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- Tale Lites Issue 79
🚨 DOT Brings in Homeland Security to Crack Down on CDL Mills
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it's teaming up with the Department of Homeland Security to investigate commercial driving schools suspected of fraud.
According to DOT, roughly 75 entry level driver training schools are under review for allegedly issuing improper driver certifications or failing to properly train new drivers. Homeland Security Investigations will now assist with those investigations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency has already removed more than 9,500 unqualified training schools from FMCSA's registry, taken 24,000 drivers off the road for failing English proficiency requirements, and pushed states to cancel more than 28,000 improperly issued commercial licenses.
The move follows the Trump administration's effort to tighten oversight of commercial driver licensing after several big crashes involving drivers who were allegedly in the country illegally.
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said, "If you don't want to follow our standards, then you need to stay out of the profession."
For drivers who've long argued that some CDL schools are handing out licenses without adequate training, this latest partnership signals that federal enforcement is only getting more aggressive.
What do you think? For Driver Submissions, questions, and comments contact me at: [email protected] or Text me directly at 423-275-2444
🚚 Freight Market Watch
All-in rates (linehaul + fuel surcharge) on the DAT board, week of July 12–18:
Dry Van: ~$2.99/mile ▼ down 8 cents week over week
Reefer: ~$3.41/mile ▼ down 4 cents week over week
Flatbed: ~$3.62/mile ▼ down 7 cents week over week — still an all time high for this week of the year despite the pullback, as more equipment entered the market and cooled all three boards
At the Pump
After peaking near $5.64/gallon in early May, the national average steadily cooled through June, bottoming out around $4.58/gallon by July 6. Then it reversed hard: Russia banned diesel exports on July 8, retaliation for Ukrainian drone strikes that knocked out roughly 30% of its refining capacity, right as the U.S./Iran ceasefire collapsed and Iran resumed attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. That combination sent the national average jumping 21.8 cents in a single week, to $4.796/gallon as of July 13. That's up from $3.758 a year ago.
Regional snapshot as of the July 13 reading (the most recent official numbers available):
Gulf Coast: $4.546/gal - still your best fill, though the floor is rising
Midwest: $4.659/gal
East Coast: $4.894/gal
Rocky Mountain: $4.600/gal
West Coast (excluding-CA): $5.052/gal
California: $6.126/gal - with the broader West Coast (including CA) averaging $5.55/gal
🚔 Oklahoma’s Top 10 Violations in June
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol released its list of the 10 most common commercial vehicle violations found during inspections in June, I wanted to bring this to Tale Lites for drivers and fleets to take note of what’s important as you’re out there over the road.
Here are the top violations:
Brakes out of adjustment – 186
No documentation of a required periodic inspection – 169
Registration/tag violations – 141
Overweight (1–2,500 lbs. over on an axle/group) – 124
Low or leaking tires – 123
Defective brakes affecting 20% or more of service brakes – 95
Automatic air brake adjustment system failure – 93
Audible air brake leak – 92
Overweight (2,501–5,000 lbs. over on an axle/group) – 91
Speeding 6–10 mph over the limit – 91
OHP says its Size & Weights troopers conduct thousands of inspections every year to make sure commercial vehicles meet state and federal safety standards.
The list is a good reminder that many of the most common violations are preventable with a good pre-trip inspection.
📩 What are your thoughts?
Reply to this email or text (423) 275-2444
🍽️ Recipe of the Week! - Air Fryer Chicken & Potato Skillet
INGREDIENTS
• 8 ounces boneless chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 small potato, diced small (or 1 cup frozen diced potatoes)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoons olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 teaspoons seasoning packet or blend (Cajun, garlic pepper, taco, etc.)
• 0.3 cups shredded cheese
STEPS
Toss everything together: In a container, toss 8 ounces boneless chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite-size chunks, 1 small potato diced and 1 bell pepper, chopped with 1 tablespoons olive oil or cooking spray and 1 teaspoons seasoning packet or blend. If you prepped this ahead, it'll already be sitting in the fridge ready to go.
Load the air fryer: Dump the mix into the air fryer basket in a single layer. No need to preheat.
Air fry: Run at 380°F for 15min, shaking or flipping the basket halfway through so it crisps evenly.
Check for doneness: Chicken should be golden and cooked through, potatoes fork-tender. If it needs another couple minutes, run it again in short bursts.
Cheese it and serve: Top with 0.3 cups shredded cheese and let it melt right in the basket for a minute, or in the microwave for 20 seconds if you dish it out first.
NOTES
Roughly 35-40g of protein per serving. Prep the chicken and veggies the night before and keep them in a container in the fridge, that turns this into a 15 minute meal at your next stop, meaning you can heat this up while you’re at the fuel island! Swap the seasoning packet to change up the flavor each week if you get bored!
Partner Post of the Week
Ever been in this situation on a Monday?! If you need safe parking use the promo code 18wills20 for $20 off your next booking
Long Time Trucker Writes Book on the State of American Trucking Industry
Is there a quiet war being waged against America’s truck drivers?
That’s the argument behind End of the Road: Inside the War on Truckers, a new book by longtime driver and writer Gord Magill. Magill claims the industry that once represented freedom and independence is being attacked on all fronts, from government regulations, in cab surveillance technology, corporate consolidation, and the push toward autonomous trucks.
God Magill has decades of experience including 4 seasons on ice roads in Canada, road trains in Australia, and over the road in the US. He argues that drivers today face tighter control, shrinking margins, and a future where human truckers may be pushed out altogether.
If you drive a truck, have driven, or have a family member who drives then this book is a must read.
You can order the book HERE and use the promo code 4TRUCKERS20 for a discount at checkout!
Truck Parking Club Partner Program
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