Trump Speaks at Peterbilt Plant
It seems like the 47th president is in the news every single day, and today is no different. On October 1st, he visited the Peterbilt Motors Facility in Denton, Texas, and gave a speech to press and workers alike.
President
A Potential Diesel Export Ban’s Effect on Trucking
The 47th president of the United States Donald Trump announced that he, with the growing support of Republican lawmakers, was considering an embargo on diesel fuel exports to other countries, saying that the United States’ citizens need it for themselves. If this were to become reality what effect would it have on the nation’s economy?
August 2026 Class 8 Truck Sales Surge Year Over Year
When something is great for so long, the notion of simply being “good” may come as a shock to some. In previous articles describing trucking sales for 2026, we have used terms such as “skyrocket” and “run-up” as the trucking industry was having a party. Now that the refreshments have diminished and the party is starting to wind down, there is still fun to be had, but not to the same extent.
NHTSA Rolls Back Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards
Would you like to have a less fuel-efficient truck? In a vacuum that seems like a stupid question, especially with 2026’s diesel fuel prices. When the question becomes “would you trade one or two miles per gallon of fuel efficiency to save $20,000 off the purchase price tag of a newer vehicle”, the logistics change entirely. The electric truck is the final conclusion of this: fuel prices are significantly cheaper but seldom justify the higher cost of purchase. All of this is to set up the background for a new decision from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that reverses well over a decade of precedent.
FMCSA Tests Two Hours-of-Service Changes
When it comes to hours-of-service regulations, one dramatic change between both Trump Administrations and the Biden Administration when it comes to guidance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been flexibility. Whereas the Biden Administration had a focus on keeping things straight and narrow, Trump’s FMCSA approach has been to test the boundaries to find ways to make truckers’ jobs easier without compromising safety. These two pilot programs prove just that.
Freedom Haulers Act May Recruit Veterans to Truck Driving
Does this story sound familiar? At the start of the month, we wrote about how President Donald Trump started a program to help veterans transition from becoming military warriors into road warriors, spearheaded by the executive branch of the federal government and supported by various business entities. With executive decisions and orders it is much easier to put into place than congressional legislation, but is also much easier to remove should the winds of change blow. To that end, Brian Mast, representative of the 21st district of Florida, is introducing a Bill to make it an official directive by Congress to help get veterans on the road.
Freedom Haulers Initiative to Recruit Veterans to Truck Driving
First warriors in combat, then warriors of the road.
The second Trump Administration is working with six large trucking stakeholders to launch what it called the Freedom Haulers Initiative, to help military veterans transition to a stable trucking career by reducing obstacles that might otherwise get in their way.
FMCSA Removes More Regulations
In President Donald Trump’s first term, he had a policy for the Executive Branch: for every regulation added, two must be removed. In his second term, he has ramped this up tremendously, making it so that federal entities must remove ten regulations for every new one added. One such entity, under the federal Department of Transportation is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and they have a few more changes they are implementing.
PRIVACY Act to Limit Flock Cameras
If you have been paying attention on the Internet as of late, you may have heard of the term “Flock cameras”. Flock Safety is a business that specializes in security and surveillance hardware. With Flock saying that it reads billions of license plates every month through its cameras, some members of Congress are worried that this can be a violation of privacy, including for truck drivers. To that end, the House of Representatives has introduced the Protecting Rights in Video and Equipment Acquired Discovery (PRIVACY) Act. Do not ask us how that name becomes that acronym.
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy Awards $62 Million for Truck Parking
Another truck parking story for the month of July. The current Department of Transportation under President Donald Trump seems to be kicking it into high gear, as it announced $1.73 billion in federal grants for 127 infrastructure projects, with $62 million of it going towards parking in five states.
EPA Supports the Right to Repair
One movement that has gained a lot of traction in the technology sphere is “right to repair”, and chances are you have heard about it here and there: conglomerates making it difficult to repair already bought equipment so as to make fixing more expensive or even impossible so that the original manufacturer can get additional sales of a product. The Trump Administration and its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is bringing this movement to the trucking industry.
President Trump Speaks at Pennsylvania Mack Facility
In the heart of Lehigh Valley in Macungie, Pennsylvania, the 47th president of the United States spoke at the Mack Trucking Plant, the same one that president Joe Biden spoke at approximately five years before. Needless to say, there was a lot on Trump’s mind.
Transportation Secretary Duffy Speaks at Mid-America Trucking Show
Every year in Louisville, Kentucky, the Mid-America Trucking Show brings truckers and industry stakeholders from all across the country to participate in all things trucking related, whether its chowing down on some good food, admiring custom truck designs, or getting a sneak peak at the latest and greatest technology. Two guests of honor at the event were Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs, who both went on to speak a few words about what they and the government were doing to make trucking life easier.
