Top 10 Regulatory Developments Fleets Should Understand Heading Into 2026
- Brandon Wiseman
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
If 2024 hinted at regulatory turbulence, 2025 made it impossible to ignore. Over the past year, FMCSA and USDOT unleashed the most aggressive series of compliance initiatives in more than a decade—targeting language proficiency, non-domiciled CDL issuance, electronic logging devices, medical certification, training quality, and core data systems. These moves were not isolated events; collectively, they signaled a larger shift toward enforcement-first policymaking and heightened scrutiny on foundational compliance elements many fleets once assumed were stable.
Throughout 2025, Trucksafe covered these developments extensively. Looking back, several themes stand out: a renewed emphasis on licensing integrity, widespread concern over state-level implementation failures, and an unmistakable push to close perceived gaps in fraud detection and driver qualification. Here are the Top 10 developments of 2025, ranked by their real-world impact, followed by what fleets should expect in 2026.
1. English Language Proficiency (ELP) Enforcement Becomes the Federal Government’s Top Priority
One of the most consequential development of 2025 was the federal government’s sweeping crackdown on English Language Proficiency (ELP) in commercial driver licensing. While the ELP requirement in 49 CFR §391.11(b)(2) has existed for decades, it has historically been unevenly enforced at both the state and roadside levels. That changed almost overnight.
Early in the year, the Trump Administration issued an executive order directing USDOT to strengthen ELP enforcement and hold states accountable for ensuring drivers can communicate in English during testing and roadside interactions. As Trucksafe reported, FMCSA and USDOT quickly followed with targeted investigations into states suspected of not enforcing the ELP mandate.
This culminated in USDOT issuing formal warning letters to California, Washington, and New Mexico, putting all three on notice that their enforcement programs were potentially noncompliant. USDOT went as far as to threaten withholding federal MCSAP funds if corrective action was not taken—a rare step that underscored the seriousness of the issue. The letters triggered immediate political backlash, followed by state-level efforts to defend, adjust, or reexamine existing testing practices.
ELP enforcement also ramped up at roadside. Inspections increasingly emphasized English comprehension, and carriers began reporting higher rates of OOS orders tied to communication challenges. Combined with ongoing concerns about fraudulent licensing and inconsistent training quality, ELP became the centerpiece of FMCSA’s 2025 agenda—and it is almost certain to remain so in 2026.
Read Trucksafe's coverage of this issue:
2. Non-Domiciled CDL Crackdown & Court-Ordered Freeze of FMCSA’s Rule
Running a close second in both visibility and controversy was FMCSA’s push to overhaul Non-Domiciled CDL (NDCDL) issuance. Sparked by several high-profile fatal crashes involving non-domiciled drivers, FMCSA initiated a broad audit of state licensing practices. The agency’s findings were serious: inconsistent verification of lawful presence, insufficient documentation, and evidence that some states were issuing NDCDLs to drivers who did not meet federal criteria.
To address these systemic gaps, FMCSA issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that significantly narrowed NDCDL eligibility. As Trucksafe explained, the rule tightened visa-based qualifications, added new state reporting requirements, and imposed stricter verification of lawful U.S. presence. These changes had the potential to affect nearly 200,000 existing NDCDL holders, particularly those operating under temporary or limited immigration statuses.
Multiple states—including California, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota—were put on notice by FMCSA for non-compliance. In addition, the IFR was challenged in federal court by several drivers and interest groups, arguing that FMCSA exceeded its statutory authority and undervalued the economic and operational consequences of the overhaul. Industry groups raised additional concerns about workforce disruptions, especially in sectors relying heavily on foreign-born drivers.
In a major development late in the year, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, temporarily halting the IFR while the legal challenge proceeds. This put fleets and drivers in a holding pattern, awaiting further court action and FMCSA’s review of the thousands of public comments submitted.
Based on 2025’s trajectory, NDCDLs remain one of the highest-stakes issues heading into 2026, with long-term implications for licensing, workforce stability, and state–federal cooperation.
