Trucking updates and information for Wednesday, July 30, 2025:
Proposed Legislation to Create a National Autonomous Trucking Framework
Last week, U.S. Rep. Vince Fong (R-California) unveiled the AMERICA DRIVES Act, aimed at establishing a national framework for autonomous vehicle (AV) trucking.
The AMERICA DRIVES Act, which stands for the “Autonomous Mobility Ensuring Regulation, Innovation, Commerce, and Advancement Driving Reliability in Vehicle Efficiency and Safety Act,” seeks to implement a national standard for the development and deployment of autonomous trucks, aiming to prevent inconsistent state regulations and streamline the regulatory process.
According to a press release from Fong’s office, 35 states currently permit varying degrees of autonomous truck testing or operation, while others have enacted restrictive or conflicting laws.
The proposed legislation would permit commercial motor vehicles with Level 4 or Level 5 automated driving systems (ADS) to operate across state lines without a human driver or remote operator. Both Level 4 and Level 5 vehicles can function completely autonomously.
This initiative follows prior legislative attempts to establish a federal preemption covering all types of automated systems in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” budget legislation.
Additionally, Rep. Fong’s proposal mandates that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) update rules for ADS-equipped vehicles by 2027, exempt fully autonomous trucks from certain human-related requirements (including hours of service and drug testing), and prevent regulations that disproportionately affect ADS vehicles.
The legislation has been submitted to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where it must pass before moving to the full House for consideration.
FTR Report: Strong Trucking Conditions in May
According to FTR Transportation Intelligence, May experienced the strongest market conditions for trucking companies since February 2022, as indicated by the latest Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) report.
May’s TCI reached 3.56, a notable increase from April’s -0.81, which was consistent with previous months.
FTR cautioned, however, that this strong performance might be an anomaly, and the immediate outlook forecasts either negative or neutral market conditions for carriers.
Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, noted, “The remarkable TCI figure for May reflects market volatility more than actual improvement.” He added that decreasing diesel prices were the main contributor to this surge, a trend that has already changed in June and July. He expressed skepticism about the sustainability of increased freight volume.
Vise also highlighted the uncertainty created by tariffs and other market factors, complicating the outlook for truck freight. While he predicts a slight improvement for carriers by early next year, he acknowledged significant risks remain on both sides of the spectrum.
FMCSA Rejects CDL School’s Under-21 Exemption Request
A Michigan CDL school’s plea to allow trainee drivers aged 18 to 20, holding a “K” restricted commercial learner’s permit (CLP) from another state, to enroll at its facility has been turned down.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stated that granting this waiver “would disrupt and confuse each State’s use of the ‘K’ restriction.”
Bianco Trucking Services, operating as CDL and Operator Training in Spalding, Michigan, had requested the FMCSA to permit under-21 drivers with a Wisconsin-issued CLP that holds a “K” restriction to attend its driving school. Bianco is a registered entry-level driver training provider listed in the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
Currently, regulations restrict drivers under 21 to intrastate driving within their domicile state.