2027 Engine Regulations on the Horizon
The passage of time is slow but inexorable; though this article is being written in March 2026, eventually we will reach 2027 and the engine regulations that have been touted for years will come into play. Here is what you need to know.
Class 8 Sales Jump Year Over Year in February 2026
The fine folks over at ACT Research and FTR Transportation Intelligence have reported tremendous news: the sales of heavy-duty commercial trucks have skyrocketed in the last 12 months.
California Revokes 13,000 Non-Domiciled CDLs
In the latest battle of federal vs. state governments, California was dealt a heavy blow as it conceded ground on non-domiciled CDLs, revoking them from drivers who were issued them in California.
EPA Wants DEF Data
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken a step back in terms of its raw enforcement ever since the transition to the second Trump Administration from President Joe Biden, but that does not mean the EPA is doing absolutely nothing to manage the environment. In an attempt to balance economic growth with environmental health, the EPA is demanding that original equipment manufacturers submit data on their Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system failures.
FMCSA Looks Ahead in 2026
It is the great paradox of the second Trump presidency; while the 47th president wants to reduce the total number of regulations on the books (at times touting a 10-to-1 ratio on the number of regulations removed versus added), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has seen more regulations put into place in the name of safety.
States Consider English Language Proficiency Laws
Until now, all of the hubbub regarding English language proficiency was on the federal level, with the federal government threatening to withhold funding should the state refuse to comply with federal standards. Now, some states, in line with the federal government, are taking a stand and implementing their own state laws regarding use of the English language.
Transport Stocks Peak At Start of New Year
While the stock market is not the only indicator of economic performance and strength, it is an indicator, as investors put their money where their mouth is and purchase partial ownership in companies they believe will perform well in the future.
TopMark Funding’s Yearly Roundup 2025
Another year has come and gone, and with it a whole plethora of trucking news as the industry deals with the transition into a new presidential administration. Here is the biggest article from each month to highlight how the sentiment in the trucking industry was at that period.
Colorado Threatened With Funding Removal
Last time we wrote about the non-domiciled CDL crackdown saga, it was covering Minnesota. Now, Colorado is the fifth state to be put under the microscope to see if the Centennial State is in line with federal regulations.
Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to Potentially Reduce Cargo Theft
Congress is debating a new Bill in its halls, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA). The Bill, should it become law, would broaden federal criminal offenses for transporting, selling, or receiving stolen retail goods when done as part of an organized group.
Marijuana’s Schedule Change and its Effect on Trucking
Recently, President Trump announced that the federal government was moving marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. How will this affect the trucking industry? The answer may (or may not) shock you.
DRIVE Safe Act Participation Puts Trucker Shortage into Question
If you have been paying attention to the trucking industry for any amount of time, chances are the phrase “trucker shortage” has hit your ears. Surely if the trucker shortage were real and fleets were desperate to get their hands on more drivers, there would be an increased demand for younger drivers to be able to cross state lines. The pilot program for under-21 interstate travel led to abysmal results, indicating that maybe fleets are not as strained for drivers as initially thought.
EPA Continuing on NOx Emissions with Slight Changes
In a move that is rarely seen in today’s political climate, the Trump Administration is continuing on a rule popular with the Biden Administration…with a few modifications.
DOT to Withhold $40 Million in Funding from California
The newest chapter in the California saga unfolds, as last we wrote about the ongoing battle between state and federal government, California was only one of a few states not complying with new regulations regarding issuance of non-domiciled CDLs. However, according to Sean Duffy of the Department of Transportation, California is the only state that is not enforcing the English language requirements on the road, and for every action there is an opposite reaction.
FMCSA Targets Non-Domiciled CDLs
The war between state and federal governments continue, as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to tighten access to Non-Domiciles Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs), essentially the trucking equivalent of a green card for non-citizens. What does this have to do with state government? A good number of them come from one particular golden state.
FMCSA Plans Sleeper Berth Pilot Program
The life of a truck driver requires a lot of flexibility, something that regulations can, while intentions are good, get in the way of and make things more difficult for all. To that end, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced through the “Pro Trucker Package” two new pilot programs where they will test the effects of new regulations on a small subset of truckers, and, if the data looks good, implement it on the general populace to make trucker life easier to manage.
Supreme Court to Hear Trump Tariff Case
By this point, if you have followed the news at any point in 2025, you are exhausted about hearing the word “tariff.” Hopefully the case will be settled once and for all, as the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case for Trump’s imported goods taxes that have been battled in the lower courts for almost half a year.
Trump Administration Vs. Trucking Regulations
If you thought the first Trump Administration from 2017 was intense in cutting regulations, the second Trump Administration kicks it into hyperdrive. Like Argentina Prime Minister Javier Millei raising a chainsaw in defiance towards the red tape, Trump’s second Administration is ordered to slash 10 regulations for every new one added, a quintuple increase from his first term. Here are the current standings of some of the most contentious topics in the trucking industry, and where they stand as of late 2025.