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3. FMCSA Purges 3,000 CDL Training Providers from the TPR
In one of the most sweeping enforcement actions in the history of federal driver training oversight, FMCSA removed 3,000 training providers from the Training Provider Registry (TPR) early in the year. The agency cited extensive noncompliance, including failure to upload student training certifications, unqualified instructors, inadequate behind-the-wheel documentation, and schools operating at unapproved or fictitious addresses.
Trucksafe’s analysis highlighted how deeply some of these issues ran. Many providers lacked basic recordkeeping systems; others appeared to have uploaded completion certificates for training that never occurred. FMCSA noted that some schools had been operating for years with substantial ELDT violations—underscoring the agency’s growing concern over the integrity of CDL training nationwide.
But the purge was only the beginning. FMCSA announced it had identified 4,000 additional providers under review for potential removal, raising the possibility of even greater disruption in 2026. For fleets, this has put a spotlight on the importance of vetting the qualifications and training of entry-level drivers.
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4. Overhaul of the CDL Medical Certification System (Med Card Modernization)
FMCSA’s multi-year transition to a fully electronic medical certification workflow—the National Registry Information Integration (NRII) initiative—was expected to improve accuracy and reduce administrative burdens. Instead, 2025 exposed significant technical and procedural failures across the system.
As Trucksafe reported, many state licensing agencies struggled to receive or process electronic medical exam results transmitted through the National Registry. Medical examiners reported frequent upload failures, system delays, or rejected submissions. The breakdown in data transmission led directly to drivers being improperly downgraded when states failed to receive timely exam results—a problem widely reported across regions.
In response, FMCSA issued and later modified a temporary waiver permitting reliance on paper medical certificates longer than originally planned. The agency acknowledged that large portions of the system were not functioning as intended and that both medical examiners and states needed additional time to adapt.
Trucksafe’s coverage of FMCSA’s Med Card modernization initiatives made clear that while the long-term goal remains worthwhile—reducing fraud, improving data flow, and ensuring real-time record accuracy—the immediate transition will be challenging. Carriers should anticipate ongoing complications as the NRII migration continues into 2026, particularly around:
Erroneous CDL downgrades
Delays in examiner uploads
State processing backlogs
Verification disputes requiring DataQs challenges
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5. ELD Self-Certification Crackdown & New FMCSA Vetting Requirements
The ELD mandate has existed since 2017, but 2025 marked the most significant reform effort to the ELD approval process since its inception. Historically, manufacturers have self-certified their devices with limited agency verification, leading to inconsistent compliance and a troubling number of delistings.
In 2025, FMCSA announced new vetting and oversight measures, including deeper technical reviews, expanded documentation requirements, and a clearer framework for determining whether a device should remain on the approved ELD list. Trucksafe’s reporting emphasized that the changes stop short of Canada’s third-party certification model, but nonetheless represent a meaningful tightening of the current system.
For fleets, the risk is clear: as FMCSA begins scrutinizing devices more aggressively, more ELDs could be removed from the Registry, leaving carriers scrambling to replace equipment under tight timelines. Lessons from past ELD removals suggest that carriers relying on smaller or newer providers face the greatest exposure.
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6. Hours-of-Service Flexibility Pilots Gain Traction
FMCSA announced two notable Hours-of-Service pilot programs in 2025: the Split Duty Period (14-hour pause) pilot and the expanded Sleeper Berth flexibility pilot. These programs are designed to generate data on operational impacts and safety outcomes, potentially paving the way for broader reforms.
The 14-hour pause pilot would allow drivers to stop the on-duty clock for up to three hours, creating relief in sectors where delays are unavoidable. Meanwhile, the sleeper berth pilot explores alternative split options beyond the standard 7/3 and 8/2, giving drivers more flexibility in managing rest and productivity.
Trucksafe’s reporting highlighted the significance of these pilots not only for drivers but also for shippers, as expanded flexibility could help alleviate constraints caused by detention and rigid scheduling. FMCSA’s decision to revisit these concepts reflects growing recognition that the current HOS framework may not serve all industry segments equally. The programs are likely to open in 2026.
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7. DataQs Modernization & FMCSA’s Broader Data Integrity Push
In 2025, FMCSA announced plans to modernize the DataQs system, the platform fleets use to challenge inspection and crash data. Trucksafe’s reporting explained that the agency aims to introduce clearer audit trails, more consistent state responses, and future automation for certain types of corrections.
