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How the U.S. Studied Truck Parking While Closing Rest Areas — and What FOPT Proposes Instead In 2009, truck driver Jason Rivenburg was murdered after being forced to park in an unsafe location because no legal, safe rest area was available. His death exposed a fundamental contradiction in federal trucking policy: drivers are strictly regulated for fatigue, yet the infrastructure required to comply safely has never been guaranteed. In response, Congress enacted what became kn

People keep saying broker transparency will fix trucking. Nope. You can know exactly what a broker makes and still haul freight below your own break-even . Transparency doesn’t stop bad decisions. Knowing your numbers does. This spreadsheet is built to remove excuses and reduce every load to one question: Do the miles on this load clear your break-even after revenue and expenses are accounted for? If yes, take it. If no, don’t. That’s the fix. What You Enter (and Where) You o

The conversation around trucking insurance is back on the table in Washington, D.C. Once again, lawmakers are pushing to raise minimum liability requirements for motor carriers from $750,000 to $5,000,000. On the surface, it’s being framed as a safety and victim compensation issue. But when you actually dig into the data, the structure of the industry, and what is not being addressed, a different picture starts to form. Congress introduced H.R. 8218, known as the Fair Compen

Introduction We support Shannon, American Truckers United, and the efforts behind the (H.R. 5688). This issue is no longer about opinion or politics. It is about whether federally authorized workers can be removed from the workforce by regulatory action that bypasses process, lacks evidence, and creates conflict within the federal government itself. In 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) moved beyond proposal and into enforcement, implementing a fina

Trucking compensation is one of the most debated issues in the industry. Some argue that deregulation destroyed driver wages. Others claim pay isn’t the problem — efficiency is. Some say hourly pay would fix safety. Others argue it would bankrupt carriers. Instead of ideology, this article examines: • The historical evolution of truck driver pay • The economic impact of deregulation • The cost structure of turnover and accidents • The financial modeling of hourly vs mileage p

The Federation of Professional Truckers is proud to announce a new Members-Only benefit in partnership with T-Mobile for Business. This opportunity did not come from us shopping for sponsors. T-Mobile contacted FOPT after seeing the work we have been doing within the trucking community, including advocacy efforts, the Guardian Fund initiatives, and our continued push to build real value for professional drivers. Let’s address the obvious question upfront. FOPT receives nothin

SIGN THE PETITION https://c.org/pp4FKrtDpL Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) are federally regulated credentials that grant individuals unrestricted interstate access across all 50 states. CDL holders routinely enter residential neighborhoods, schools, distribution centers, rest areas, and isolated environments as part of lawful commercial operations. Federal law recognizes that certain conduct permanently disqualifies an individual from holding this level of trust-based cr

This isn’t rumor. It isn’t a TikTok argument. It’s official federal action. On February 9, 2026, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) formally published the Federation of Professional Truckers’ (FOPT) request for an exemption from the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate in the Federal Register. That publication opens a public comment period. Translation: drivers, carriers, enforcement, and the public now have a direct voice in the record. What Was Publi

Why Education Alone Will Never Fix a Broken System Every few months, the same idea gets recycled in trucking circles: “We don’t need agencies. We don’t need federations. Truckers can regulate themselves. We just need education.” It sounds empowering. It sounds anti-bureaucracy. It sounds like freedom. It is also demonstrably false. Not because drivers are bad people—but because self-regulation without enforcement has never worked in any high-risk, profit-driven industry. Truc

Recent commentary has revived the as evidence that collective pricing, mandatory minimum freight rates, and coordinated industry standards are historically justified solutions to modern trucking market volatility. This article examines the Reed–Bulwinkle Act in its full historical, institutional, and economic context, including its legislative sponsors, regulatory mechanics, operational consequences, and eventual repudiation through the . The evidence demonstrates that Reed–B

For decades, a narrative has circulated claiming that trucking was “great” between 1948 and 1980, that deregulation destroyed the industry, and that returning to a pre-1980 regulatory framework—repackaged with modern technology—will restore prosperity, professionalism, and fairness. That narrative collapses when examined against history, economics, wages, and working conditions. This article documents why. 1. PRE-1980 TRUCKING WAS NOT FREE — IT WAS CARTELIZED From 1935 un

The Household Goods (HHG) Fraud Problem — And the Bill That Doesn’t Fix It The household goods (HHG) moving industry has a real and documented fraud problem. Consumers are misquoted.Deposits disappear.Prices jump at pickup.Disputes often end with no meaningful accountability. In response, Congress has been presented with a so-called “consumer protection” bill heavily supported by the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) . On its face, the bill promises stronger enf

On January 10, 2026, the Federation of Professional Truckers (FOPT) formally submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) seeking new federal safety standards governing rate confirmations and Bills of Lading used in interstate trucking. The petition was submitted in accordance with 49 CFR § 389.31 and 5 U.S.C. § 553(e) and has been officially received through Regulations.gov . This filing establishes an administrative record a

For years, truck drivers and small carriers have shared the same experience in private conversations and industry forums: one day they are booking loads without issue, and the next day freight access suddenly disappears across multiple brokers at once. No explanation. No warning. No appeal. At the center of these stories is a private, broker-only platform known as Carrier411 . What Carrier411 Is and How It Is Used Carrier411 is a subscription-based database accessible almost

Farmersville, Ohio — January 5, 2026 — The Federation of Professional Truckers (FOPT) has formally submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to the U.S. Department of Labor pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 553(e), requesting that the Department initiate rulemaking to recognize commercial truck driving as a skilled trade within federal workforce development and Registered Apprenticeship frameworks. Commercial truck driving is a safety-critical, federally cr

How the Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act would squeeze small carriers, consolidate freight, and create downstream incentives that favor rail Executive summary • H.R. 6884 (the “Patrick and Barbara Kowalski Freight Brokers Safety Act”) proposes a new civil penalty for freight brokers that contract with carriers labeled “unsafe” under a simple violation-count test. [1] • The bill’s definition of “unsafe” is blunt: three or more DOT violations in the prior five years (either

The Trucker Longevity Program Getting Healthier Without “Working Out” Truckers don’t need another fitness app, gym membership, or guilt trip. What they need is a way to move more, hurt less, and lose weight without adding time to a day that already doesn’t belong to them. This system is built around one idea: Use the job itself to fix the damage the job causes. No gym. No schedules. No excuses. The Rule That Makes This Work If you’re already doing something for the job, sta

Detention is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented costs in trucking. Carriers are routinely told that detention is “policy-based,” “capped,” or “subject to customer approval,” as if time, equipment, and labor suddenly lose value once a truck stops moving. They do not. When a carrier is held beyond reasonable free time, detention becomes a compensable service , supported by long-standing principles of contract and restitution law. Appointment times, internal polici

Truck drivers of America have, for generations, sacrificed their time, health, and families to build and sustain this nation. Without truck drivers, there is no supply chain. Without truck drivers, there is no America. For decades, corporations, government agencies, and industry regulators have profited from this labor while failing to recognize its value. Recognition as a skilled trade has been repeatedly requested, yet the profession continues to be labeled “unskilled

FREIGHT OPERATIONS PROTECTION & TRANSPARENCY ACT FOPT BUSINESS ACUMEN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Six to Nine Month Mandatory Curriculum Section 401. Establishment of Program The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shall establish and administer a mandatory Business Acumen Certification Program for motor carriers, designed to ensure minimum demonstrated competency in financial management, contractual literacy, regulatory compliance, safety economics, and risk manage