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•March 8, 2016

FMSCA Extends Safety-Fitness Rulemaking Comment Period

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended the public comment period for its proposed rule on safety fitness determinations for motor carriers.

News•by David Cullen•March 7, 2016

FMCSA Redefining High Risk Motor Carrier

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is adopting a new “High Risk” motor carrier definition along with investigative procedural changes aimed at enabling investigators “to take more immediate action against carriers with the highest crash risk.”

News•by David Cullen•March 7, 2016

FMCSA: CSA Raw Data Publicly Visible Again

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on March 7 that it has restored to public view its “absolute measures” of the safety performance of motor carriers of property.

News•by David Cullen•March 1, 2016

FMCSA Report on Life-Saving Impact of Safety Enforcement Challenged

A supplier of safety/compliance services and, separately, the American Trucking Associations have taken issue with what the agency contends the report indicates.

News•by David Cullen•February 24, 2016

CVSA Cites FMCSA for Burdensome Exemptions

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has taken to task the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for unduly burdening roadside inspectors by issuing carriers and drivers too many safety-rule exemptions.

News•by David Cullen•February 22, 2016

CBO Marks 3 Paths to Smarter Highway Funding

Contending that “spending on highways does not correspond very well with how the roads are used and valued,” the Congressional Budget Office has issued a new report that looks at three ways lawmakers could “make highway spending more productive."

News•by David Cullen•February 11, 2016

Gauging Trucking’s Digital Disruptors

No fewer than five technology-based “disruptors” to freight transportation were identified in a recent survey of carrier/3PL/broker, shipper and trucking supplier executives conducted by Princeton Consulting.

News•by David Cullen•February 10, 2016

NTSB: Trucker, Carrier, FMCSA at Fault in Fatal Truck Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of a fatal truck crash two year ago was a trucker's fatigue – but it said a carrier's failure to adhere to HOS rules and “inadequate safety oversight by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration" contributed as well.

Passing Zone•by David Cullen•February 9, 2016

Cosmo and the Woman Trucker

Cosmopolitan is not where most would-be truckers will turn for advice on launching a career behind the wheel.

Passing Zone•by David Cullen•February 8, 2016

Will Highway Trust Fund Run Dry in 5 Years?

A new projections from the Congressional Budget Office about where the Highway Trust Fund will be by the end of 2021 illustrates the inherent flaw in how Congress chose to fund the FAST Act. David Cullen explores the ramifications in his "Passing Zone" blog.

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