Trucking News Roundup: FMCSA Has Closed Nearly 10,000 Driver School Locations, Driverless Trucks Get a 5-Year Beacon Exemption, Kodiak Starts Dallas–Laredo, Contract Rates Climb as Volumes Fall, Paper Med Cards End Oct. 11 (Oct 9, 2026)

FMCSA has closed nearly 10,000 truck driver school locations

Transport Topics (Oct 8, 2026): As of Oct. 5, FMCSA had removed driver-training schools at 9,970 locations from its Training Provider Registry during a two-year enforcement push, leaving just over 31,000 locations listed as active. An agency spokesperson told TT that most of the closures came out of investigations, and that some providers had falsely self-certified that they met Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules.

Nearly 800 more schools are under review, and FMCSA is sending notices to providers that have not certified a completed training in the past year. Homeland Security Investigations is increasingly assisting on suspected fraud cases. FMCSA's public list of removed providers for 2025–2026 holds nearly 7,000 entries with removal dates and reasons, including voluntary removals.

What it means: If you trained recently, check that your school is still on the Training Provider Registry and keep your ELDT record handy. Experienced Class A drivers — company drivers; owner-operators — owner-operators.

• Source: Transport Topics — FMCSA has closed nearly 10,000 trucker schools

Driverless trucks get a five-year warning-beacon exemption

Overdrive and the Federal Register (Oct 8–9, 2026): In a notice published Oct. 9, FMCSA granted Aurora Operations, and other autonomous truck operators that opt in, a five-year exemption to use cab-mounted flashing beacons instead of the warning triangles a driver would normally set out during a roadside stop. The exemption runs from Oct. 7, 2026 through Oct. 7, 2031. Carriers other than Aurora must notify FMCSA before using it and file annual reports on any beacon malfunctions.

The beacons must meet SAE J595 light standards, have a backup power source, switch on within five minutes of a stop and keep flashing until the truck moves again or is recovered. Operations that would need a hazmat, tanker-hazmat, passenger or school-bus endorsement are excluded. The decision follows an Oct. 5 order in which the 7th Circuit denied an Illinois operator's request to halt the earlier short-term waivers. OOIDA president Todd Spencer called the exemption a "corporate carve-out."

What it means: Nothing changes for a truck with a driver in the seat — triangles still go out under today's rules. Company seats — company drivers; owner-operators — owner-operators.

• Source: Overdrive — Court shoots down driverless warning-device waiver lawsuit as FMCSA gives 5-year extension
• Source: Federal Register — Exemption application: Aurora Operations, Inc.

Texas: Kodiak and Charger start autonomous freight between Dallas and Laredo

Truck News (Oct 8, 2026): Kodiak AI and cross-border carrier Charger USA have launched autonomous truck service on the roughly 435-mile run between Charger's terminals in Dallas and Laredo, hauling refrigerated and dry freight for consumer packaged goods and food and beverage customers. The first delivery was Sept. 8. The trucks still run with a safety driver, and the companies plan to go driverless once Kodiak finishes its safety case.

It is Kodiak's first route into Laredo, which the companies say handled more than $350 billion in trade in 2025. Kodiak says it aims to launch long-haul driverless service by the end of the year.

What it means: I-35 to the border joins I-45 as a Texas test lane, but most freight still moves with a CDL driver behind the wheel. Shippers with dry van or reefer freight from North Texas to the border — see our Melissa TX to Laredo lane or get a freight quote. Drivers — company drivers.

• Source: Truck News — Kodiak, Charger launch autonomous freight service between Dallas and Laredo

Contract rates up, contract volumes down nearly 28%

Trucking Dive (Oct 8, 2026), on the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index with DAT: Truckload contract rates averaged $2.39 a mile in August, 20 cents higher than a year earlier, while contract volumes fell nearly 28% year over year. The report warned that steady headline rates should not be mistaken for a strong market until volumes stabilize.

DAT says dry van contract rates rose 14% from January through September, against a typical full-year gain of about 3%, and projects a 19% rise for 2026, with December near $2.55 a mile and more increases through 2027. DAT pointed to record diesel prices pushing smaller carriers out, and a C.H. Robinson report said fuel surcharges are not covering idle time, extra routing and reefer needs.

What it means: Expect 2027 contract bids to price fuel and deadhead more carefully; steady, repeatable freight gets the best trucks. Shippers — get a freight quote. Owner-operators watching rates — owner-operators.

• Source: Trucking Dive — Freight market volumes continue decline amid rate improvements

Paper med cards: waiver ends Oct. 11 everywhere but Alaska

Overdrive, citing an FMCSA Federal Register notice (Oct 8, 2026): The exemption that let drivers use a paper copy of the medical examiner's certificate as proof of medical certification for up to 60 days expires Oct. 11. From Oct. 12, exam results go electronically from the National Registry to state licensing agencies and onto the driver's CDLIS record, and the paper-copy fallback ends in every state except Alaska, the only state that has not implemented the rule.

FMCSA renewed the waiver for Alaska drivers for one year, through Oct. 12, 2027. Monday's roundup flagged the deadline; the Alaska carve-out is new.

What it means: After a new DOT physical, confirm your state record shows it before your next load. Company drivers — company drivers.

• Source: Overdrive — Paper med cert waiver ending in all but one state

For drivers and shippers (Friday note)

Drivers: school crackdowns, med card changes and autonomous test lanes all point the same way — carriers want experienced, properly credentialed Class A drivers. If you hold a valid Class A CDL and a current DOT medical card, Maas Logistics runs dry van and reefer full truckload OTR in all 48 states out of Melissa, Texas, serving DFW, with 24/7 dispatch. Company drivers start at 50+ CPM dry van and 60+ CPM reefer. Owner-operators keep 87–90% of gross with non-forced dispatch.

Shippers: capacity is still tight and contract rates are moving up. Maas is an asset-based carrier and never re-brokers your load — dry van and reefer full truckload.

What it means: Company drivers — company drivers. Owner-operators — owner-operators. Shippers — get a freight quote.