Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026:
Railroad companies get more HOS relief
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration this week announced it is renewing and modifying an exemption granted to the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and member railroads from certain hours-of-service regulations.
The exemption allows covered drivers to respond to unplanned events that occur outside of, or extend beyond, their normal work hours, FMCSA said. It exempts association member companies from the 14-hour rule and the 60-/70-hour rule under specific circumstances.
FMCSA did modify an existing exemption to limit the categories of unplanned events during which the exemption can be used and to add reporting requirements. Additionally, only drivers operating for motor carriers listed in the Appendix to the exemption can operate under the it.
FMCSA first granted an exemption to the associations in December 2020, which expired in December 2025. On Dec. 19, 2025, the agency provisionally renewed the exemption for six months, then for four months on June 24, 2026.
FMCSA said it analyzed the exemption renewal application and “believes there is a public interest in ensuring that railroads clear blocked tracks and rights-of-way and restore service as quickly as possible.”
As part of the renewal process, the agency requested USDOT numbers for all of the member carriers that would be operating under the exemption. Of the 257 motor carriers on the list, 26 had inactive USDOT numbers. As such, FMCSA included a list of 231 carriers that can operate under the exemption.
The exemption enables the associations' members to reach the site of the unplanned emergency events within a limited distance from their drivers' normal work-reporting location and provides flexibility for the associations to address urgent situations that disrupt rail services. Once the crews arrive at the scene, they must record all time working as on-duty, not driving time. When normal rail operations have been restored, drivers would be required to comply with the HOS requirements during the return trip.
Under terms of the modified exemption, eligible “unplanned events” are limited to events affecting the main track, which FMCSA said aligns more closely with the emergency provisions applicable to train employees under the Federal Railroad Administration's hours-of-service requirements.
Werner CEO named new ATA chairman
The American Trucking Associations’ Board of Directors has elected Derek Leathers, chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises (CCJ Top 250, No. 14), as the federation’s 82nd chairman.
Leathers succeeds Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport Inc.
“For more than 90 years, ATA has given trucking a strong and unified voice,” Leathers said. “Now it is our responsibility to build on that foundation and leave ATA even stronger for those who come next.”
Hodgen reflected on his tenure during the transition, expressing confidence in his successor. “As my friend Derek takes the chair, I firmly believe this organization is on a path to achieve amazing things,” Hodgen said.
ATA Chief Advocacy and Public Affairs Officer Henry Hanscom thanked Hodgen for his service and praised the incoming leadership. “With Derek’s vision, the engagement of our members, and the dedication of ATA’s professional staff, our association’s future is bright,” Hanscom said.
In addition to Leathers, the ATA Board elected:
- Gregg Troian, president of PGT Trucking Inc. in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, as first vice chair.
- Michael Kiely, president of global government affairs at UPS, as second vice chair.
- John M. Smith, chairman of CRST International Holdings LLC, as secretary (re-elected).
- Harold Sumerford Jr., CEO of J&M Tank Lines Inc., as treasurer (re-elected).
A. Duie Pyle expands in Pennsylvania, Ohio
A. Duie Pyle this month opened new locations in Pennsylvania and Ohio, expanding the company’s LTL network in the region.
On Oct. 5, the company announced the opening of a new warehouse facility in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, directly adjacent to its existing LTL service center. The facility transforms the site into a fully integrated logistics center that brings warehousing and transportation operations together on one connected campus, providing customers with greater speed, flexibility and supply chain efficiency, the company said.
Pyle’s Camp Hill LTL service center at 475 Terminal St. now operates in tandem with the new 78,760-square-foot warehouse, strategically placed at 485 Terminal St., Camp Hill, PA 17011. As a single logistics hub, it provides direct connectivity to Pyle’s extensive transportation network across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Ohio.
The integrated approach reduces handoffs and allows customers to position inventory closer to major markets, reducing supply chain complexity and improving real-time responsiveness to changing demand.
