Tale Lites Issue 41

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🚛 Double Brokers Slam Dunk Shaquille O’Neal’s Wheels

If only Shaquille O’Neal was subscribed to Tale Lites, he’d have caught wind on fellow celebrity Guy Fieri getting his liquor boosted! Now Shaq is missing one if his favorite cars, a custom 2025 Range Rover valued at $180,000, after it was stolen while being transported from Georgia to Louisiana

According to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia, the Range Rover had been worked on at a custom auto shop in Dahlonega.

“The vehicle was there to have modifications done to the front seat area, to move it back some,” Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said. “And then the towing company picked up the vehicle on Oct. 20 to take it on to the next location.”

Effortless Motors out of California had to customize the vehicle specifically to fit Shaq’s above average build. They are who arranged the transport only to find out it never reached its final destination.

“The location it was taken to was apparently in Atlanta,” Jarrard said. “We have leads on people of interest out of this location, and we have search warrants.”

GPS data suggests the Range Rover may have already been loaded onto a shipping container headed overseas.

FirstLine Trucking LLC, the company hired to deliver the vehicle, said the driver listed for the job was never dispatched on the load, which likely means some shady carrier may have posed as the transporter to steal Shaq’s wheels. Effortless Motors is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to its recovery.

Jarrad said investigators spoke to O’Neal, who was hopeful to get the vehicle back.

“He was really hopeful that someone would be held accountable for the theft and was going to jail,” she said. “And we’ll do everything we can possibly do to make that happen.”

My Take: I am speculating, but FirstLine Transport LLC does only have one truck, and one driver registered via the FMCSA SAFER data. The company is registered to a residential home out of Weslaco, TX - As a driver if I’m investigating, I’m asking Effortless Motors how they found FirstLine, and eliminating any possible connections. Either way, this is yet another example of how easily criminals hold our supply chains hostage. There are full truck loads just as valuable as Shaq’s one car, and the FBI continues to ignore it because on an individual basis they won’t touch anything not worth over half a million, despite it costing consumers hundreds of millions!

The CEO of GenLogs seems in agreement with my take based on his company’s data. GenLogs is a technology/data provider for the freight industry. It leverages sensors, computers, and large datasets to give companies “visibility” into carriers, trucks, lanes, assets, and risk. If you’re in trucking, this kind of visibility tool may be useful if you work with fleets that need risk reduction, if you work with brokers/carriers who want to be more secure, or if you’re advising clients about carrier selection or fraud awareness.

Read more at FreightWaves

I want to hear from you! For Driver Submissions, questions, and comments contact me at: [email protected] or Text me directly at 423-275-2444

Tale Lites Throwback

Check out this snapshot from Lombard Trucking’s first Company Wide Rodeo they hosted in 1966!

📰 Tragic Accident in California Fires Up Drivers and the DOT Secretary

A 21 year old truck driver has pleaded not guilty in connection with a deadly California crash that killed three people and injured at least three more. This crash occurred on I- 10 in Ontario, CA on October 21, 2025. Prosecutors say the driver, Jashanpreet Singh, was speeding and under the influence of drugs, which cause a chain reaction collision with stopped traffic.

Singh appeared in Rancho Cucamonga court on Friday, facing three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one count of DUI causing injury. He was appointed a public defender, remains held without bail, and is scheduled to appear again on November 4. There will have to be a Punjabi interpreter present at the next hearing.

Immigration and Licensing Questions

Federal authorities say Singh entered the U.S. illegally from India in 2022 through the southern border. ICE has lodged an arrest detainer for him. Despite his immigration status, Singh was issued a CDL in California.

This crash comes at no good time for people who have spoken out against new federal rules restricting noncitizens from obtaining non domiciled CDLs, which went into effect on September 26, 2025. According to the DOT, Singh shouldn’t have been eligible to retain his CDL under the new emergency rules.

• Singh was initially issued a restricted non domiciled CDL on June 27.

• When he turned 21 on October 15, the California DMV allegedly removed the restriction and upgraded his license without applying the stricter federal standards.

• The DOT says Singh should have returned to the DMV after his birthday to upgrade his CDL, at which point he would have been disqualified under the new federal rule.

The DOT called California’s CDL program “dangerously broken” and warned that the emergency rule was designed to prevent drivers in Singh’s situation from operating commercial vehicles.

State Response

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office responded, saying Singh had federal employment authorization that allowed him to obtain a CDL legally under federal law. The office criticized the DOT for what it called attempts to politicize the tragedy. However a recent federal audit revealed California issues 62,000 CDLs to people living in the US illegally

The DOT Secretary had a humorous response:

Read more at ABC

📩 What Do You Think?
Reply to this email or text (423) 275-2444 — I want to hear what real drivers think about Washington’s woes!

Health Tip of the Week - Project 61 Step Challenge STARTS THIS SATURDAY 11/1/2025

Sitting for a period of 8+ hours a day with no physical activity (less than 3k steps) can be just as hazardouse for your health as smoking cigarettes. In my time as a driver, and coach I have been a staunch advocate on how the secret weapon in fat/weight loss is walking. Which is why I’m happy to discuss Project 61’s - 61 Day Step Challenge to get you MOVING! The best part is it’s totally FREE!

What is it? - From November 1 to December 31, 2025, participants across the trucking industry - and supporters everywhere - will commit to staying active and building healthier habits. Every step taken during these 61 days raises awareness about the urgent health challenges CDL drivers face and fuels momentum for change. What can participating in this challenge do?

1. Keeps Your Circulation Alive
Hours of sitting slow blood flow, leading to swollen legs and higher risk of blood clots. A 10–15 minute walk after fueling or loading keeps your circulation moving and your legs strong.

2. Beats Stiffness
Walking loosens tight hips, eases lower back pain, and helps your spine decompress after long hauls. Think of it like hitting those grease points, for your joints.

3. Boosts Mood & Focus
Walking increases serotonin and dopamine, natural mood boosters that fight fatigue and stress.

4. Controls Weight Without a Gym
A few short walks a day can burn hundreds of calories a week, helping offset the sedentary lifestyle that comes with the job.

5. Supports Longevity
Studies show just 7,000–8,000 steps per day cuts all-cause mortality by up to 50%. That’s “mileage” worth logging.

Join the Step Challenge today, and download the Offshift app for FREE

Partner Post of the Week

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