Mark Schremmer

Grain Valley

Senior Editor at Land Line Media Magazine

Your source for trucking news and the latest on FMCSA regulations. Land Line Magazine senior editor.

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Articles

Many obstacles remain for Aurora’s driverless trucks

3 days ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

More details about Aurora Innovation’s deployment of driverless trucks are beginning to emerge. Aurora deployed driverless technology in Texas on April 27. So far, however, the runs have been extremely limited, and the plan is to have a human on board at least some of the trucks for the foreseeable future.
Exemptions sought for driving age, hours of service

4 days ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

A pair of exemption requests have been submitted to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. One relates to the minimum interstate driving age, and the other involves hours-of-service regulations. In a notice that was published in the Federal Register on Monday, May 12, U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. requested a renewal of an exemption that allows its under-21 drivers to work in multiple states. In a separate notice published on the same day, Northern Clearing Inc.
Senate bill would stop speed limiter proposal

1 week ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

A bill to prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from mandating speed limiters on commercial motor vehicles has now been introduced in both chambers. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., reintroduced the DRIVE Act on Thursday, May 8. The bill would prohibit FMCSA from issuing any rule or regulation that requires speed limiters. Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., introduced the House version of the bill on April 10.
Aurora deployment prompts questions about warning device regulation

1 week ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

On April 27, Aurora Innovation deployed its first driverless truck on a public highway. A week-and-a-half later, no clarity has been provided on how the company is prepared to comply with a federal regulation that requires the driver to place warning devices when a commercial motor vehicle is stopped on the shoulder of a highway. Late last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration denied Aurora’s request to be exempted from the warning device regulation.
Trucking apprenticeships for veterans addressed in bipartisan bill

1 week ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

A bipartisan bill aims to make trucking apprenticeship programs more accessible to military veterans. On April 30, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced the Veterans Transition to Trucking Act. S1537 would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to approve programs operated by interstate commercial trucking companies.
OOIDA offers DOT recommendations on how to reduce regulations, improve safety

1 week ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

Although trucking is one of the most regulated industries in the United States, compliance with those regulations has not always led to improvements in highway safety. That’s why the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said it supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s plan to remove costly and overly burdensome regulations.
Thousands of truckers have until Saturday, May 10 to get new DOT physical

1 week ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

Thousands of truck drivers, who received their DOT physical in Houston, are in danger of having their CDL downgraded. In April, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration removed two chiropractors, Dr. Jenny Le and Dr. Dustin Mai, from its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. The action affected 15,225 commercial motor vehicle drivers, who received Department of Transportation physicals from Le or Mai between March 2023 and March 2025. Both medical examiners are based in Houston.
Unnecessary regulation? It’s your chance to tell the DOT

2 weeks ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

Truck drivers often vent about the amount of regulations they must follow and how many of them do nothing to improve highway safety. Well, the time has come for truck drivers to do something about it. But the clock is running out. On April 3, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a notice in the Federal Register asking the public to help identify regulations that can be modified or repealed without hindering safety.
Aurora deploys first driverless truck in Texas

2 weeks ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

Aurora Innovation deployed its first driverless truck on Sunday, April 27, the company has confirmed. In an announcement released on Thursday, May 1, Aurora said it had successfully launched its commercial self-driving trucking service in Texas. The first run was conducted on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. Unlike previous test runs, there was no “safety driver” in the driver’s seat. However, Aurora Chief Executive Officer Chris Urmson was seated in the back for the initial run.
Transportation committee advances proposal with fee on EVs

2 weeks ago | landline.media | Mark Schremmer

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday, April 30 approved a budget reconciliation proposal that includes a $250 annual fee on electric vehicles. The overall proposal, which now will be sent to the House Budget Committee, aims to reduce the national deficit while stabilizing revenue sources for the Highway Trust Fund. The proposal advanced by a party-line vote of 36-30.