einride’s technology and strategic vision,” said Roozbeh Charli, CEO of Einride. “By deploying our intelligent platform within one of the world’s most sophisticated logistics networks, we are accelerating growth, while continuing to build industry-leading operational expertise.”
Coke Canada expands electric-truck fleet
The new Volvo VNR Electric trucks are supporting local and regional delivery routes, where predictable operations make them well-suited for battery-electric technology.Volvo Trucks North America
Volvo Trucks North America customer Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited (Coke Canada Bottling) is expanding its Volvo VNR Electric fleet across Canada.
The company has added three new electric trucks in Quebec City, with four more set for delivery this spring in Vancouver.
With these additions, Coke Canada Bottling’s national total fleet of electric vehicles grows to nearly 40.
"Coke Canada Bottling has taken what they learned early on and turned it into a practical, multi-region deployment,” said Matthew Blackman, managing director, Canada, Volvo Trucks North America. “When you see electric trucks running predictable, high-frequency routes like these, it shows how well the technology fits into everyday fleet operations.”
Building on its initial pilot program launched in 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Coke Canada Bottling’s electric fleet includes vans, on-road trucks and yard tractors. The Volvo VNR Electric trucks are supporting local and regional delivery routes, where predictable operations make them well-suited for battery-electric technology.
The battery-electric VNR features a six-battery configuration that can cover up to 440 km (275 miles) on a single charge, with trucks making several daily round trips from the company’s distribution centers to customer locations.
To support charging for this latest investment, Coke Canada Bottling installed one 180kw Heliox Flex charger in Quebec City with three dispensers and two 180kw Heliox Flex chargers with six dispensers in Vancouver.