“Connecting inventory and transportation under one roof creates a stronger, more responsive supply chain,” said Frank Granieri, Chief Commercial Officer at A. Duie Pyle. “This investment enables us to reduce touchpoints, improve coordination and deliver a more integrated supply chain solution that helps customers gain greater visibility, flexibility and control over their inventory.”
The facility provides access to key population centers and distribution markets throughout the region with convenient proximity to several major freight corridors, including I-81, I-76, I-83 and U.S. 15.
Then, on Oct. 20, Pyle announced the opening of a new 44-door service center in the Greater Cincinnati market, extending Pyle’s direct LTL network into Southwest Ohio, creating new opportunities for businesses throughout the region while strengthening freight connections between Ohio, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Located at 6549 Allen Road, West Chester Township, Ohio 45069, the facility is strategically positioned to support the region’s manufacturing, distribution and supply chain activity. The location provides businesses throughout Greater Cincinnati broader access to Pyle’s direct LTL network while enhancing the company’s ability to provide consistent, reliable service across its expanding footprint.
“Growing our network is about being where our customers need us and creating stronger connections between the markets they serve,” Granieri said. “Cincinnati gives us an important presence in Southwest Ohio and allows us to extend Pyle’s direct LTL service to more customers while strengthening the connection between Ohio and our established Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.”
Suspected diesel thieves busted in SoCal
Police in California have busted four individuals for allegedly stealing diesel fuel from parked tractor-trailers.
On Sept. 18, 2026, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) deputies responded to Tri County Transportation, a commercial truck and trailer storage yard in the unincorporated area of Oxnard, for a reported diesel fuel theft. The victim reported approximately 70 gallons of diesel fuel had been siphoned from his semi-truck.
VCSO detectives canvassed the area and reviewed surveillance footage, which showed a vehicle scouting the location and inspecting parked trucks. Minutes later, a large white Ford Econoline-style van arrived, and suspects exited and siphoned fuel from a truck.
Although investigators initially could not identify the vehicles, the VCSO’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system helped identify both vehicles and connect them to additional diesel thefts throughout Ventura County.
Working with the Sheriff’s Office Crime Analysis Unit, detectives identified four additional thefts in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks dating back to August. The cases followed a similar pattern: a vehicle acted as a lookout while a van equipped with fuel-siphoning equipment targeted parked commercial trucks. Approximately 315 gallons of diesel fuel were reported stolen in the four additional incidents, including one theft in which a suspect broke a locking fuel cap.
Based on the average cost of diesel fuel in Ventura County, this is a combined loss of approximately $3,330, VCSO said.
Investigators identified the suspects in the lookout vehicle as Alfonso Vargas, 52, and Alfonso Vargas Jr., 33. Gilbert Flores, 37, and Miguel Cruz, 38, were identified as the suspects operating the van and siphoning the fuel. All four suspects are from the Los Angeles area and have extensive criminal history.
On Oct. 13, VCSO detectives and the West County Special Enforcement Unit received information that the suspects were again scouting locations in Ventura County, specifically Thousand Oaks. Detectives conducted surveillance and observed the driver of a GMC Sierra acting as a lookout while suspects in the Ford van siphoned diesel fuel from a Freightliner truck parked in a local business parking lot.
After the theft, detectives followed both vehicles and coordinated simultaneous traffic stops at separate locations and the four suspects were detained.
During the investigation, detectives located two 1,200-gallon fuel tanks and pumping equipment inside the van. VCSO
The owner of the Freightliner was contacted and confirmed the theft of diesel detectives witnessed.
All four suspects were arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for Conspiracy to Commit a Crime and Theft, with additional charges pending.
VCSO said the “suspects traveled from the Los Angeles area into Ventura County to target commercial trucks and steal diesel fuel from the drivers who depend on those vehicles to earn a living. Truck drivers work long hours transporting the goods our communities rely on, and fuel theft creates additional financial losses, operational disruptions, and costs for those trying to make an honest living.”