EPA to Block CARB Roadside Emission Checks
The war between federal and state governments continues, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have a bit of a scuffle regarding emission checking devices.
USA to Halt Work Visas for Truckers
In the latest round of regulations, the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that effective immediately, foreign work visas for commercial truckers is to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.
EPA to Roll Back Diesel Exhaust Fluid Regulations
Diesel Exhaust Fluid, henceforth referred to as DEF, is a fluid that combines with standard diesel exhaust to reduce the total amount of NOx added to the atmosphere as the diesel engine runs.
Four Truck Manufacturers Go on Offensive Against CARB
It is another day in California, and that means somebody is suing somebody else. This time, however, it relates directly to the trucking industry, as four truck manufactures are shifting gears and standing against the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Mid-Year Fuel Tax Changes
The second most popular day of the year for laws and regulations to go into effect is July 1st, the most popular being the start of a new year. Thirteen states have updated their fuel taxes for the midpoint of 2025. Here is what that entails.
Big Beautiful Bill Reinstates 100% Bonus Depreciation
Taxes for 2025 in the trucking industry just became a lot more interesting due to a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
California Highway Patrol Lagging on English Enforcement
It seems like the battle between state and federal government will never end, it is just a question as to which state is battling the United States government.
EPA Wants to Remove Greenhouse Gas Regulations Altogether
Under the watch of Lee Zeldin, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to rescind Obama-Era endangerment findings and regulations. Doing this would remove the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.
Speed Limiter Regulation Officially Iced for Four Years Minimum
The battle of regulations regarding speed regulators is a long-fought war, but those in opposition of it have received some reprieve, as the Department of Transportation (DOT) under the 47th President of the United States Donald Trump has announced that it will not be pursuing speed limiters for the foreseeable future.
Sean Duffy Speaks Before House on Transportation Budget
When it comes to government spending, there are few things that receive as much bipartisan support as infrastructure investment: things that everyone uses in the United States with little more than a second thought.
California Doubles Down on Clean Vehicles
“Out of the frying pan and into the fire” is a common phrase, but it is an accurate telling of the battle for low-emission vehicles in California. When one battle ends, another begins.
Trump Rolls Back Obama-Era Emissions Waiver
One June 12th, 2025, 47th President of the United States Donald Trump signed an order that rules back a regulation from the Obama-era that gave states such as California more leeway in determining its own emission standards for vehicles, ranging from standard 4-wheel passenger vehicles used to commute to work to commercial vehicles that are work.
US and China to Meet in London Over Trade
We get cheap imports from China; that is a fact. The 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, sees that with a negative connotation in cheap. No longer, he believes, is it a good value, but rather that components and materials used in trucks such as steel are frail and of lower quality.
CVSA to Join FMCSA in English Enforcement
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is a private organization that works to improve safety on America’s roads, as opposed to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which enforces it under regulation and the weight of the United States Federal Government.
Sean Duffy to Reduce Trucking Regulations
“My department is slashing duplicative and outdated regulations that are unnecessarily burdensome, waste taxpayer dollars, and fail to ensure safety,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in an announcement on May 29th. “These are common-sense changes that will help us build a more efficient government that better reflects the needs of the American people. Big government has been a big failure.”
FMCSA to Implement Two-Step Test in English Proficiency
As we established in a previous article, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order explicitly requiring the enforcement of a prior regulation saying that CDL-holders must understand English. To fulfill that Executive Order, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is planning to implement a test to make sure those who are questioned about their English fluency are able to talk the talk, so to speak.
Sean Duffy Finalizes 76 Projects
We have written at great length about Biden-era infrastructure investments, and how things have changed (or in some cases, stayed the same) with the transition to the second Trump Administration. One such case is the lawsuit of sixteen states trying to get money from established funds. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is working to get those infrastructure projects underway.
16 State Coalition Sues FHWA
Yesterday we published an article about a coalition of sixteen different states suing California regarding the Advanced Clean Fleet regulation. This is not a case of deja vu; the exact same number of states happen to be running their own lawsuit against the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Trump Provides Exemption for Tariffs to Motor Vehicles
The only thing that is predictable about the second Trump Administration is that it is unpredictable.
Trump Executive Order Makes English the Rule of the Road
The 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump has already signed numerous executive orders in the first year of his second term in office.
Massachusetts and Maryland Leave Clean Truck Coalition
They say that what goes for California eventually goes for the rest of the nation, but recent developments regarding green-trucking regulations are starting to put that age-old adage into question.
Congress Introduces Bill Aiming at Cargo Theft
Usually when a Bill is going through the system, it will start in one wing of Congress before moving to another after approval. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act is bucking this trend by having two very similar Bills introduced into both wings at the same time, with minor differences planning to be reconciled later.
