How 2025 Trucking Regulation Changes Will Affect U.S. Truck Drivers

New truck driver standing by his semi truck

Regulations in the trucking world are always shifting.

It’s crucial for truck drivers and trucking company owners to keep up to avoid headaches like fines or getting sidelined.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) put forward several new regulations hoping to improve the safety of everyone in the carrier industry and all road users. 

These regulatory changes will affect you if you’re an American interstate driver or operating in one state, as local state laws usually adopt federal rules to ensure everything’s the same.

Truck driver behind the wheel on the highway

Here the changes you should know about that will affect you as a U.S. truck driver.

Some of these changes will affect some drivers more than others.

Stricter Emissions Standards

In December 2022, the US Environmental Protection Agency tightened standards for trucks from the 2027 model year.

The new standards are 80% stronger than before. 

California also introduced important changes recently.

From January 1, 2024, all drayage trucks should be registered in the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Online System.

After this date, only zero-emission drayage trucks can register. This is to help the state meet its goal of making all drayage trucks emission-free by 2035.

How this will affect truck drivers: If you drive a legacy drayage truck, you must visit a California seaport or intermodal rail yard once every calendar year to prevent it from being removed from the CARB Online System by March 31 of each calendar year, beginning March 31, 2025.

Automated Braking Systems And AE Technology

In June 2023, the FMCSA proposed a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) aimed at brakes.

If the new standard is adopted, all trucks and heavy vehicles with a gross weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) will need automatic emergency braking (AEB).

How this will affect truck drivers: If you own and drive a 10,000 pound or heavier truck, you might need to have AEB and an electronic stability control system fitted.

Potential Standardized Tests For New Carriers

Back in 2009, the FMCSA wanted new carriers to prove they have the knowledge and skills needed for the job.

Nothing much happened about it at the time. Now, the rule is back on the FMCSA radar.

The Department of Transportation is investigating how new carriers who apply for New Entrant authority can prove they know and understand all the important safety requirements. Their idea is to test all new carriers in an exam.

How this will affect truck drivers: This will only affect you if you’re a new carrier applying for New Entrant authority. If the rule is adopted, you need to study for, write and/or perform, and pass an exam. If you’ve been driving or operating a company for years, you won’t need to worry about this. 

Improving Roadside Inspection Efficiency By Issuing All CMVs Electronic ID’s

Easier roadside inspections may soon be on the way.

The Obama administration proposed issuing electronic ID’s to all commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).

A few attempts were made to get the rule passed, as it would make truck inspections faster and easier. 

If the proposed rule now goes ahead, every CMV will get an electronic ID that can wirelessly communicate a unique ID number when Federal or State motor carrier safety enforcement personnel ask for it. 

How this will affect truck drivers: Won’t affect company drivers. But, if the rule is adopted and you own one or more CMVs, you’ll need to apply for and fit an electronic ID to your vehicles.

The Crash Preventability Determination Program

2025 may bring changes to the FMCSA’s Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP). 

If the program decides crashes involving truck drivers couldn’t have been prevented, they’re still listed in the FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System.

The good news is that those crashes aren’t included when the Crash Indicator Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) is calculated.

Last year, the FMCSA proposed changing the existing crash types. If the changes go ahead, four new crash types will be included, which could benefit more truck drivers. 

How this will affect truck drivers: If the changes come into effect and you’re involved in an motor vehicle accident that you couldn’t prevent, the crash won’t be used when your Crash Indicator BASIC is calculated. The crash will need to meet the criteria of one of the types of crashes included in the CPDP.

Fatal semi truck accident with cars in traffic on highway

The Appeal Process For DATAQs

Submitting requests for data review (RDR) to the FMCSA through the DataQs system can be frustrating. RDRs sometimes get reviewed and denied after reconsideration.

A new proposal by the FMCSA could give you the chance to appeal if this happens to you. 

If implemented, you could request and track a review of Federal and State crash and inspection data if you think the data might be wrong or incomplete.

How this will affect truck drivers: The Requests for Data Review you submit to the FMCSA using the DataQs system might qualify for an independent review.

The review might update the existing data, which could mean better outcomes for you.

Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Fees Increase

If you or your company participate in the Unified Carrier Registration Plan, you’ll now pay about 25% more in 2025 than you did in 2024. 

Based on your fee bracket, your fee will increase by anything between $9 and $9,000 per entity. For example, if a company has up to two power units, the 2025 Unified Carrier Registration fees will increase to $46. If a company has 1,001 or more, its fees increase to $44,836.

How this will affect truck drivers: This change will only affect you if you’re a Unified Carrier Registration Plan member. If you are a member, you’ll pay higher membership fees. But company drivers don’t need to concern themselves with this.

Truck Driver parked behind the wheel of his semi

Oral Fluids Testing For Drugs And Alcohol

From June 1, 2023, your employers have more say in how you’re tested for drugs and alcohol.

A final rule issued by the Department of Transportation allows your boss to choose oral fluids or urine samples for federally required drug and alcohol tests.

This is up to your boss, not you as a driver.

The change to allow oral fluids testing was made to help employers combat cheating on urine drug tests.

How this will affect truck drivers: If you need to take a federally required drug and alcohol test, your boss gets to choose whether to use your saliva or urine. So this will affect you as a driver.

Dr. Handing Truck Driver Drug Testing Vial

**Return-To-Duty Process For Drivers With Drug Or Alcohol Violations ** (Big Change!)

The FMCSA has updated how truck drivers with drug or alcohol violations can return to duty.

State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) now can’t issue, renew, upgrade, or transfer your CDL or CLP if FMCSA regulations don’t allow you to drive a CMV or perform other safety-sensitive functions because of one or more drug and alcohol program violations.

The rule also removes CLP or CDL privileges from your license if you have a CMV driving prohibition.

This means your license is downgraded until you do everything you need to do to return to duty.

Your boss must give you a list of DOT-qualified substance abuse professionals you can choose from. 

The SAP must assess you and make education or treatment recommendations.

Later, the SAP must determine whether you have successfully completed the education or treatment. 

If you qualify for the return-to-duty test, your employer must send you to take it.

If a truck driver is an owner-operator, the chosen designated consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) must send them for the test. The driver can start driving again when their Clearinghouse status is “not prohibited.”

Your boss must complete a follow-up testing plan with you for you to keep your “not prohibited” status.

How this will affect truck drivers: If you can’t drive trucks because of a drug or alcohol violation, you’ll need to be assessed by a professional, complete any recommended treatment, and be assessed again to start driving again. This is definitely affecting a large number of truck drivers.

Transformation For Safer Trucking

2025 has lots of changes in store for truck drivers in the US.

While some new regulations may seem frustrating, they’re done with one thing in mind – safety.

The trucking industry continues to make changes. Ideally these changes are for the purpose of greater safety.

However, time will tell if this is truly the outcome for truck drivers, the driving public and our planet.

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