Maas Logistics Dispatch
Trucking News Roundup: Diesel Margin Squeeze, DAT Spot $3.01, Montana Fuel HOS Waiver, Barron's Law
September 29, 2026 · By Maas Logistics Dispatch · 5 min read
Diesel jumped another dime to just under $6.57 a gallon while all-in spot rates gained only pennies, DAT's all-in van average hit $3.01 mostly on fuel surcharges while linehaul stayed flat, Montana adopted the federal fuel-hauler hours waiver, a Texas congressman readies a CDL integrity bill aimed at chameleon carriers, and non-domiciled CDL issuance in Texas stays tightly limited. Here's what it means from a dispatch desk in Melissa, Texas.
Diesel jumps another dime while spot rates barely move
FreightWaves (Sept. 28): Diesel climbed about 10 cents a gallon over the week, sitting just under $6.57 as of Monday, Sept. 28. Over the same stretch, all-in truckload spot rates rose only about 2 cents a mile — so the pump is capturing rate gains before they ever reach the truck.
Van tender rejections remain near 14%. Capacity has kept coming off the board on the supply side — enforcement around non-domiciled CDLs and shutdowns of substandard driving schools — but the tightening has not translated into linehaul pay. What carriers gained in leverage this week, diesel took back at the pump.
What it means: Fuel is eating rate gains as fast as the market can push them through. Company drivers and owner-operators who want a stable Melissa/DFW home base — company drivers / owner-operators. Shippers should expect fuel-aware pricing and carriers focused on utilization — get a freight quote.
DAT weekly: all-in spot rates rise on fuel, linehaul stays flat
AJOT (Sept. 28): For the week of Sept. 20–26, broker-to-carrier all-in van spot averaged about $3.01 a mile, up 5 cents; reefer came in around $3.63, up 4 cents; flatbed about $3.60, up 5 cents.
The gains were driven by fuel surcharges — the EIA diesel used in surcharge calculations had climbed from $6.285 a gallon for the week ending Sept. 14 to $6.529 for the week ending Sept. 21 — while van linehaul held around $2.17 a mile. Strip the fuel out and the market barely moved.
What it means: All-in looks up, but linehaul is flat — the raise went to the pump, not the driver. Carriers carry the margin risk; shippers quoting lanes should watch the fuel math. CDL-A seats at a Melissa/DFW fleet — company drivers / owner-operators. Help pricing your lanes — get a freight quote.
Montana adopts the federal fuel HOS waiver for intrastate haulers
CCJ (Sept. 29 briefs): Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed an executive order adopting FMCSA's gasoline and diesel hours-of-service waiver for intrastate fuel haulers through Dec. 16, 2026 — the same window as the federal waiver that took effect Sept. 16.
Nebraska is also expanding fuel and harvest relief, including dyed diesel flexibility and a tax refund path, and has asked federal officials to pay attention to diesel exports. Keep in mind what the waivers cover: fuel haulers only. General dry van and reefer freight still runs on the normal 14-hour clock.
What it means: HOS relief is for fuel haulers, not a blanket holiday for general freight — normal clocks still apply to most loads. Drivers who want a home base with honest expectations — company drivers / owner-operators. Shippers who need capacity that runs by the book — get a freight quote.
New CDL integrity bill would tighten work checks and go after chameleon carriers
Dallas Express (Sept. 28): Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) is preparing legislation that would tighten immigration and work-authorization requirements for CDL applicants, mandate FMCSA-approved English proficiency testing, target chameleon carriers that cycle fresh USDOT numbers after an enforcement hit, and add penalties for knowingly using ineligible drivers.
The bill follows a cycle in which federal enforcement has already removed capacity through non-domiciled CDL scrutiny and driving-school shutdowns. For North Texas, where hiring paperwork gets checked at the gate, the compliance bar keeps rising.
What it means: For a Texas fleet, English proficiency and clean paperwork are not optional anymore — and carriers that cycle DOT numbers keep losing ground. Drivers who want a carrier that runs compliant — company drivers / owner-operators. Shippers who want a vetted authority, not a chameleon — get a freight quote.
Texas non-domiciled CDL issuance stays tightly limited
Ongoing Sept. 2026 reporting: Texas continues to keep non-domiciled CDL issuance tightly limited while federal review of the program moves forward. Published program status shows an H-2A resume path already in place, with H-2B and E-2 pathways still pending FMCSA action.
No new counts of issued licenses have been reported this cycle — the story is the program status, not the volume. Every restriction at the edges of the driver pool is another reason compliant, asset-based fleets keep the leverage they have.
What it means: Capacity keeps coming out at the edges through policy, not demand. Asset-based fleets that stayed compliant keep the seat. Melissa/DFW hiring — company drivers / owner-operators. Freight that needs a truck that shows — get a freight quote.
Running with Maas
Hiring CDL-A company drivers: company driver openings. Owner-operators: lease on with Maas. Need a truck: get a freight quote.
Maas Logistics LLC | 1817 Miller Rd #5, Melissa, TX 75454 | (916) 770-7323 | dispatch@maaslogistic.com
Dallas–Fort Worth | USDOT 3179194 | MC 124881
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