DOT Ideas Wanted
Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Transportation (DOT) wants to slash regulations so that commercial businesses that utilize America’s infrastructure can thrive, but it is a bit lost as to where to start. With President Trump upping the ante of regulations cut versus added from 2:1 to 10:1, the DOT needs to get busy. […]
Derek Barrs Considered for FMCSA Administrator Position
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) saga continues, with the previous update to this being Adrienne Camire leaving the FMCSA without a trace.The 47th president has wasted no time finding the next FMCSA Acting Administrator, however, and has tapped a man by the name of Derek Barrs for the position.DetailsThe role of FMCSA Administrator […]
Adrienne Camire Leaves FMCSA
We at TopMark Funding hate to report this, but the news is the news and we have no direct influence over how people act in Washington D.C. We wrote on March 11th about Adrienne Camire taking up the position of Acting Administrator of the FMCSA. Two weeks later, she has silently stepped down. Details The […]
Chris Spear Speaks at Tech Conference
If you have been following news regarding the trucking industry for a while, there is a pretty good chance you are familiar with the name “Chris Spear.” The president of the American Trucking Association (ATA), which has a membership of 50 state trucking associations, is a relatively big player within the space.
Federal Government Fights New York on Congestion Pricing
Anyone who has spent an hour in Manhattan knows that it is crowded, which is part of the reason why the state of New York introduced congestion pricing to the lower part of the island. The Trump Administration is fighting back, rescinding previous approval from the prior administration and promising to see the other party in court.
EPA Admin Submits Regulatory Rollbacks
Lee Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has submitted waivers to pull back California’s approval for the Advanced Clean Truck and Omnibus NOx regulations that were established under the Biden Administration. How does submitting waivers to Congress actually stop those regulations rather than hurt it? Well, it is complicated.DetailsWe have covered both of […]
Vehicle Manufacturers Eye Tariffs
Tariffs to Mexico and Canada are planning to go into effect on February 4th, 2025, the same day this article is published. With an increased cost in imports from the two neighboring countries, U.S. manufacturers are watching and planning their next moves.DetailsWhen it comes to the trucking industry, the biggest imports the United States of […]
Sean Duffy to Replace Fuel Economy Rule
When Joe Biden was in office, there was a set rule for fuel economy standards within the United States: the average of all 2031 models for cars must be or exceed 50.4 miles per gallon. Now that there is a new administration, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has decided to axe that. Details The […]
Department of Energy Grants $68 Million in Charging Projects
The new administration may have a philosophy of “drill, baby, drill”, but it does not consider electric vehicles to be completely off the table as an alternative to standard fossil fuels. To that end, the Department of Energy (DOE) is offering $68,000,000 in establishing charging stations for fully electric heavy-duty trucks across the nation.DetailsOne such […]
Sean Duffy Has Confirmation Hearing
By the time this article is published for the world to see, Donald Trump will have taken office as the 47th president of the United States. On January 15th, however, former Wisconsin representative Sean Duffy had a three-hour confirmation hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee to see if he is a quality candidate to become the Secretary of Transportation.
California Abandons Advanced Clean Fleets Rule
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past two years, you have heard about the California Air Resource Board (CARB) and their strong plans to make the trucking industry greener. No new diesel trucks by 2036. Illegal to operate a diesel truck by 2042. Well, drivers in or traveling through the Golden State can now rest easier, as CARB has decided to abandon these plans.
Canada Plans Tariffs Towards US
During Donald Trump’s first term as president, there were tariffs going both ways between the United States and Canada. Donald Trump’s second term is expected to have tariffs be an order of magnitude higher than that, so Canada is hoping to up the ante as well as it refuses to be pushed around by us, the U.S.
DOT Releases Recap of Past Four Years
With the Biden Administration in its final days and the second Trump presidency on the horizon, Biden’s Department of Transportation (DOT) released a list of its accomplishments to the American people so as not to be forgotten with whatever comes next.DetailsExecutive Order 14123 says that a White House Council on Supply Chain Resiliency must release […]
TopMark Funding’s Yearly Roundup 2024
Another year comes to a close; a relatively hectic and interesting one for the trucking industry. Here are the biggest articles of each month, in case you need a refresher.
