Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026:
North Carolina suspends fuel tax
The North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation Oct. 7, to temporarily suspend the state's 41-cent-per-gallon motor fuel tax through Nov. 30.
The measure now heads to the Governor, who has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. If no action is taken, the legislation will automatically become law.
The approved legislation mandates that the state replace an estimated $362.3 million in lost motor fuel tax revenue using funds from the state's Inflation Reserve.
Key provisions of the legislation
- Temporary suspension: Halts the motor fuel tax on gasoline, diesel, and alternative fuels starting the day after the bill becomes law and running through Nov. 30, 2026.
- Consumer savings: Mandates that the tax savings be passed down to consumers, excluding fuel purchased by retailers prior to the suspension taking effect.
- Agricultural and commercial exemptions: Grants temporary tax exemptions and penalty relief for specific uses of dyed diesel fuel by qualifying farmers, commercial loggers, commercial fishermen, and wildlife managers through Dec. 31, 2026.
- 2027 rate protection: Ensures the temporary suspension will not interfere with the calculations used to set the motor fuel tax rate for 2027.
NationaLease financial officers & IT meeting addresses impact of AI, rising costs
NationaLease gathered finance and IT professionals from across the industry for its 2026 Financial Officers & IT Meeting, held Oct. 5–7 at The Linq in Las Vegas.
The conference focused on emerging trends, managing rising costs, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. Jennifer Hosea, vice president of finance at Miller NationaLease, opened the financial officers' sessions on Oct. 5, while John Reed of Aim NationaLease called the IT meeting to order at noon on Oct. 6.
Attendees heard from a broad roster of industry experts, including representatives from the American Transportation Research Institute, ABS Tag and Title, and Highstreet - Williams & Stazzone Insurance Agency. Sessions also covered cybersecurity, shop technology, and internal updates from NationaLease leadership.
"Technology is moving faster than ever," said Dean Vicha, president of NationaLease. "Understanding the opportunities, and threats, is absolutely critical, and coming together to learn from one another is one of the NationaLease network's greatest strengths."
The network announced that the 2027 Financial Officers & IT Meeting is scheduled for Oct. 4–6, 2027, at The Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
