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EPA Proposal May Save Billions by Ending DEF Derates

In an ambitious move, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed eliminating the derate function for trucks using Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). This change, if enacted, could significantly reduce the downtime and maintenance costs associated with current systems. The agency suggests that eliminating these derates could save the trucking industry billions.

For truckers and small carriers, this change could be a game-changer. Downtime due to DEF issues is a costly headache, impacting productivity and, consequently, profits. Additionally, the move would align with ongoing industry efforts to reduce unnecessary expenses and improve overall operational efficiency. As the proposal moves forward, carriers will want to stay vigilant and may consider upgrading equipment if it means substantial savings in the long run.

“The EPA's proposal to eliminate DEF-related derates underscores a commitment to streamline trucking operations and cut unnecessary costs, which would be a welcome relief for small carriers.” — Industry Expert

Women In Trucking Calls for 2026 Influential Woman Nominations

The Women In Trucking Association has opened nominations for this year's Influential Woman in Trucking award. This initiative recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the trucking industry, breaking barriers and serving as role models. Recognizing influential women helps highlight the importance of diversity and the need for more inclusive environments in the trucking world.

Owner-operators and company owners should consider nominating female colleagues who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and impact. Such recognition not only honors individual accomplishments but also boosts the profile of companies embracing diversity. Those interested can submit nominations through August, cheering on women who are paving the way for future generations in trucking.

Financial Woes Hit Multiple Trucking Companies Hard

Recent reports indicate a wave of bankruptcies and financial struggles among several trucking firms. While larger companies have some buffer room, smaller carriers often struggle to manage tight cash flows amid fluctuating fuel prices and regulatory costs. This pattern underscores the critical need for robust financial management practices in the industry.

Carriers, especially smaller ones, should pay close attention to financial planning and actively engage with financial consultants if necessary. Enhancing cash flow visibility through a Transportation Management System (TMS), like that offered by VAU0, can help carriers better anticipate and manage financial challenges.

FMCSA's 2026 Regulatory Agenda Unveiled

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has introduced its regulatory agenda for 2026, highlighting key rules and changes to watch. Among the notable plans are updates to hours-of-service regulations and considerations around autonomous vehicle technology. Understanding these upcoming changes is vital for compliance and strategic planning.

Carriers need to keep abreast of these regulatory shifts to ensure compliance and avoid hefty fines. As new rules develop, partnering with technology providers like VAU0 for compliance solutions can streamline operations and maintain adherence to these evolving standards.

Broker Transparency Rules and 2026 Timelines Revealed

One of the major topics in the FMCSA's agenda is broker transparency. The set of upcoming rules aims to provide clearer guidelines on fee structures and broker practices, ensuring fair transactions for carriers. These changes are expected to better address long-standing concerns about hidden fees and lack of transparency in broker-carrier agreements.

For smaller carriers, understanding these new rules will be crucial to securing fair deals and maintaining profitability. Keeping informed and prepared to negotiate transparently can prevent disputes and promote healthier business relationships moving forward.

What Carriers Should Do This Week

• Review current DEF policies and consider the potential impact of the EPA's proposed changes on your operations.
• Nominate outstanding female colleagues for the Women In Trucking Influential Woman award.
• Evaluate your financial stability and consider integrating a TMS like VAU0 to improve cash flow management.
• Stay updated on FMCSA's regulatory agenda and begin planning for potential operational adjustments.
• Brush up on current broker agreements to prepare for transparency rule changes.

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In 2022, we were running a small fleet and spending approximately $400 per truck per month on software. TMS license, ELD subscription, e-sign service, separate accounting integration. Four different logins. Four different monthly invoices. Four different support teams to call when something didn't work.

None of it talked to each other without manual data entry.

The software evaluation that changed everything

We spent three months evaluating every major TMS and fleet management system on the market. AscendTMS, McLeod, Motive, EZLogz, KeepTruckin, TruckingOffice, Axon. We signed up for demos, trials, and in two cases, paid for actual subscriptions to test them properly.

What we found was consistent across almost all of them: the software was built by people who had never dispatched a truck. You could tell immediately. The terminology was slightly wrong. The workflows assumed steps that no real dispatcher would take. The ELD and TMS were always separate systems that "integrated" — meaning they sometimes shared data, if you configured things correctly, and the configuration broke whenever either vendor pushed an update.

"The best way to evaluate trucking software is to use it under real pressure. Not in a demo. Not in a test environment. On a real load, with a real deadline, when a broker is calling every 30 minutes for an update."

The specific things that were broken

Without naming specific vendors: one major TMS required five screen transitions to update a load status. Not five clicks — five full page navigations. On a mobile browser from a truck stop, that meant 45 seconds to tell a broker the truck was loaded. Another system had beautiful analytics dashboards but couldn't tell you, in real time, how many hours of drive time your driver had remaining without navigating to a separate compliance module.

The ELD market was worse. Most ELD systems were designed to satisfy FMCSA's technical requirements — which they did — while making the user experience as painful as possible. Drivers hated them. When drivers hate their tools, they find workarounds. Workarounds create compliance risk.

The moment we decided to build

The decision was made on a Tuesday afternoon when our dispatcher spent 40 minutes re-entering data from a rate confirmation PDF that our ELD had already captured in a different system. The information existed. It was digital. It lived in three different places that didn't talk to each other, and a human was manually transferring it between systems.

That's not a technology problem. That's a lack of ambition problem. Nobody had decided to solve it because the existing systems were profitable enough without solving it.

What we decided to build instead

One platform. ELD and TMS as the same system, not integrations. AI that reads rate confirmation PDFs so dispatchers don't have to. A dispatcher — eventually an AI dispatcher — that covers nights and weekends so loads don't get missed. E-sign built in, not bolted on.

And priced at zero through 2026, because the goal was to prove the product worked before asking carriers to pay for it.

Two years in: did it work?

The Rate Con AI has a 95%+ accuracy rate on standard broker formats. ERETH ELD passed FMCSA's technical certification. Our AI dispatchers book real loads for real carriers after hours. The carrier dashboard still occasionally has a minor bug — we fix them the same day they're reported.

Would we have been better off just using an existing system and focusing on freight? Financially, in the short term, probably yes. But we would have kept paying $400 per truck per month for software that we knew was mediocre. And we would have missed the opportunity to build something that actually works the way the industry needs it to work.

We don't regret it.