Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of September 3:

FMCSA is removing another 270 driver training schools

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revealed another series of commercial vehicle driver qualification crackdowns in a press conference this week.

The federal government immediately removed over 110 driver training schools and proposed to shut down more than 160 others for failing to train and vet their drivers adequately.

FMCSA is also launching a new task force called the Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, teaming up with several federal agencies—including the FBI, DEA, and ICE—and state attorneys’ offices. The task force aims to prosecute illegal trucking practices.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy even went so far as to suggest the task force might pursue trucking companies for hiring underqualified drivers, such as drivers who are not proficient in English:

“I should make another point about companies, good companies who are hiring drivers who don’t speak English or didn’t go to a well-qualified school: Watch out. We’re going to come and look at you as well,” Duffy said.

PlusAI is going public … again!

Autonomous trucking company PlusAI has entered into another agreement to merge with a special purpose acquisition company and join the U.S. stock market.

Earlier this year, PlusAI canceled its months-long plan to merge with Churchill Capital Corp IX due to, quote, “market conditions.” PlusAI announced this week a new agreement to merge with a different special purpose acquisition company, Texas Ventures Acquisition III Corp. The transaction is expected to close sometime this year.

FMCSA’s hours-of-service pilot is moving forward

Two hours-of-service flexibility pilot programs are set to launch in 2027. FMCSA this week announced that the agency completed pre-tests of the pilot program to evaluate the pilots’ methodology.

The two HOS flexibility pilots are the Flexible Sleeper Berth Program, which would allow drivers to split their 10-hour off-duty time, and the Split Duty Period Program, which would allow drivers to pause their 14-hour driver window for up to three hours each day for non-driving activities such as detention.

Spot market rates are mixed

Last week’s average broker-posted spot rate was nearly flat, ticking up two tenths of a cent, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence, at $3.17 per mile.

Dry van rates ticked up slightly, flatbed rates ticked down slightly, and refrigerated rates jumped up by an unusually high 15.6 cents per mile. Those high refrigerated rates were likely being slightly affected by the coming Labor Day holiday.

In fuel this week, diesel prices fell by 5 cents

The national average on-highway diesel prices fell by 5 cents to $5.60 per gallon, according to the weekly report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), but the latest data from AAA finds that diesel is already up 18 cents from that, reaching $5.78 per gallon.

U.S. oil inventories are also at their lowest levels in over 40 years. As of August 28, U.S. stocks of crude oil are at their lowest level since the early 1980s. The war in Iran continues.