Latest Money News
Fresh trucking stories explained through rates, fuel, tolls, fines, insurance, downtime, repairs, and cash flow.
A $300 Permit Problem Just Turned Into $23,452 in Trucking Fines
A Louisiana trucking company is appealing $23,452 in overweight fines after four trucks hauling generators allegedly traveled on Bossier Parish roads without required local permits. The permits reportedly cost about $300 per truck, turning roughly $1,200 in paperwork into a potential $23,452 bill.
California Opens Door to Self-Driving Trucks and Teamsters Say 200,000 Jobs Could Be at Risk
California is allowing companies to move toward testing and deploying heavy-duty self-driving trucks, but Teamsters California is suing the DMV, arguing the state failed to properly account for the potential economic impact on more than 200,000 truck driving jobs.
Truck Driver Admits to $510,465 Fuel Card Scam - Without Buying the Fuel
A West Virginia truck driver admitted running more than $510,000 in fraudulent fuel-card charges through fake service stations - even though prosecutors say the fuel was never actually purchased.
FMCSA Just Banned 5 ELDs - And Your Replacement Could Cost $125 Per Truck
FMCSA removed five ELDs from its registered-device list, giving affected carriers until October 6, 2026, to replace them. Using a current $125 hardware price as an example, replacement costs could reach $1,250 for 10 trucks or $6,250 for 50 trucks - while ignoring the deadline could lead to citations and drivers being placed out of service.
Dry Van Spot Rates Are Up 66 Cents a Mile - That’s $1,320 More on 2,000 Miles
Dry van linehaul spot rates are about 66 cents per mile higher than a year ago. On 2,000 loaded miles, that works out to roughly $1,320 more gross revenue - as shrinking truck capacity gives carriers more negotiating power.
One Company Walks Away From Truck Crash Case - Another Faces $604 Million
Two Texas truck-crash cases produced very different results. One shipper escaped liability after a court found it did not control the carrier or driver, while freight broker C.H. Robinson is fighting a $604 million verdict in a separate case. The big money lesson: the more control a company has over a truck and driver, the more financial risk it may take on.
Buying a $40,000 Dry Van? New Import Tariffs Could Add $3,604
New preliminary duties on Mexican-made dry-van trailers could add an estimated $3,604 in import costs to a trailer valued at $40,000. Here is what owner-operators need to understand.
Trucker Spills Load of Live Chickens on I-80 Ramp in Lake Station, Flees Scene
A semi crash scattered hundreds of live chickens across an Indiana interstate ramp, but the driver was nowhere to be found.
Truckers face sales pitches after roadside inspections, industry experts warn
A roadside inspection may be over, but the sales campaign can begin almost immediately. Compliance companies are monitoring carrier records, identifying worried truckers and turning public safety data into urgent pitches for paid help.
Weigh Stations Can Cost Truckers Up To $2,000 A Year. Here’s How To Cut The Damage
Those roadside scales may look like a simple delay for truckers, but there’s a much bigger money story behind them. From road damage and overweight fines to bypass systems and weigh-in-motion technology, weigh stations reveal who really pays when freight gets too heavy.
"Toll Dodger" Truck Driver Walks Free After $22,000 Ohio Turnpike Bill - But Nearly Lost His Rig
An Illinois owner-operator accused of dodging nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike tolls avoided jail and kept his Freightliner after paying $21,991 in restitution plus towing fees. Prosecutors had charged Moath Musamih with felony grand theft and sought to seize the truck, but the case was dropped after full payment. The case is a warning that modern toll systems can track unpaid trips for years.
Two Stolen Trailers Loaded with $1.3 Million in Copper and Data Center Equipment Recovered Near Chicago
Authorities recovered two stolen semi-trailers loaded with more than $1.3 million in copper wire and data center infrastructure equipment at an Illinois truck yard, showing why high-value freight tied to the AI boom is becoming a bigger target.