Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026:
Judge pumps the brakes on DOT, DHS demand for CDLIS records
Given the tight timeline of the demands for CDL driver records from the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security, U.S. District Court Judge Anthony J. Trenga has effectively stopped all parties from moving forward with their demands while a lawsuit plays out.
The dispute stems from a pair of lawsuits filed Aug. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia following demands from government agencies for some 17 million driver records from the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS).
In one lawsuit, 21 states and D.C. sued the U.S. DOT, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, agency leaders, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). A second lawsuit, brought by 22 states and D.C., targets the Department of Homeland Security over an identical data demand.
Trenga’s order enjoins AAMVA from providing the demanded data and information to any of the defendants or any other agency acting in coordination with the defendants. It also enjoins DOT, DHS and other defendants from taking any adverse actions as a result of its data demand against AAMVA or the states, including terminating or threatening to terminate AAMVA’s or plaintiff states’ federal contracts or funding.
DOT and DHS were given a deadline of Monday, Aug. 17, at 5 p.m. Eastern to file their opposition with the court, and a deadline of Wednesday, Aug. 19, at noon Eastern for states to file their reply to the opposition.
After the filing of the lawsuit by the states, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said DOT “will fight this lawsuit tooth and nail to prevent more senseless crashes by unqualified drivers.”
UPS driver wins National Truck Driver Championship
Miguel Corral, a truck driver with UPS (CCJ Top 250, No. 2), has been crowned the Bendix Grand Champion at the 2026 National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships.
Corral, who resides in Indiana and secured his berth to nationals at the Illinois State Truck Driving Championship, emerged victorious from a field of 429 competitors representing trucking companies of every size from across the country.American Trucking Associations
Competitors qualified for the national championship after advancing through rigorous state truck driving championships.
“Miguel’s performance reflects a simple truth: safe roads begin with highly trained, highly qualified professional drivers,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear. “The National Truck Driving Championships celebrate the very best among them, and this year's champion has earned a place among the industry's finest. We congratulate Miguel on this extraordinary accomplishment and thank all of this year's competitors for setting an example of professionalism and safety for the entire nation.”
ATA’s National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships took place from Aug. 11-14 in Pittsburgh. The competitors—who hold a combined total of nearly 775 million accident-free miles accumulated during their careers—hailed from 49 states and represented 55 motor carriers. During the competition, the drivers competed in a variety of events designed to measure their driving prowess, industry knowledge, and dedication to safety.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration chief Derek Barrs attended the event and joined ATA in recognizing the competitors whose dedication to safe driving has made the National Truck Driving Championships the premier showcase of professional excellence in trucking.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners, and to all the professional drivers who worked hard to earn their spot here," Barrs said. “The skill, focus and commitment to safety we see in these championships are a great reminder of what professional drivers do every day to keep our roads safe and our supply chain moving. FMCSA is proud to recognize these champions and grateful to all the drivers out there who put safety first, mile after mile.”
In addition to taking home the Bendix Grand Champion award, Corral placed first in the 4-axle vehicle class. Corral is a veteran of the National Truck Driving Championships, clinching first place in the twins division in 2018 and second place in the 4-axle division in 2022. A resident of Crown Point, Indiana, he has more than 1.4 million safe driving miles under his belt in a career spanning almost three decades.
Roof marker light issue prompts Volvo, Mack recalls
Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks are recalling more than 2,300 trucks combined for an issue that could cause the roof marker lights to not illuminate.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the recalled trucks may be equipped with roof marker lights that may not have appropriate connector housing lengths. This can result in the center marker lamp connection failing and the light not illuminating.
As a result, the trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Volvo’s recall includes 1,851 model year 2027 Volvo VNL and VNR units. Mack’s recall includes approximately 513 model year 2027 Mack Pioneer and Anthem trucks.
Dealers will replace the center roof marker light, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Oct. 5. Owners can contact Volvo Trucks' customer service at 800-528-6586 with recall number RVXX2608. NHTSA’s recall number for the Volvo recall is 26V-513. Owners can contact Mack's customer service at 1-800-866-1177 with recall number SC0498. NHTSA’s Mack recall number is 26V-515.
International recalls trucks for windshield wiper issue
International Motors has issued a recall for approximately 49 trucks due to an issue that could result in inoperable windshield wipers.
The recall includes certain 2027 HV, HX, LT, MV, and RH trucks in which a retaining nut in the wiper assembly may loosen, causing both windshield wipers to disconnect from the motor.
Dealers will tighten the wiper motor drive nut and three motor mounting bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Oct. 5. Owners can contact International customer service at 1-331-332-5000 with recall number 26513. NHTSA’s recall number is 26V-516.
