David Cullen

[Former] Business/Washington Contributing Editor

David Cullen has been covering trucking for top-tier media platforms continuously since 1981. He served as executive editor of Heavy Duty Trucking from 2015 to 2020. Prior to that was executive editor of a fleet-focused magazine, where he was on staff from 1989 to 2015. He launched his career in 1981 with DES (Diesel Equipment Superintendent), where he served as managing editor from 1985 to 1989.

Cullen is known for his coverage of legislative and regulatory issues affecting the trucking industry, as well as fleet business related topics.

Cullen is a recipient of several Jesse H. Neal Awards for Outstanding Journalism and numerous ASPBE AZBEE Awards for Excellence in business-to-business journalism, as well as ASPBE's Annual Stephen Barr Award for Individual Feature Writing.

News•by David Cullen•July 17, 2017

GAO Slams FMSCA for Sluggish IT Effort

The watchdog agency of Congress has roundly criticized the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for not yet modernizing its information technology systems and for failing to fully establish an “investment management framework” for IT.

News•by David Cullen•July 14, 2017

FMCSA Posts ELD File-Checker Tool Online

One of the bugaboos to the quick adoption by fleets of electronic logging devices compliant to the new rule has been the question of how—or when— users can be certain that the mandated devices will be able to electronically transfer data files of records of duty status for review by law enforcement officials who use portable computers.

News•by David Cullen•July 11, 2017

House THUD Bill Boasts Trucking Reform Riders

The subcommittee draft for the next House transportation appropriations bill features several riders favored by trucking interests, including a long-sought measure that would preempt states from enacting laws dictating meal and rest break requirements for truckers.

News•by David Cullen•July 10, 2017

DOT Report Rounds Up Truck Parking Solutions

A report on the first year’s activities of the public-private National Coalition on Truck Parking presents suggestions from trucking stakeholders from several regional meetings held in 2016 on how best to address truck-parking problems across the country.

Passing Zone•by David Cullen•July 6, 2017

Trucking and CSA Reform: The $64,000 Question

In his Passing Zone blog, Executive Editor David Cullen explains why even with a mandated report recommending reform, trucking should not expect any quick changes to FMCSA's CSA enforcement scheme.

Articles•by David Cullen•June 23, 2017

Saving Fuel by the Dollar and by the Minute

There’s more to saving fuel than just not burning it. It’s called buying it for less. One of the surest ways to do that is to leverage high-tech solutions that take the guesswork and the data-crunching out of where to buy fuel at the best price on the road.