On The Horizon - October 6, 2025
- mwilliams422
- Oct 10
- 4 min read
2025 MTA Annual Convention
Fabulous time at the MTA Annual Convention! Had a great line up of speakers, some competitive corn hole and we were able to recognize very deserving companies and individuals at the awards ceremony.
Click Here to view all the photos from the convention. If the photos appears blurry, download it to your computer and it will become more clear.
Fleet Safety Awards
In the category from 0 to 250,000 Miles
· First Place: Hinnaland Trucking, Inc
118,909 Miles
· Second Place: Quality Transportation, Inc
70,586 Miles
In the category 250,001 to 500,00 Miles
· First Place: A & I Distributors
416,185 Miles
· Second Place: ABF Freight
417,612 Miles
In the category 500,001 to 750,000 Miles
· First Place: Whitewood Transport, Inc
732,110 Miles
· Second Place: Wildcat Trucking, LLC
640,488 Miles
· Third Place: Diversified Transfer and Storage
625,222 Miles
In the category 750,001 to 1,500,000 Miles
· First Place: Dixon Bros, Inc
1,339,460 Miles
In the category 1,500,001 to 2,500,000 Miles
· First Place: Corcoran Trucking, Inc
1,969,090 Miles
· Second Place: Raymond Corcoran Trucking, Inc
1,776,711 Miles
· Third Place: Dick Irvin, Inc
2,239,129 Miles
In the category 2,500,001 Miles and Over
· First Place: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc
10,093,688 Miles
· Second Place: Warren Transport, Inc
3,884,873 Miles
Zero Accidents from Jan 2024 to Dec 2024
Quality Transportation, Inc
Hinnaland Trucking, Inc
A & I Distributors
Biggers Transport Corp
Diversified Transfer & Storage
Wildcat Trucking, LLC
Whitewood Transport, Inc
Dixon Bros, Inc
Raymond Corcoran Trucking, Inc
Corcoran Trucking, Inc
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc
Montana Chain Law
Starting October 1st, Trucks with trailers over 26,000 pounds must carry tire chains or traction control devices if they will be going over a pass that may require them. If required, the chains are needed for the drivers wheel of one axle. AutoSock’s are an approved alternative to tire chains. For more information and the locations where tire chains may be required, click on this link
Trucking Industry Asked to Rank Top Concerns
Thank you to everyone that took the time to fill out this survey. This information will be very useful as MTA represents the Montana industry these next couple years. This is the final week to do so if you haven’t.
The American Transportation Research Institute, the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization, launched the 2025 Top Industry Issues Survey. The annual survey asks trucking industry stakeholders to rank the top issues of concern for the industry along with potential strategies for addressing each issue.
Now in its 21st year, ATRI’s annual analysis not only ranks the issues overall but also provides insights into how critical topics are ranked differently by motor carriers and professional drivers. The report also allows trucking stakeholders to monitor issues over time to better understand which issues are rising, or falling, in criticality.
“For over 20 years, the industry has relied on the annual Top Industry Issues Survey to highlight the critical issues facing our nation’s supply chain. ATRI’s research provides an opportunity for thousands of trucking industry professionals, from drivers to executives, to weigh in on the most challenging topics that affect our day-to-day operations and collectively decide on the most promising strategies for addressing each,” said ATA Chair Dennis Dellinger, Cargo Transporters President and CEO.
“ATRI’s annual survey gives truck drivers an opportunity to make our collective concerns known. Whether your top challenge is truck parking, driver compensation, detention at customer facilities, traffic congestion or something else, this is your chance to bring those issues to light. Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey and encourage your peers to do so also,” said Lloyd Howell, an America’s Road Team Captain and professional truck driver for TCW, Inc.
The results of the 2025 survey will be released October 26, 2025, as part of the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition to be held in San Diego, California.
Industry stakeholders are encouraged to complete the 2025 survey available by clicking here. The survey will remain open through October 10, 2025.
Trump Announces 25% Tariff on Heavy-Duty Trucks
President Trump late on Sept. 25 announced that he will impose a 25% tariff on imported heavy trucks beginning October 1.
“Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions,” Trump said in an announcement on Truth Social. “We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!”
Trump also announced new tariffs on 100% duties on pharmaceutical drugs (100%), kitchen cabinets (50%), and upholstered furniture (30%)
Details so far are sparse. Heavy Duty Trucking has reached out to truck makers for comment. Spokespersons told HDT the following via email:
Daimler Truck North America: "We are closely monitoring the situation, but it’s too early to provide a detailed comment."
International: "We await the details of the Executive Order relating to 232 tariffs."
Paccar (parent of Kenworth and Peterbilt): "We look forward to reviewing the details of the MD and HD Truck Section 232 tariff announcement made by the President as they become available."
Volvo Group (parent of Mack and Volvo): "We look forward to seeing more details on the plans and how they will be implemented."
Winners and Losers?
Paccar shares soared after the announcement, according to CNBC, which said the company manufactures more than 90% of its trucks domestically, while Daimler Truck and Traton (parent company of International Motors) shares fell, according to Reuters.
The Wall Street Journal reported that "the new tariff, set to be introduced on Wednesday, fixes an unintended consequence of other import duties introduced by the White House earlier this year: They rewarded manufacturers for making trucks in Mexico." Read More
Emergency Rule Overhauls How State Issue Non-Domiciled CDLs
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an emergency interim final rule to strengthen federal oversight of how states issue non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.
It's a move that one transportation law firm said could affect 6% to 18% of the commercial driver workforce nationwide.
The rule comes in response to a nationwide review conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration into state licensing practices regarding non-domiciled CDLs.
Moving forward, non-citizens will not be eligible for a non-domiciled CDL unless they meet a much stricter set of rules. This will include having an employment-based visa and undergoing a mandatory federal immigration status check using the SAVE system.
FMCSA issued an Interim Final Rule that “significantly alters the process for state driver’s licensing agencies issuing commercial driving credentials to foreign-domiciled individuals,” noted Scopelitis Transportation Consulting in an email alert.