Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, July 16, 2026:
CVSA petitions FMCSA to require documentation of passenger authorization
In an effort to help roadside inspectors combat human trafficking, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, asking the agency to require written or electronic documentation of authorization for passengers in a commercial motor vehicle.
In its petition, CVSA said it’s “imperative that the law enforcement community and industry partners be involved in fighting” the crime of human trafficking. “These stakeholders need to learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to report it, as their involvement is vital in assisting in victim recovery,” the organization added.
The Alliance in its petition also noted that roadside inspectors “are in a unique position to identify instances of human trafficking when conducting inspections on commercial motor vehicles,” -- so much so that FMCSA “has encouraged its Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) partners to incorporate human trafficking prevention efforts into their commercial motor vehicle safety programs.”
Under current regulations, CMV drivers are allowed to be accompanied by a non-driver passenger, as long as they have written authorization to do so by the motor carrier. That authorization is required to include the name of the person to be transported, the points where the transportation is to begin and end, and the date the authority expires.
The problem inspectors face, however, is that regulatory guidance associated with the requirement doesn’t require that the written authorization be carried on board the commercial vehicle, but rather maintained at the motor carrier’s place of business.
“The regulation requires that a driver obtain explicit written authorization from the motor carrier to transport passengers. However, due to the DOT Regulatory Guidance to § 392.60 -- Unauthorized persons not to be transported, drivers are not required to carry and produce the documentation,” CVSA said. “As a result, inspectors can have difficulty verifying whether or not a passenger found in a property-carrying CMV is authorized to be there, and therefore whether they may be the victim of human trafficking.”
To address this issue, CVSA is asking that FMCSA update that regulatory guidance to instead require that the documentation, in either hard copy or electronic format, be maintained on board the commercial vehicle, as well as the carrier’s place of business.
The Alliance also preemptively counted an argument that docuemnts can be falsified, noting that federal regulations already require drivers to keep a number of documents in the cab -- driver’s licenses, medical certificates, bills of lading, lease agreements, load permits -- all of which could be falsified. By keeping the requirement that they be presented at roadside, “it provides an opportunity for enforcement to review and verify the document for enforcement purposes,” CVSA said. “Requiring the letter roadside would be an additional tool for the inspectors to use in the course of their investigation to determine if a passenger is authorized to be in the vehicle.”
Alabama Motor Express acquisition expands fleet to 500 tractors
Alabama Motor Express (AMX) has acquired Memphis-based trucking company JIT-EX, combining two major Southeastern freight platforms, the companies announced. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The acquisition brings together AMX’s hybrid truckload and logistics network with JIT-EX’s regional dedicated and over-the-road services.
The combined fleet will operate approximately 500 tractors and 2,000 trailers, expanding the companies' regional density and freight capacity.Alabama Motor Express | Facebook
Ashford, Alabama-based AMX President Collins White said the transaction is a milestone that advances the company's regional growth strategy and enhances its end-to-end shipping solutions.
HOS waiver extended for Nebraska wildfire relief
Wildfires in Nebraska have prompted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to issue a fifth extension for an emergency declaration waiving hours-of-service rules for drivers and motor carriers providing direct assistance to relief efforts.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen in March declared an emergency due to wildfires in the state, prompting waivers for hours-of-service regs. FMCSA then issued a two-week extension at the end of March. Since then, three 30-day extensions followed on April 14, May 14 and June 14.
On July 9, Nebraska officials requested an additional 30-day extension of the emergency regulatory relief.
Because emergency conditions have not abated, FMCSA has granted another 30-day extension, valid through Aug. 12.
Under terms of the emergency, motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the State of Nebraska are granted emergency relief from 49 CFR § 395.3, maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles. The HOS relief applies regardless of the origin of the trip, as long as the carrier or driver is providing direct assistance to the emergency in Nebraska.
