Canada is Ready to Celebrate New Gordie Howe Bridge

Mileage Matters | July 28, 2026

The Trucker- Officials gathered Friday in Ontario to take delight in a new Gordie Howe U.S.-Canada bridge over the Detroit River, an international span that is expected to enhance trade on both sides of the border and give travelers another route to both countries.

There will be no Mileage Matters August 4.

It will resume August 11.

Safe travels!

Federal & State Regulations

USDOT, DHS announce new joint operation to ‘crackdown’ on CDL schools

The Trucker- In a release July 16, the U.S. Transportation Department announced a joint operation with the Department of Homeland Security to expand USDOT’s “mission to crack down on fraudulent and illegal practices in commercial driver’s license schools.”

FMCSA cleans up safety regulations, eliminates tire recordkeeping step

Commercial Carrier Journal- Federal regulators are dropping a decades-old paperwork exercise for commercial trucking fleets, calling the rule to track vehicle tire sizes through maintenance files outdated. The rule change is part of a package of technical updates issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, all taking effect July 21.

Trump says some veterans will be 'automatically eligible' for CDLs

Overdrive- President Trump on said that U.S. service members with experience operating heavy trucks will soon be "automatically eligible" for a CDL. Trump framed the action as a way to replace the non-domiciled CDL drivers his administration has sought to push out of truck driving work.

Periodic Inspection Training (PIT) Class

August 20- 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

MTA Conference Room

Members-$395

Registration- Deadline August 7

Wreaths Across America Giving in July

In honor of our nation's 250th birthday, MTA is starting its 2026 sponsorship of Wreaths Across America (WAA) with WAA's annual Giving in July campaign.

WAA is an annual, nationwide memorial to the fallen men and women of the U.S. military. Sponsored wreaths are placed on millions of graves in remembrance of their sacrifice.

The Giving in July campaign kicks off this year’s event, which will be held on Saturday, December 19, 2026.

During the Giving in July campaign, for every $17 sponsorship, $5 will automatically be applied to the sponsorship of an additional veteran's wreath.

To learn more and become an MTA wreath sponsor, click here.

As a thank you, sponsors of 30 or more wreaths ordered through MTA’s sponsorship page will receive a limited-edition Michigan Trucking Association 1:64 scale die cast metal truck.* All sponsors will be recognized on MTA’s website, Mileage Matters e-newsletter, and Strait Ahead magazine.

*Limit one per company

Government

Briefs in as sides gets read to rumble over non-domiciled CDLs

FreightWaves- With the relevant federal agencies filing their brief with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals last week, the stage is set for oral arguments in the case of Lujan vs. the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that will rule on the agency’s recent restrictions on the granting of non-domiciled CDLs.

Federal bill targets staged crash fraud

Commercial Carrier Journal- Federal legislation introduced last Wednesday aims at cracking down on criminals who intentionally stage collisions with commercial trucks to secure massive legal payouts.

The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act (S. 5058) would make it a federal crime to engineer a crash with a commercial motor vehicle.

Operations

Over 3800 Volvo, Peterbilt trucks and Kenworth tractors recalled for safety issues

The Trucker- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reporting recalls impacting over 3,800 trucks and tractors from Volvo Trucks North America, Peterbilt and Kenworth.

Business

3 common claims mistakes costing fleets at insurance renewal

The Trucker- For fleets with strong claims management practices, favorable insurance pricing is within reach. How quickly a claim is reported after an accident, how thoroughly the scene is documented and how effectively that information is relayed to underwriters all factor into how insurers price risk.

MTA's Detroit E&M raises record donation for Rainbow Connection

The MTA Detroit Chapter Council of Equipment & Maintenance extends its heartfelt thanks to all the golfers, volunteers, and sponsors who made its annual golf outing on June 5 an outstanding success. This year’s event raised a record-breaking donation of $19,898 for The Rainbow Connection charity.