Is your CDL on the "Naughty List” (Plus: 2026 Market Whispers)

1. CDL  English Tests Bite

Regulators are very interested in who’s holding a CDL right now:

• Colorado on the CDL “naughty list”
  The U.S. DOT has officially put Colorado on notice for issues with non‑domiciled CDLs.

  • Land Line reports the state could lose millions in federal funding if it doesn’t get its house in order.

  • CDLLife and Transport Topics both say Colorado is staring down a potential $24 million hit over “lack of urgency” in fixing improperly issued CDLs.

  • On top of that, CDLLife notes DOT Secretary Sean Duffy is calling out California and Colorado governors directly for “slow-walking” enforcement.

• 9,500 drivers sidelined over English-language violations
  According to FreightWaves, 9,500 truck drivers have been taken off the road this year for failing English-language requirements.

  • If your drivers struggle with roadside questions, inspections, or paperwork, that’s now a real business risk, not just an awkward conversation at the scale house.

• Nationwide anti–human trafficking blitz coming January 2026
  CDLLife reports that law enforcement across the U.S. will run a five-day human trafficking enforcement initiative in January 2026 targeting truck stops, rest areas, and major corridors.

  • Expect more roadside checks, more questions, and more patrol presence. Make sure your drivers’ logs, paperwork, and equipment are clean – no one wants a simple HOS issue while troopers are in “maximum scrutiny” mode.

Takeaway: The theme is clear – CDL integrity and driver vetting are at the center of federal attention. If you’re an owner‑operator or small fleet, double-check your own CDL status, medical, and documentation before the blitz finds something for you.

2. Money & Market Moves: Factoring Grows, Upturn Whispers Get Louder

• Love’s goes shopping for factoring companies
  Truck stop chain Love’s isn’t just selling fuel and showers anymore – they’re building serious financial muscle.

  • CDLLife reports Love’s Financial has acquired three freight factoring companies to expand their services to carriers.

  • Combined with Love’s footprint on the highway, this is a big play in the “keep trucks rolling when cash flow doesn’t” game.

• Morgan Stanley sees a “supply-side spark” for 2026
  FreightWaves says Morgan Stanley is calling the next trucking upturn as supply-driven – too many carriers have exited or downsized, setting the stage for tighter capacity.

  • Translation: If you survived 2025 without going under, you might finally get paid like it.

• Trucking market showing signs of life
  FreightWaves also notes that their latest State of Freight webinar caught the market actually waking up a bit after a long slump.

  • Meanwhile, Transport Topics reports truck tonnage in November was up 0.2% – not fireworks, but at least it’s not another punch in the gut.

Takeaway: Rates aren’t going to the moon tomorrow, but between carrier exits and early signs of demand, 2026 is shaping up to be less miserable – especially if you keep your costs tight and debt under control.

3. Safety & Crime: Cargo Thieves Love Christmas Too

• Holiday cargo theft is heating up
  Land Line warns that holiday cargo theft incidents have surged in recent years, especially around Christmas.

  • High-value freight + busy receivers + understaffed yards = theft opportunity.

• $200K tile load stolen in strategic cargo scam
  FreightWaves covers a case where a San Francisco tile business lost nearly $200,000 in product when criminals used fake credentials to pull off a strategic cargo theft.

  • This wasn’t a guy with bolt cutters – it was paperwork fraud, bogus identities, and “looks legit on the surface” carriers.

• FBI & brokers step up info sharing on cargo theft
  Transport Topics reports the FBI and Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) are expanding information sharing on cargo theft, including more sophisticated fraud.

  • Good news for the industry, but also a sign that organized cargo crime is big enough to warrant serious federal attention.

Driver / Owner-Op tips right now:

• Be suspicious of last-minute changes to pickup details, phone numbers, or warehouse addresses.

• Verify brokers and shippers via official contact channels, not just the number in one email.

• Use secure truck parking whenever possible – especially with high-value or consumer goods freight.

4. Electric Future: Tesla Semi Creeping Closer to the Mainstream

• Tesla Semi charging hub planned for Laredo, TX
  CDLLife reports a new Tesla electric semi charging station is coming to Laredo, a massive freight gateway on the border.

  • That’s another brick in the EV wall, especially for cross-border and regional freight.

• DHL deploys its first Tesla Semi
  FreightWaves says DHL Supply Chain has deployed its first Tesla Semi in a California pilot, claiming up to 500-mile range and about 50 metric tons of CO₂ saved per year per truck.

Takeaway: For most owner-operators, EVs still feel like sci-fi. But between border charging hubs and big fleets piloting Teslas, diesel’s monopoly on the future is officially broken. Doesn’t change your spec today, but it will shape lanes, regulations, and shipper expectations over the next few years.

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