What Trump’s Tariffs Mean for the Trucking Industry
If you have been following even the slightest bit of political news, you have probably heard that Donald Trump is going to be placing tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico. What does this mean? Quick Rundown on Tariffs A tariff is a tax imposed on imported goods to serve two purposes: additional revenue for the […]
Biden Administration Races Against the Clock for Infrastructure Spending
As with Biden replacing Trump’s policies before him, Trump will be doing the same in kind to President Biden once his term ends, reverting as much as he can before implementing his own changes to how the country is run. Because it is much harder to stop a moving train when it starts, the Biden […]
Prebuying to Avoid Regulations
The government is like a massive ship. It has a lot of inertia, and it is a lot harder to turn it, let alone 180 degrees when it is in motion. Despite there being an inevitable transfer of power once Trump takes the Oval Office, he might find it difficult to stop previously established EPA […]
CARB Updates its LCFS
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted 12 to 2 on November 8th in favor of revamping its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). What does this mean for truckers in the Golden State? Details The vote comes on the heels of the 2024 presidential election, after news that Donald Trump would be returning to office, […]
Lee Zeldin to Lead EPA
With Trump slated to return to the Oval Office in 2025, he is picking out people to lead in the executive branch of the United States federal government. You may have heard of a few of them by now, but one that will have a profound impact on the trucking industry is whoever leads the […]
Regulatory Changes Under President Trump
Regulations are much harder to get off the books than they are to prevent from getting onto them in the first place. With Donald Trump a few months out from his second presidential term, here are some potential changes to upcoming regulations plaguing the trucking industry.
Trucking in the Second Era of Trump
Anyone who has been paying attention to our reporting of the news, especially in regard to regulations, likely noticed that we ended a good number of articles with “it will be interesting to see how the 2024 election plays out and if there is a change of party in the White House, how that will […]
Biden-Harris Administration Announces CDL Training Grants
The Biden-Harris Administration announced on September 20th plans to give $140 million in funding that will be given to states and training programs through the agency’s High Priority (HP) and Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grants.DetailsThe grants are split with $88 million going to HP, and $55 million going to CDLPI.HP is not directly […]
Biden Administration Purchases Almost 5 Million Barrels of Oil
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, used to store the precious resource of crude oil for times of crisis, has been consistently drained during Joe Biden’s term in an attempt to alleviate prices at the pump. This is changing, however, as the Department of Energy is taking advantage of a small dip in oil prices to buy […]
FMCSA Asks Congress for Power to Penalize Broker Fraud
Anyone with a passing knowledge of how the United States federal government works knows about the three branches, in the case for this store: the FMCSA (executive), Congress (legislative), and Administrative Law Judges (judicial) are in a bit of a battle over the ability to assess punishments for broker fraud.DetailsIn 2019, an Administrative Law Judge […]
House Introduces $200 Million Parking Bill
Congress is working on drafting the funding and allocation for 2025, and part of that includes funding for the transportation industry, namely, $200 million in truck parking.Details“The committee expects DOT to continue working proactively with the private sector, states and metropolitan planning organizations to address this critical supply chain challenge, to encourage the use of […]
DOT Has No Plans to Change Marijuana Regulations
The Biden Administration is working to move marijuana from a Schedule I (heroin) to a Schedule III (testosterone/steroids), but that does not mean that truckers will be able to partake, as clarified by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigeig.DetailsThe American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been knocking on the DOT’s door asking how this change would impact […]
Biden Administration Provides $1.5 Billion for Zero-Emission Trucks
The Biden Administration announced in mid-March its plans to build electric corridors across the nation. Now it is putting its money where its mouth is, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering $1.5 billion to various states and municipalities to accelerate the switch to zero-emission vehicles. Details The declaration of this grant money comes […]
Talks of More Strategic Petroleum Reserve Sales
We at TopMark Funding love to report when gasoline and diesel prices are down, but right now things are looking a bit grim, especially here in California where requirements cause the prices of fuel to be even more expensive than in other parts of the nation. To that end, analysts are predicting another potential sell […]
Congress Reviews Department of Labor Rule
You might remember how we wrote about the impending lawsuit coming from Louisiana regarding independent contractor classification and how it will have negative effects on the trucking industry, but the judicial branch is not the only check and balance impeding the Department of Labor. Now, Congress wants in on the action.DetailsRepresentative Kevin Kiley, a Republican […]
21 States Sue Biden Administration Over Emission Regulations