The push for modernization aligns closely with FMCSA’s broader data-quality initiatives, which Trucksafe explored in its deep dive on the ARCHi system and new fraud-detection strategies. The agency appears increasingly focused on cleaning up data anomalies, identifying patterns indicative of chameleon carrier activity, and improving the integrity of safety information relied upon by insurers, brokers, and FMCSA itself.
For carriers, improved DataQs functionality could ease challenges associated with disputing errors—especially as FMCSA’s other initiatives (ELP enforcement, NDCDL reforms, Med Card modernization) create more opportunities for inaccurate records to appear in state or federal systems.
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8. FMCSA and NHTSA Withdraw the Speed Limiter Mandate
After years of speculation, debate, and shifting political winds, FMCSA and NHTSA officially moved to withdraw the federal speed limiter rulemaking for heavy trucks. The agencies determined that the rulemaking could not proceed based on the current record, effectively ending the proposal for the foreseeable future.
As Trucksafe explained, while federal withdrawal removes the threat of a nationwide mandate, it does not end the conversation—several states and insurers continue exploring speed-governing requirements. But from a regulatory-compliance standpoint, carriers can expect temporary relief from federal action on this front.
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9. Leadership Changes at USDOT and FMCSA Shape Agency Priorities
2025 brought new leadership that directly influenced the pace and tone of regulatory activity. The Senate confirmed Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation and Derek Barrs as Administrator of FMCSA.
Both individuals come from backgrounds emphasizing enforcement, screening rigor, and fraud detection—perspectives reflected in each of FMCSA’s major initiatives this year. Trucksafe’s reporting underscored how this leadership team prioritized foundational compliance elements such as English language proficiency, training integrity, and state accountability.
While regulatory philosophies often shift with changes in leadership, the tempo of FMCSA activity in 2025 suggests that this enforcement-first posture will continue into 2026, particularly around CDL issuance, training oversight, and data integrity.
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10. Additional Developments Worth Watching in 2026
In addition to the high-impact initiatives detailed above, several emerging issues will likely shape the coming year:
Safety Rating Reform - FMCSA continues signaling interest in modernizing the antiquated safety rating methodology, potentially shifting toward continuous evaluation rather than sporadic onsite audits.
SMS Changes - While major action stalled in 2025, FMCSA has previewed future revisions to the Safety Measurement System.
Broker Liability at the Supreme Court - With FAAA preemption cases escalating to the U.S. Supreme Court, a 2026 ruling could have sweeping implications for freight brokers.
Autonomous Trucking Policy Framework - NHTSA and FMCSA continue laying groundwork for ADS-equipped commercial vehicles, indicating more formal guidance may appear in 2026.
Conclusion
2025 was one of the most consequential regulatory years in recent decades. FMCSA and USDOT dramatically reshaped the compliance environment, focusing heavily on foundational licensing, training, and data integrity. For fleets, the message is clear: the federal government is scrutinizing the basics more aggressively than ever, and the systems that support CDL issuance, medical qualification, and safety data are undergoing rapid transformation.
As the industry looks toward 2026, carriers should prepare for continued enforcement, evolving requirements, and increased responsibility for verifying the accuracy and completeness of driver-related data. Trucksafe will continue covering these developments as they unfold—helping fleets stay ahead of the curve in a fast-changing regulatory landscape.
About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help carriers develop, implement, and improve their safety programs, through personalized services, industry-leading training, and a library of educational content. Trucksafe also hosts a livestream podcast on its various social media channels called Trucksafe LIVE! to discuss hot-button issues impacting highway transportation. Trucksafe is owned and operated by Brandon Wiseman and Jerad Childress, transportation attorneys who've assisted some of the nation’s leading fleets to develop and maintain cutting-edge safety programs. You can learn more about Trucksafe online at www.trucksafe.com and by following Trucksafe on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Or subscribe to Trucksafe's newsletter for the latest highway transportation news & analysis. Also, be sure to check out eRegs, the first app-based digital version of the federal safety regulations aimed at helping carriers and drivers better understand and comply with the regulations.