The Top 13 Trucking Stories of 2013, Part 3
As we look back at 2013, here's the third installment in our annual look at the top news stories of the year. Our list was compiled on the basis of popularity on our website, Truckinginfo.com, as well as our editors' opinions on which stories have the most impact on the trucking industry:


As we look back at 2013, here's the third installment in our annual look at the top news stories of the year. Our list was compiled on the basis of popularity on our website, Truckinginfo.com, as well as our editors' opinions on which stories have the most impact on the trucking industry:
6. Mexican truck program closer to reality
July 26 -- In July, a court upheld the Obama administration’s pilot program for long-distance trucking across the U.S.-Mexico border. Cross-border trucking was called for in the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. The Supreme Court will decide January 10 whether or not to hear a petition from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association to overturn that ruling. Read more.
5. New transportation secretary named
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced in January he was steeping down as Secretary of Transportation. Over the summer, Anthony Foxx was chosen as his replacement, and is one of the youngest cabinet officers in history.
Jan. 30 – LaHood Leaves a Safety Legacy,
June 27 – Foxx Confirmed as Transportation Secretary
4. President’s plan looks beyond 2018 emissions
June 25 – In a speech calling for tougher emissions for coal-fired power plants, President Obama also laid out what he wants when it comes to emissions from heavy trucks. The EPA is expected to issue draft regulations sometime in 2014. Read more.
More Safety & Compliance

From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
FMCSA Pauses Biennial-Update Enforcement Amid Motus Transition
Carriers whose updates were due on or after June 1 have more time, while FMCSA works to stabilize its new registration system and warns of phishing sites impersonating its new carrier registration system, Motus.
Read More →
ZF Expands Commercial Vehicle Push in North America
ZF is expanding its North American commercial-vehicle presence with new transmission applications, electrification, trailer technology and autonomous-driving systems.
Read More →
Truck Drivers Need More Than Another Alert
Fleets have more visibility into truck health, safety events, and driver activity than ever. The next challenge is turning all that information into useful guidance for the person who has to decide what to do next.
Read More →
Tesla Wants a Self-Driving Semi. Are Cameras Enough?
Could Tesla’s camera-only autonomous driving technology work on an 80,000-pound Semi? In this commentary, HDT's Deborah Lockridge takes a look at Tesla, Cybercab, and how autonomous trucks see the road.
Read More →
What DOT’s Automated Vehicle Strategy Means for Trucking
The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a new automated-vehicle strategy that outlines plans for driverless-truck regulations, cross-state freight corridors, and federal safety standards.
Read More →
NYC Expands Speed, Pedestrian Safety Tech Across Fleet
New York City is expanding intelligent speed assistance and pedestrian-alert systems across its municipal fleet, moving the technologies from pilot programs into vehicle procurement and retrofit requirements.
Read More →
FMCSA Removes 110 Truck Driver Training Schools from Certified ELDT List
Federal regulators also are targeting more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers as part of a broader crackdown on trucking fraud.
Read More →
Beyond DOT Compliance: What Makes a Trucking Fleet Truly Safe?
A trucking fleet can follow every rule and still make unsafe decisions. The real test comes when safety conflicts with freight, productivity, or cost.
Read More →
Hours of Service Pilot Programs: FMCSA Readies for 2027 Rollout
Two pilot programs could eventually reshape hours-of-service rules, giving truck drivers options to pause their 14-hour clock or use longer split sleeper rest periods.
Read More →