A coalition of 21 different states has banded together to sue the Biden Administration over the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) latest rules regarding truck emissions. They say that the Biden Administration has overstepped its constitutional powers.DetailsThe states that are joining in this lawsuit are:Kentucky (Where the lawsuit is taking place)AlabamaAlaskaArkansasFloridaIdahoIndianaIowaKansasMississippiMontanaNebraskaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaUtahVirginiaWest VirginiaWyomingThe plaintiffs […]
Vivek Ramaswamy Speaks at World’s Largest Truckstop
The 2024 Republican presidential candidate who is also a billionaire spoke at the World’s Largest Truckstop in Iowa to talk about what he would do regarding regulations within the trucking industry.Was our description of the candidate not apt enough to properly discern? To be more specific: it was Vivek Ramaswamy.DetailsThe Republican hopeful on his campaign […]
Supply Chain Resiliency Council Has First Meeting
President Biden was the first person to speak at the first meeting of his new supply chain resilience council, and it was offering a brighter future for Americans.“We know that prices are still too high for too many things, that times are still too tough for too many families, but we’ve made progress.”With that, the […]
Biden Administration Grants $82.6 Million for 46 States
One of the few line items that are generally bipartisan for federal spending is infrastructure, such as roads. It is a good thing that on October 27th, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced spending plans for 46 different states in the nation and Puerto Rico in an effort to increase road safety.Details“Whether […]
Texas Ramps Up Border Inspections Yet Again
Texas Governor Greg Abbott strikes again, as “Operation Lone Star” picks up and results in another round of increased scrutiny for trucks entering the nation via El Paso.DetailsThis is the third time in recent history that the state of Texas has ramped up border security. The main reason is the same as the last two […]
Biden Vetoes EPA Rollback
You may remember a little under a month ago when we wrote about a Bill that passed both halls of Congress. In that article, we said:“Because of how our system of government works, Joe Biden may opt to veto the bill instead of signing it, which is what he threatened to do should the vote […]
Joe Biden Visits Cummins Plant
Joe Biden visited the Cummins plant in Fridley, Minnesota on April 3rd for two reasons: one was political, with Biden traveling on his Investing in America tour to show citizens that he supports goods that are made in America, and the other is celebration, as Cummins has pledged to invest $1 billion across its numerous […]
FHWA Announce $2.1 Billion for Bridge Improvements
What’s New? On Jan. 4 President Joe Biden took a trip to Kentucky to visit the tattered Brent Spencer Bridge. The goal was for the administration to highlight the bipartisanship infrastructure law. During this visit, the Federal Highway Administration also announced $2.1 billion in first-round grants to repair economically significant bridges. “I believe it sends […]
Federal Government to Revamp Ports of Entry
The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced its plans of using $3.4 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 on ports of entry. The money will be spent on fifty projects in eleven states to revitalize the infrastructure of international commerce, with both our northern and southern neighbors.DetailsThere are fifty total projects […]
Rail Strike Officially Averted
What’s New? On Dec. 2 President Joe Biden signed a bill to end the long-standing labor agreement between a freight rail station and its union workers. “The bill I’m about to sign ends a difficult rail dispute and helps our nation avoid what without a doubt would have been an economic catastrophe at a very […]
House Voted To Avoid Rail Strike
What’s New? The United States House of Representatives voted on Nov. 30 to pass a bill that would force the railroad and the unions to abide by the terms outlined in the September tentative agreement. The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate. If approved, it will be quickly […]
Pending Strike Becomes Imminent
What’s New? A strike could occur as early as Dec. 9 now that freight carriers union SMART-TD has rejected the tentative agreement negotiated in mid-September by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and other officials. The Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers union and their 500+ Transportation Division members made the announcement on Nov. 21. Another […]
One Rail Union Accepts Railroad Terms
What’s New? On Saturday, November 5, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union members approved the terms of the deal presented by the railroad. If you’ll recall, on July 15, President Joe Biden blocked a freight railroad strike in Omaha, Nebraska. This strike would disrupt the already fragile supply chain by delaying the […]
White House Announces $60 Billion Transportation Plan
What’s New? On October 11, the Biden Administration announced that $60 billion (yes, billion with a “B”) of federal funding would be used to repair transportation corridors nationwide. “America’s roads and bridges are the vital arteries of our transportation system, connecting people and goods across the country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. On Oct. 13 […]
Biden to Release More from Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Coming hot off the heels of the news of OPEC Plus slashing oil production by two million barrels of oil per day, Joseph Biden announced that he will once again be tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help alleviate prices. Details The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a well of crude oil near the Gulf […]
Biden Speaks at Volvo Plant
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is not a stranger to speaking to stakeholders in the trucking industry. Just a little over a year since he spoke at a Mack Trucks Plant in Pennsylvania, he is back at it again at a Volvo Group powertrain plant in Maryland. While there, he spoke about the economy for the […]
