🛑 Driver Monitoring Systems Could Be the Final Straw for Small Fleets

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

This blog post breaks down key takeaways from a video that pulls together tips from multiple articles. Each section links to the full article so you can dig in further when you're ready.

🚨 Driver Monitoring Systems: More Safety or Just More Surveillance?

Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) — in-cab cameras and sensors watching every blink and yawn — could be federally mandated by 2026. Big carriers love them for insurance perks and data goldmines. But for small fleets and owner-operators? It’s just one more pricey regulation invading privacy. The mandate threatens to squeeze the little guys out while megacarriers cozy up to regulators. Advice? Start prepping, learn the data laws, and fight back through industry associations.

👉 Read the full article

⚡ Battery Power Isn’t What It Seems

The headline makes it sound like truckers are embracing EVs, right? Not quite. Drivers are ready for battery-powered tools — just not trucks. Think battery-powered tarps, lift gates, and HVAC units that cut down idle time. Truckers want convenience, not regulation. Clean tech that saves time and makes life easier? Yes. Expensive EV trucks with weak infrastructure? Hard pass.

👉 Read the full article

🌀 When One Mistake Turns Deadly: The Steel Coil Incident

A single missed check. That’s all it took for a steel coil to break loose and end lives. This article dives deep into a tragic crash caused by poor securement — a haunting reminder of why attention to detail matters in trucking. No fluff, just the hard truth: one slip-up can cost everything. Drivers and fleet managers should be using stories like this as wake-up calls, not headlines to scroll past.

👉 Read the full article

🎭 Catfish in the Cab? Woman Caught Running

CDL Scam

This one’s straight outta a movie: a woman dressed in disguise tried to fraudulently obtain a CDL in New York — and nearly got away with it. These scams are getting wilder, but they’re also dangerous. If unqualified folks slip through, they’re sharing the road with all of us. States need to tighten up, and drivers should stay alert to weird behavior at testing sites.

👉 Read the full article

📉 Why the Industry’s in Trouble (And It’s Not Just the Economy)

This breakdown explains why trucking's hurting — and it ain’t just inflation. The root problem? Disconnect. Lawmakers regulate from ivory towers. Brokers squeeze every dime. Drivers burn out. The article lays out the real issues: overregulation, tech overload, and lack of respect. Change starts when drivers stop being silent and start organizing.

👉 Read the full article

🛑 GM Pulls the Plug on Hydrogen. What Now?

GM just shut down its hydrogen fuel cell project, and that’s a big signal to the trucking world. Hydrogen, once a promising alternative fuel, is now looking shaky. The article explores what this means for the future of clean energy in trucking and why fleets may want to hold off on betting the farm on hydrogen tech.

👉 Read the full article

💥 Bottom Line:

Technology in trucking should serve the driver, not spy on them. Whether it's battery tools or in-cab surveillance, truckers need a seat at the table when decisions are made. And while the industry faces real trouble, drivers still have the power to shape its future — especially if they stay informed and connected.

🚛 For real talk and trucking insights:
👉 LifeAsATrucker.com

🧠 Planning your exit before burnout hits?
👉 RetireFromTrucking.com