FMCSA pumps the brakes on new trucking regulations

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has pushed into 2026 a slate of potential regulations affecting the trucking industry, including a second proposed rule aimed at combatting alleged price gouging by freight brokers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published the first notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on the broker transparency in November 2024 at the request of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), which generated over 5,000 comments. At the request of SBTC, the comment period was reopened earlier this year, resulting in another 2,000 comments.

Now, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s latest regulatory agenda published this week by the Office of Management Budget, FMCSA has scheduled a second broker transparency NPRM for May 2026.

In addition to FMCSA’s new broker transparency rule, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is delaying until at least January 2026 consideration of a rule that would require side-guard equipment on trailers and semitrailers to reduce injuries and deaths in crashes with automobiles, according to the new agenda.

The comment period for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on side underride guards, which ended in July 2023, has been in “analyzing comments” status since then. That status will continue until at least January 2026, according to the agenda.

The ANPRM has been highly contentious, pitting safety advocates underscoring the potential for saving lives against the trucking industry and truck manufacturers concerned about costs and lack of data on the equipment’s usefulness.

The latest agenda also reveals that a joint FMCSA-NHTSA final rule on Automatic Emergency Brakes for heavy trucks, which had been scheduled for rollout in January, will be reissued as a supplemental proposed rule scheduled to be published in December.

Taken off FMCSA’s agenda: the heavy-truck speed limiter rule, which the Trump administration announced in June would be cancelled.

Other current rulemakings on FMCSA’s agenda that have been rescheduled for May 2026 include:

Pre-rule stage

New entrant safety assurance process: Implementation of section 210(b) of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (delayed from June 2025).
Minimum training requirements for entry-level commercial motor vehicle operators; additional curriculum and training provider requirements (delayed from December 2024).

Proposed rule stage

Motor carrier operation of Automated Driving Systems-equipped commercial motor vehicles (delayed from December 2024).
Clearinghouse implementation revisions; controlled substances and alcohol use and testing (delayed from March 2025).
Electronic Logging Device revisions (delayed from June 2025).
Safety fitness procedures (delayed from June 2025).

Final Rule Stage

Amendments to the commercial driver’s license requirements; increased flexibility for testing and for drivers after passing the skills test (delayed from June 2025).