USDOT Awards $1.5 Billion in Federal Infrastructure Grants
What’s New? On Thursday, Sept. 15 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced that the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded $1.5 billion for highway, multimodal freight, and rail projects that will make the nation’s transportation and infrastructure systems safer and more resilient. “Today we are announcing transformative investments in our nation’s roads, bridges, ports, and rail […]
Biden-Harris Administration Founds WOTAB
“Women are significantly underrepresented in the trucking industry, holding only 24 percent of all transportation jobs,” FMCSA Deputy Administrator Robin Hutcheson once said in a statement. The Biden-Harris administration is interested in making the industry more representative of the population as a whole, and is founding the Women of Trucking Advisory Board (WOTAB).DetailsWOTAB’s inaugural committee […]
Emergency Board Calls for 24% Raise for Rail Workers
On July 15, President Joe Biden blocked a freight railroad strike in Omaha, Nebraska. This strike would disrupt the already fragile supply chain by delaying the shipment of goods for at least 60 days. The appointed Presidential Emergency Board gave the 12 unions involved a 124-page report outlining the terms they suggest. Both sides have […]
Three of the 12 Rail Unions Announce Terms
Background On July 15, President Joe Biden blocked a freight railroad strike in Omaha, Nebraska. This strike would disrupt the fragile supply chain by delaying the shipment of goods for at least 60 days. To combat this, President Biden appointed a board of arbitrators, the Presidential Emergency Board, to help the dispute with contract building […]
The Inflation Reduction Act and How It Impacts Truckers
The Inflation Reduction Act has been passed across party lines (51-50 in the Senate, 220-207 in the House of Representatives), and was signed by Joseph Biden when it came across his desk. How is it going to impact the nation’s truckers?Fast Forward on Green EnergyThe most notable change that the signed law has on the […]
Biden Calls on Congress to Suspend Fuel Tax
As the national average for diesel fuel exceeds five dollars per gallon, President Joseph Robinette Biden Junior is calling on Congress to suspend the fuel tax for three months to help alleviate fuel prices. Details The federal fuel tax on diesel is about 24.4 cents per gallon. The money is used for the Highway Trust […]
FET Suspension Bill Introduced in House
We have talked about the potential suspension of the Federal Excise Tax (FET) before, but with the current administration, it may just become reality this time.FET DetailsThe FET was introduced in 1917 to help finance World War I. A decade later and it is still levying a 12% price increase on newer heavy-duty trucks and […]
Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 Passes Congress
In a move that Chris Spear of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has called “a long time coming”, the House of Representatives has passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022. Now, it heads to Joe Biden’s desk for signature.Bill DetailsThe Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 hopes to stop what Chris Spear of the […]
Biden Nominates Hutcheson for FMCSA Administrator
With Meera Joshi departing to work back in New York City, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is once again in need of someone to lead it. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttgieg had suggested one of his closest assistants, Robin Hutcheson, for the job. Now, Biden has officially nominated her for the position.DetailsBefore working […]
Biden Announces Sale of Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil
It should be no surprise to anyone at this point that gas and diesel prices are at historic highs, due in part to the Ukraine-Russian conflict and the resulting oil embargo. With people across the country struggling to pay the new prices, the Biden Administration has announced that it will be adding its own supply […]
The Irony in Clean Energy
It should be a surprise to nobody that the Biden Administration is tough on fossil fuels in favor of clean energy. As the United States implements an oil embargo on Russia, diesel prices are hitting record highs. The truth of the matter is that because of global supply chain shortages and the composition of electric […]
Texas Judge Reinstates Trump-Era Independent Contractor Status
The California AB-5 saga has not come to a close yet, as what the Supreme Court will do with it remains a mystery, but other challenges to the independent contractor/employee dynamic are still in motion. One such case is the Department of Labor redefining the term “independent contractor” shortly after the Biden Administration came into […]
Supreme Court Rules Against Vaccine Mandate
The United States Supreme Court declared on January 13th that a stay on the vaccine mandate prevails, making the requirement for businesses with 100 or more employees to have their employees vaccinated or undergo weekly coronavirus testing unenforceable.DetailsThe Court ruled 6-3.“Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not […]
TopMark Funding’s Year in Review 2021
2021 has been a slightly hectic year. How has yours been? Our predictions mostly came true, most notably the Tesla Semi being delayed another year. The trucking industry has been through a lot this past year; here is a recap. Unlike our last Year in Review where we talked about the biggest articles of the […]
White House Unveils Plan to Combat Trucker Shortage
The common rule of thumb used in the trucking industry is that there is work equal to 80,000 more truckers than there are drivers to do that work. The simplest solution to this would be to increase the pay of truckers to attract more talent, but the business is more complicated than that. To that […]
What Can Southwest Teach Us About Vaccine Mandates?
