From Bridges to Bandits: What’s Goin’ Down in Trucking This Week

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

🚧 Bridge Strikes Still Strikin’ — And States Are Fed Up

Yup, they’re back. More bridge strikes, more embarrassment, more delays, and more viral TikToks of box trucks turned into tin foil burritos.

Several state DOTs issued fresh warnings:

New York ramped up signs near older stone bridges

Georgia's running ads about using truck GPS (again)

Indiana flagged five new strike zones in under a month

Let’s be real: If you're still using Google Maps in a 13’6” trailer, you ain't truckin’ — you're playin’ roulette.

Some drivers blame dispatch. Some blame bad signage. Some blame “the system.” Truth is, if your route isn’t tight, your trailer might get tighter.

Diesel tip: Use a truck-specific GPS. Know your height. And if the clearance looks sketchy — stop and reassess. Ain’t no freight worth a bridge tattoo.

🦝 Raccoon Rescued From Engine Bay — Driver Gets a Heart

In Pennsylvania, a flatbedder popped his hood to check a rattle — and found a full-grown raccoon curled up by the turbo.

Instead of panicking (or flooring it), the driver called animal control and delayed his load to get it safely removed.

Respect. 👏

The little fella was fine. The driver got a hug from a rescue worker. And the raccoon? Probably told all his friends about “The Warm Cave That Moved.”

Moral of the story? Before you hit the road, check your gear — sometimes the hitchhiker ain’t human.

⚖️ CDL Court Cases Poppin’ Off

Couple big legal updates this week:

Illinois CDL Fraud Ring Busted: Five people indicted for selling fake CDL test results. Dozens of CDLs under review.

Colorado Appeals Ruling on Autonomous Truck Incident: That’s right — a robot truck sideswiped a median, and the court’s still trying to figure out who to blame: the machine or the programmer.

Bottom line: If your CDL came from some “hookup,” don’t be shocked when DOT comes knockin’. And if you’re sharing the road with autonomous rigs… better keep that dash cam rollin’.

🚓 New Safety Regs You Might’ve Missed

Lots of updates, but here are the biggies:

1. FMCSA Eyes “Fatigue Sensors”
They’re exploring in-cab monitoring tech to detect drowsy driving. Could mean eye-tracking or AI that watches your behavior. Big Brother, meet Big Rig.

2. HOS Exemptions Rejected in Two States
Wisconsin and North Carolina both had special exemption requests denied for ag haulers. Expect stricter compliance checks during harvest season.

3. Dash Cam Mandates Gaining Ground
Several large carriers (and two states!) are now requiring dash cams in all commercial vehicles, citing crash data and insurance discounts.

Hot take: If you ain’t got a cam yet, consider getting one. It might save your job when a four-wheeler brake-checks you on I-10.

📈 The Trucking World Keeps Turning

Between animal rescues, rogue CDL mills, and busted bridges — one thing’s clear: It’s never a dull week in trucking.

We got:

🛑 Safety rules tightening

🐾 Wildlife tagging along

🧠 Tech creeping into your cab

⚖️ Courts deciding the future of how we drive

So while the headlines might sound wild, they all point to the same thing — this industry’s evolving fast. And drivers gotta stay ahead, or get left behind.

💥 Bottom Line
Whether you’re saving raccoons or dodging bridges, the job’s more complicated than ever. That’s why you need to keep your knowledge sharp and your exit plan sharper.

👉 Go to RetireFromTrucking.com — and start building your off-duty income stream with AI and online tools.

👉 Want trucking truth without the fluff? Get real advice, gear tips, and life guidance at LifeAsATrucker.com

You survived this roundup. Now go survive the road.