Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Aug. 7, 2026:
Feds remove hundreds of unsafe truckers in Highway Sweep
Federal officials detained 51 undocumented immigrants and removed more than 700 unsafe drivers and vehicles from U.S. roads during a three-day nationwide traffic enforcement push, the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation announced.
The preliminary results stem from the second wave of Operation Highway Shield, a joint initiative conducted July 28–30 targeting unqualified foreign truck drivers and hazardous commercial vehicles.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy detailed the findings of the sweep, which brought together U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and state highway patrol agencies.
According to federal data released from the three-day operation, law enforcement officers:
- Detained 51 undocumented immigrants, including 21 drivers operating with non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses issued by California and New York.
- Placed 766 unsafe drivers and commercial vehicles out of service.
- Arrested 86 operators for offenses including road rage and domestic violence.
- Issued 36 violations to drivers who failed English language proficiency tests.
- Recovered nearly $1 million in stolen cargo.
"When illegal aliens are behind the wheels of semi-trucks, they are putting American lives in danger," Mullin said, noting that the multi-agency operation removed more than 800 hazardous truckers from public roads.
Duffy praised the joint efforts, framing the operation as part of a broader administration drive to eliminate commercial driver's license fraud and improve highway safety.
"Every life lost from an illegal trucker behind the wheel of a big rig is a completely preventable tragedy," Duffy said. "If you continue to illegally operate a big rig, your days on America’s streets are numbered."
The operation follows a joint DHS and DOT agreement announced last month aimed at investigating fraudulent practices at commercial driver's license training facilities nationwide.
FMCSA revokes 5 ELD certifications for HOS non-complaince
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has removed five electronic logging devices from its approved list, revoking the devices after determining the manufacturers failed to comply with regulations governing hours-of-service tracking.
The revoked devices include:
- MOONLIGHT ELD (Model MRS, Identifier MRS255) by UZB2USA Inc.
- HGRS ELD (Model HGR, Identifier HRS169) by HGRS
- HIGHEST ELD (Model HIG4ES, Identifier HIG385) by HGRS
- TRUCKFORD ELD (Model TRS, Identifier TRS263) by Truckford ELD
- Sparkle ELD (Model PT40SIM, Identifier SPARK6) by Spark Technologies Inc.
The agency noted that if a provider resolves its technical deficiencies, the device may be restored to the approved list.
FMCSA has removed 96 non-compliant electronic logging devices (ELDs) from its registered list since January 2025, including 58 devices this year.
Motor carriers using any of the affected models must immediately discontinue their use and revert to paper logs or compliant logging software to track hours of service. Carriers have until Oct. 6, 2026, to replace the revoked units with an approved device from the agency’s registered list.
During the 60-day transition window ending Oct. 6, safety inspectors are encouraged not to cite drivers for operating without a registered ELD. Instead, inspectors will review hours-of-service records using paper logs, logging software, or the revoked device’s display screen.
Beginning Oct. 6, 2026, drivers who continue using the revoked devices will be cited for operating without an ELD and placed out of service under Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance criteria.
‘Elite 11’ military vet rookie truckers named award semi-finalists
Kenworth, Fastport, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes initiative this week announced 11 semi-finalists -- the “Elite 11” -- for the 2026 “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award, marking the program's 11th year. The award honors the achievements of military veterans who have transitioned into careers in the professional trucking industry.
This year's semi-finalists were selected from nominations submitted by carriers, training schools, a private fleet and individuals across the country, and represent four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
For the 11th consecutive year, Kenworth will provide the grand prize for the winning driver: a T680 equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the Paccar Powertrain featuring the Paccar MX-13 engine, Paccar TX-12 automated transmission and Paccar DX-40 tandem rear axles. The T680 also includes the latest in driver assistance systems, including Kenworth's DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering.
Registered Apprenticeship (RA) remains a driving force behind this year's semi-finalists: 60% of the nominations received came from drivers who are completing or have completed a U.S. Department of Labor RA Program, and five of the Elite 11 are apprentices today, demonstrating RA to be a proven on-ramp for veterans entering the trucking industry, program organizers said.
Of the nominations received, the following semi-finalists will continue in the award program:
- Jeffrey Barber -- U.S. Army, Prime Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 15), trained by Prime Inc.
