Tale Lites Issue 37

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🚛 Trump Slaps 25% Tariff on Imported Heavy Trucks

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that starting October 1, 2025, all imported heavy duty trucks will face a 25% tariff. This isn’t a specific move as it’s a part of broader trade action also targeting imported furniture and pharmaceuticals.

Trump framed the policy as a way to protect U.S. truck manufacturers like Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, and Mack, saying it will shield them from “unfair outside competition.”

Okay, but what’s not clear?

Will Canada and Mexico be hit?

• Mexico is the largest exporter of heavy trucks to the U.S., followed by Canada, Japan, Germany, and Turkey.

• These countries, especially Mexico and Canada, fall under the USMCA trade agreement, but the administration hasn’t said whether they’ll be exempt.

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has already voiced concerns, pointing out that the top five truck import sources are all U.S. allies.

Market Context

With the ongoing freight recession, Truck sales haven’t been necessarily great this year. As of August, Class 8 orders were down 24% year over year, according to ACT Research. Adding tariffs on top of the already soft market could bring some negative trickle down effects to the industry

Beyond Trucks

Trump also announced:

• 100% tariff on branded or patented drug imports (unless production shifts to the U.S.)

• 50% tariff on imported kitchen and bathroom cabinets

The reason behind this Trump says that there’s been “large scale FLOODING” of these products into the U.S. by foreign manufacturers.

My Take

Tariffs always sound good off the rip, even in a recent video from Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, he raises how insane it is to get products made in the US. Tariffs seemingly “protect American jobs, and bring production home.” But it’s never that simple, and for trucking is more complicated. If tariffs cause trucks and parts to be more expensive, drivers and small carriers are the ones who eat the costs. The funny part is, the news media will try and say it will raise costs for consumers, but as we’ve seen these past two years, with record low freight rates, how are prices still rising?

The bigger question in this is whether or not these tariffs would actually boost domestic truck manufacturing or just create more pressure on the supply chain. If Mexico and Canada don’t get exemptions, retaliations will follow suit. Just like last week’s newsletter with the Net Zero emissions demands, you need to let the market work. Tariffs are lazy, figure out ways to work with manufacturers to make a sustainable action plan on bringing production home, adding the jobs back, and not possibly putting another cost on drivers.

Funny enough though, with the announcement, PACCAR (who owns Peterbilt and Kenworth) did have a jump in their stock price.

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Tale Lites Throwback

Check out this February 1975 Edition of Tale Lites where an incentive was launched for Drivers to source new business for their company. Does your trucking company do this?

🚛 DOT Puts Hammer Down on Non-Domiciled CDLs

The Department of Transportation just called the current non-domiciled CDL system a “national emergency” and a “threat to public safety.” Something truckers on X (twitter) have been raising awareness over for years

What’s Happening…

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Friday that non citizens will no longer be able to get a non-domiciled CDL unless they meet strict new requirements:

• Must have lawful immigration status tied to an employment based visa.

• Must pass a federal immigration status check.

• Must show an unexpired passport and entry record at every CDL issuance, transfer, or renewal.

• Licenses will expire when the immigration record does, or in one year, whichever comes first.

• Applicants must show up in person for each renewal.

• States must downgrade and invalidate licenses immediately if eligibility lapses.

Why Now?

The DOT says an audit this summer exposed systemic non compliance across states including California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Texas. Hundreds of drivers kept valid CDLs after their legal presence expired. I would also be remisse to not mention this is happening now due to the investigative works of Gord Magill, Shannon Everet, and Danielle Chaffin - who have been active on X (Twitter) sounding the alarm on the data related to truck accidents

Straight from Duffy’s mouth:

California was singled out for direct enforcement. The state must immediately stop issuing new non-domiciled CDLs and clean up its existing list of questionable ones. Sean Duffy said that states will lose funding if not found in compliance

Support From OOIDA

OOIDA, which has been pushing for action, backed the move. President Todd Spencer called it “an important step toward safer highways and a stronger, more professional trucking industry.”

My Take

This crackdown seemed to be coming. Truckers on X haven’t stopped the conversation, and after hearing Duffy say on FreightWaves’ What the Truck?! that they are reading what drivers are saying on X (twitter), I had a feeling action would be coming, but who knew it would be this soon. Even after the Florida crash we’ve covered in Tale Lites, tragedies go cold after the next “viral story” overtakes its spotlight, and in the doom scroll culture we’re in, to see the DOT take action on this is commendable. The loopholes with non-domiciled CDLs have been exploited by carriers looking for cheap labor and states looking the other way.

Now it’s time for the follow through. These new rules are great, but enforcement needs to come with it. States like California will push back, and carriers who rely on indentured foreign labor are already working on how to subvert these new rules.

But today we can still celebrate a rare win for drivers who’ve been demanding accountability and safety regarding this issue.

Health Tip of the Week - It’s All in the Hips

The nickname for the hips is that they are the steering hinge (or wheel) of your body. This is because they’re what connects your upper body to your lower body. When they get tight or carry too much tension, it can cause issues elsewhere on the body making you think it’s one thing, when really it’s from where you least expected. Here’s what tight hips can cause:

1. Low Back Pain – Tight hip flexors pull on your pelvis, tipping it forward and straining your lower back. That’s one of the top reasons a driver will feel stiff or achy after long drives.

2. Poor Posture & Alignment Issues – Locked up hips effect your spine and core alignment. Over time, this can cause rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and uneven wear on joints.

3. Reduced Mobility & Injury Risk – When hips are stiff, other joints (like your knees and lower back) will overcompensate. This can lead to injuries during relatively normal day to day activities.

4. Circulation Problems – Sitting with tight hips restricts blood flow to your legs and glutes, which may cause numbness, tingling, or even long term vascular issues.

5. Stored Stress & Tension – The hips are known as a “storage zone” for stress. Emotional tension and long hours of bracing in the seated position can build up, leaving you not just physically tight but mentally drained too.

Here’s a 5 minute Hip reset routine to keep you loose.

1. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch (1 min per side)

• Step one foot forward into a short lunge.

• Keep your back leg straight and gently push your hips forward.

• You should feel the stretch in the front of your hip.

• Lombard tip: Squeeze your glute on the back leg to deepen the stretch.

2. Seated Figure 4 Stretch (30 sec per side)

• Sit on the edge of your driver’s seat (engine off, truck parked).

• Cross one ankle over the opposite knee like you’re making a “4.”

• Lean forward slightly until you feel a stretch in your hip and glute.

3. Standing Hip Circles (30 sec each direction)

• Stand tall, hands on hips.

• Make slow, controlled circles with your hips, like you’re hula hooping.

• This loosens up the joint and gets blood flowing.

4. Glute Squeeze Reset (20 reps)

• Stand tall and squeeze your glutes together as tight as you can.

• Hold for 2 seconds, then release.

• This activate your glutes, helping your hips realign.

Partner Post of the Week

Check out our Partner the Ramblin Nomad on how he stays active while OTR! Use the promo code nomad20 for $20 off your next booking!

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