If you have been following the news as of late, you will no doubt have heard about Southwest Airlines getting some PR. Flights are being canceled, delayed, pushed forward, and everything in between. While Southwest says this is due to weather hazards among other things, the likely culprit may be their recent vaccine mandate. Could […]
Biden Announces Increase in Port Operations
On October 13th, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. announced that the Port of Los Angeles will commence 24/7 operations for the foreseeable future.DetailsThe news comes after the Port of Long Beach announced that they would be incurring 24/7 operations to help clear the backlog of ships and containers. The two ports, brothers to one another, handle […]
Biden Administration Considers Defense Production Act
If you have been in the trucking industry for as long as we have, you are aware that prices on trucks, new and used, are going through the roof. Skyrocketing prices are attributed to global shortages of various components such as rubber and aluminum, but most notably the semiconductor (chip) shortage. In the 21st century, […]
Trucking Industry Shows Disdain to Biden Vaccine Requirement
Joseph R. Biden announced on Thursday that the United States was going to take stronger steps towards combating the coronavirus by making the vaccine a requirement. The announcement has not been popular. Details The Department of Labor declared new regulations to be added soon, requiring all employers with 100 or more workers to either vaccinate […]
Senate Passes INVEST in America Act
In a vote of 69-30 (with one senator absent), the United States Senate has voted to pass H.R. 3684, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 or the INVEST in America Act. What does the bill entail, and how are truckers affected should it pass the House of Representatives? H.R. 3684 […]
Biden Signs Executive Order on Truck Emissions
On August 5th, Joseph Robinette Biden Junior signed “Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks.“ It instructs various entities within the executive branch such as the Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency to work towards better emission standards on all vehicles, especially heavy-duty trucks and their engines.The Executive Order has […]
Joe Biden Speaks at Mack Trucks Plant
On Wednesday, July 28th, Joe Biden flew into Pennsylvania to check out the Mack Trucks Plant in Lehigh Valley. While there he gave an approximately 30-minute speech. Things he discussed included: Creating 600,000 jobs per month since he was in office. The importance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The importance of the United States government buying […]
Senate Bill Introduced to Repeal Federal Excise Tax
Some causes are worth continuously fighting for. On the 22nd of July, Senator Todd Young (R-IN) introduced bill S.2435 co-sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to repeal the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on new heavy-duty truck purchases. This is not the first time that the FET has been under scrutiny, but with senators behind it, […]
The DOT Wants to Boost Equity
On January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden signed an Executive Order. It is named, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government”, otherwise known as the Equity E.O. The order tells regulators of various departments to focus on boosting equity in the community. The Department of Transportation (DOT) wants your input on […]
Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Plan and How it Impacts Truckers
On March 31st, the office of Joe Biden released the details for the American Jobs Plan. The entire infrastructure plan press release clocks in at almost 12,000 words. Reading it is a time-consuming project, but if you want to, you can view it on the fact sheet webpage. For those who have better things to […]
Congress Considers Side Guards for Trailers
Side guards might seem like another costly regulation for truckers, but they can help other drivers keep ahead.
FMCSA Hosts 20th ART Forum
On March 10th, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration held its 20th annual Analysis, Research, and Technology (ART) Forum, and the first under the Biden presidency with a new change of officials. ART is used to discuss how technology is used to fulfill the FMCSA’s goals, namely minimizing truck crashes, and was especially fitting because […]
Biden Reverses Trump’s Executive Order 13801
On February 17th, Biden continued his streak of changing gears from his predecessor by rescinding Executive Order 13801. As you can imagine from reading about it here, this impacts the trucking industry. Here is what Executive Order 13801 entailed and what Biden is doing to replace it.Executive Order 13801Hoping to bolster the use of such […]
Meera Joshi to Become FMCSA Deputy Administrator
If you have been following the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) news for a while now, three names might ring as familiar: Raymond Martinez, Jim Mullen, and Wiley Deck. These three were the deputy administrators of the FMCSA during the Trump Administration, for varying amounts of time. With the transition to the Biden Administration, […]
Biden’s First 100 Days and How it May Affect Trucking
A few days after election day, we were hesitant to officially call for Biden’s election victory due to numerous fraud allegations and lawsuits for the time between election day and inauguration day. But, all of that is behind the country and by the time you read this, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. should be sworn in […]
DOT Secretary Elaine Chao Announces Resignation
Secretary of the Department of Transportation Elaine Chao has announced that she will be resigning from her position, effective January 11th. This marks the end of the second-longest cabinet holding behind Mike Pence himself: Elaine Chao started January 31st, 2016. Details Elaine Chao cites the storming of the U.S. Capitol as her reason for not […]
What a Biden Presidency Would Mean for Trucking
While the winner of the 2020 election is not yet set in stone due to recounts, lawsuits, and accusations of fraud, it is hard to deny that the likelihood of becoming president has shifted into Biden’s favor. Strongly enough, in fact, that it is worth speculating what the shift in power would mean for the […]
FMCSA Speaks at Virtual Conference
On October 23rd, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Wiley Deck spoke at the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) virtual version of its Management Conference and Exhibition. The event was turned into a virtual one this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here is what he spoke about. Under 21 Drivers With the trucking industry […]
Department of Labor to Clarify Independent Contractor Status
When a truck driver hears about laws and regulations determining the difference between an independent contractor and employee, the first thing that may come to mind is California AB-5, one of the strictest standards in the nation for determining employee eligibility. At the federal level, however, the Department of Labor (DOL) wants to revise their […]
Why the INVEST in America Act Won’t Be Law
At TopMark Funding, we mostly like to report on the facts when it comes to the news and allow our readers to reach their own conclusions. The recent news about the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act may leave truckers worried about how it […]
House Democrats Introduce INVEST in America Act
How much is added flexibility to your driving workday worth to you? House Democrats on Capitol Hill unveiled the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act on Wednesday, May 3rd. The bill is 864 pages long, but the two biggest pieces that should interest truck […]