- Brandon Ward -- U.S. Navy, Werner Enterprises (No. 14), trained by Roadmaster Drivers School, Orlando
- Mohammad Arzola -- U.S. Marine Corps, HEB, trained by California Career Schools
- Juan Rosado Lozada -- U.S. Marine Corps, Roehl Transport, Inc. (No. 57), trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning
- Kishawn Forbes -- U.S. Navy, Melton Truck Lines (No. 71), trained by Florida State College at Jacksonville
- Gary W. Williams -- U.S. Army, Stevens Transport (No. 50), trained by Southern Careers Institute
- Monica Brooks-Buck -- U.S. Army, Werner Enterprises, trained by Truck Driver Institute, Saucier
- Jenn Wilken -- U.S. Army, Prime Inc., trained by Prime Inc.
- Daryus Jones -- U.S. Army, Anheuser-Busch, trained by Tulsa Technology
- Daniel Doss -- U.S. Air Force, Melton Truck Lines, trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning
- Michael R. Bivens -- U.S. Marine Corps, Stevens Transport, trained by Tennessee Truck Driving School
Semi-finalists will be honored Sept. 22-23 with a recognition dinner at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, followed by a tour of the Kenworth Chillicothe manufacturing plant, where finalists will be announced. Public voting will open Nov. 1 and run through Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Voting is an important factor in the Selection Committee's final deliberations, which determine the finalists and the ultimate award winner.
The 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award winner will be announced Dec. 14 at the Veteran Ready Summit at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Two rebuilt Wisconsin rest areas expand truck parking
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), in conjunction with the Wisconsin Motor Carrier Association (WMCA), this week announced the completion of two rest area rebuilds along I-43 near Denmark and Maribel, expanding truck parking and improving amenities along the corridor.
“Wisconsin’s safety rest areas are more than places to take a break -- they’re an important part of a safe, reliable transportation system,” WisDOT Secretary Boardman said. “With these two new facilities, we’re continuing to build a network of modern, accessible rest areas that better serve everyone who travels our highways. Whether you’re a commercial driver or a family on vacation, every traveler deserves safe, welcoming places to stop, rest and recharge.”
Originally built in 1980, these two safety rest areas had inadequate truck parking with only 20 truck parking stalls along with outdated facilities, WisDOT noted. Now, the new safety rest areas help alleviate the national parking shortage by providing 56 truck parking spaces at each facility and a staging area for oversized/overweight vehicles.
In addition, new signs along I-43 notify truck drivers of open spots at these rest areas as they look ahead on their route through northeast Wisconsin.
“Safety is the cornerstone of the trucking industry, and we applaud the work of the Wisconsin DOT to modernize these two rest areas,” said WMCA President Johnson. “Access to safe, accessible and well-maintained parking is essential to driver well-being, regulatory compliance, and highway safety. This investment is especially important for eastern and northeastern Wisconsin, where trucking is critical to supporting manufacturers, farmers, and businesses across the region.”
In addition to significantly increasing the number of truck parking spaces, WisDOT modernized the facilities to feature better lighting, dedicated indoor space for vending options, drinking fountains with water bottle fillers and ADA-compliant restrooms.
Construction began in late April 2025 on the $20.4 million project. All major construction activities are complete, and these safety rest areas are now open to travelers. In the coming years, WisDOT plans to rebuild the two safety rest areas along I-41 near Theresa and Lomira in Dodge County.
Mirror-alternative camera system maker seeks exemption
Transit Solutions, LLC, doing business as TSI Video, is seeking an exemption from federal regulations to allow motor carriers to operate commercial motor vehicles equipped with TSI's ClearView E-Mirror camera monitor system (CMS) installed as an alternative to the two rear-vision mirrors required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).
TSI Video markets to the transit bus industry, which are normally not subject to FMCSRs, but the company confirmed to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration staff that its camera system would be used in CMVs subject to the FMCSRs.
According to TSI Video, its system provides an equal or greater level of safety than traditional mirrors through an expanded field of view, improved low-light/glare performance, blind-spot reduction, and fail-safe diagnostics and driver alerts. The company added that its system also improves driver situational awareness by offering a superior field of view and higher image quality than conventional mirror assemblies.
Additionally, TSI Video stated its ClearView E-mirror uses high-dynamic-range cameras and advanced sensors, ensuring the system provides reliable visibility by mitigating glare from light sources and maintaining high object definition in low-light environments. TSI Video also uses AI models for edge detection and object classification to continuously identify pedestrians and obstacles in the vehicle's environment, alerting drivers via the in-cab monitor and LED indicators.
FMCSA is accepting public comments on the request here through Aug. 31.
