Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025:
Mack begins production of new Pioneer model
The state-of-the-art Lehigh Valley Operations facility, which has been producing Mack trucks for more than four decades, has been specially prepared to manufacture the Pioneer alongside existing Mack models.Mack Trucks
Mack Trucks on Wednesday announced the start of production for its all-new Mack Pioneer at its Lehigh Valley Operations (LVO) manufacturing facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania.
The new highway truck, unveiled in April, represents the most significant advancement in Mack’s long-haul offerings, combining aerodynamic performance, driver comfort and fuel efficiency, the company said.
“Starting production of the Pioneer at our Lehigh Valley facility is a proud moment for our entire team,” said Stephen Roy, president, Mack Trucks. “Our skilled workforce has embraced the advanced manufacturing processes required for this next-generation truck, ensuring every Pioneer that rolls off the line meets Mack’s legendary standards for quality and durability.”
Among the first customers to place an order for the new model was Jamie Hagen, owner of Hell Bent Xpress. Hagen ordered six Pioneers, demonstrating strong early market confidence in the new model.
“The time I spent in the Pioneer left me with quite an impression,” Hagen said. “I love the truck from top to bottom, inside and out. The level of efficiency and comfort this new truck brings sets a standard others will only hope to achieve. I can’t wait to have our entire fleet moving freight with happier drivers and more money to the bottom line. Once you’ve driven one, you will never want to go back to anything else.”
[Related: Up close with Mack's new Pioneer Class 8]
DOT launches probe into illegal U-turn crash in Florida that killed 3
A truck driver's decision to cut across two lanes of traffic to attempt an illegal U-turn on the Florida turnpike near Fort Pierce resulted in the death of three individuals in a minivan who slammed directly into the trailer as it blocked the entire stretch of highway.
The incident, caught on the dash cam of driver Harjinder Singh, took place on Aug. 12 and has become a national scandal with the driver facing three counts of vehicular homicide, deportation, and an investigation into where he, as someone who initially entered the country illegally, got his CDL.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday announced the initial results of a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration investigation into the crash and is calling out certain states for not following federal rules.
"The investigation will focus on the driver involved in the crash and the motor carrier, White Hawk Carriers, Inc.," according to a DOT press release. The investigation so far has found the driver did not speak English "and both Washington State and New Mexico violated FMCSA rules."
Duffy said in the release that had the states followed the rules, “this driver would never have been behind the wheel, and three precious lives would still be with us. This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures. Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles."
During an initial on-site compliance investigation of the motor carrier in California, FMCSA investigators reviewed driver qualification files, obtained driver- and road-facing dash cam footage and conducted interviews of personnel, including Singh.
FMCSA spoke to the driver and administered an English language proficiency test in line with the agency's new guidance on the topic published in June. Singh failed that assessment, "providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs."
The investigation also found that:
- On July 15, 2023, Washington State issued the driver a regular full-term Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
- Asylum seekers or individuals without legal status are NOT eligible for this type of license.
- On July 23, 2024, California issued the driver a limited-term/non-domiciled CDL.
- FMCSA is investigating the issuance of this license to determine whether it was issued in accordance with Federal regulations.
- On July 3, 2025, the New Mexico State Police conducted a roadside inspection of the driver and issued a speeding ticket, but there is no indication that an ELP assessment was administered.
- New Mexico has not yet begun enforcing ELP as an out-of-service condition, despite the requirement being in effect since June 25, 2025.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable,” Duffy said. “President Trump and I will restore safety to our roads. The families of the deceased deserve justice.”
[Related: DOT to audit states' non-domiciled CDL practices]
Truckstop.com acquires Denim factoring service
Truckstop.com announced Tuesday, Aug. 19, that it has acquired Denim, a transportation-focused financial technology company and factoring service that automates invoicing, reduces time-to-cash, and optimizes back-office processes.
This strategic acquisition helps both carriers and brokers make their freight businesses more secure and easier to manage, Truckstop.com said of the deal.
By integrating Denim’s financial technologies into the load board’s freight matching and carrier identity offerings, the combined entity will enhance operational stability, improve liquidity, and reduce business risk for carriers and brokers alike. Denim’s investments in AI and automation technology have resulted in best-in-class cost-to-serve and time-to-fund, with 75% of payments processed in under one minute.
Truckstop.com has long offered its non-recourse factoring service to carriers and, with the addition of Denim’s recourse factoring product and automation technology, Truckstop.com said its customers will gain access to faster payment options, modernized service and flexible pricing.
"We are incredibly excited to welcome Denim to the Truckstop.com family," said Scott Moscrip, CEO of Truckstop.com. "Carriers and brokers today are demanding tools to help them work more profitably, more efficiently, and more securely. With Denim, we can better deliver across all three of these priorities. We’re excited for our carriers and brokers who will experience improved cash flow, lower operating costs, and reduced risk.”
Bharath Krishnamoorthy, CEO of Denim added, "Joining forces with Truckstop.com is a huge win for carriers and brokers. We innovated a best-in-class tool for enabling faster payments and automating complex financial processes, and we’re excited to be able to bring this value to the industry at scale.”
