After the presidential election last fall, trucking industry observers knew a significant deregulatory shift was coming to the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has delivered on those expectations as part of the department. 

As anticipated, the second Trump administration announced a comprehensive regulatory freeze upon taking office in January. Since that point, the FMCSA under Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has charted a deregulatory path, with a notable recent exception. 

Let’s examine the FMCSA’s most significant regulatory developments from the second quarter of the year. 

Swift changes to English language proficiency requirements 

Perhaps the most newsworthy and consequential regulatory change of the quarter emerged from an Executive Order that moved from concept to enforcement in near-record time. On April 28, President Trump signed Executive Order 14286, “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers,” addressing long-standing safety concerns from the enforcement community. 

The regulation moved with unusual speed. Just one day later, on April 29, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Driver-Traffic Enforcement Committee drafted and approved new Out-of-Service criteria for English Language Proficiency violations. By May 20, the FMCSA had rescinded previous guidance in place since 2016 and issued updated enforcement procedures.  

The new requirements took effect on June 25 – less than two months from executive order to active enforcement. 

For more on this change and how carriers can respond effectively, read our recent blog by Transflo’s Scott Stofer, who serves on the CVSA Driver-Traffic Enforcement Committee. 

A flurry of proposed deregulatory changes 

On May 29, Secretary Duffy announced that the department would be “slashing duplicative and outdated regulations” across DOT agencies, with the FMCSA being privy to 20 separate deregulatory actions. The package includes two Final Rules, eight regulations to be rescinded, and 10 rules to be amended. For the 18 rules not yet finalized, public comments are open until July 29. 

Key proposed changes include: 

Accident and medical treatment reporting: The agency proposes redefining “medical treatment” to exclude diagnostic imaging such as X-rays and CT scans. Under the new definition, only “treatment for diagnosed injuries or other medical intervention directly related to the accident” would qualify as medical treatment, reducing the number of reportable accidents. 

Eliminating violation self-reporting: With the 2024 implementation of exclusive electronic exchange of violations between state drivers licensing agencies, the FMCSA considers self-reporting by CDL holders obsolete.  

CDL accommodations for military personnel: Dual-status military technicians will now qualify for the same CDL exemptions available to active-duty personnel, regardless of whether they serve in the reserves or National Guard. This change recognizes that military driving training provides equivalent safety preparation to civilian CDL programs. 

Streamlining some equipment requirements: Several equipment mandates are slated for elimination, including requirements for rear impact guard certification labeling (which often becomes illegible over time), spare fuses for each type needed in the vehicle, and liquid-burning flares from warning device requirements. 

Electronic documentation progress: The requirement for drivers to carry physical ELD operator manuals will be rescinded, acknowledging that digital access provides the same information without cab clutter. Similarly, the agency is clarifying that Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports can be completed electronically, encouraging cost-saving digital methods. 

Other changes address railroad grade crossing requirements, retroreflective sheeting requirements for trailers manufactured before December 1993, and the removal of references to “water carriers” throughout the regulatory framework. 

Broker transparency: Caught in regulatory limbo? 

While deregulatory efforts have dominated headlines, one major initiative could be stalled in the political transition—for now. The broker transparency proposal, which generated significant industry attention when proposed last November under the Biden administration, seems to have “dropped off the radar,” according to one frustrated owner-operator. 

The proposal, which would require brokers to provide transaction records within 48 hours of a carrier’s request, represented a compromise position between transparency advocates and brokerage interests. However, with the Trump administration’s “10 for 1” regulatory approach, which requires agencies to identify at least 10 existing regulations for repeal when proposing new ones, the path forward for new transparency requirements appears uncertain. 

While transparency advocates argue that the proposal merely modifies existing brokerage rules rather than creating new regulations, the broader deregulatory mandate may still impact its prospects. The FMCSA’s tight-lipped response to industry inquiries suggests ongoing internal deliberations about the proposal’s future. 

For owner-operators and carriers seeking relief from what they perceive as predatory brokerage practices, the will-they-won’t-they status of the rules could bring significant disappointment. The current system allows transparency requests, but many carriers avoid using this right due to fears of being blacklisted by brokers. 

Agency focus areas next year and beyond  

The FMCSA’s fiscal year 2026 budget request was published in early June. While seeking a modest 2% funding increase to $927 million, the agency plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 7%. 

Notably, the cuts target the agency’s headquarters personnel rather than field safety staff. The Office of Safety, which manages all field personnel and safety programs, is set to maintain its 852 positions, representing over 75% of the agency’s workforce. 

The budget priorities emphasize four key areas that will shape the industry’s future: 

• Fraud prevention: This effort responds to the epidemic that has plagued the industry, with fraudsters purchasing or stealing legitimate MC numbers to bypass carrier vetting systems, among other scams. 
• Customer service expansion: The FMCSA Customer Contact Center will expand its support for the trucking industry. 
• Registration system modernization: The deployment of the new “Motus” registration system in 2025 will overhaul how carriers and brokers obtain operating authority. 
• Crash data analytics: The agency plans to expand crash data collection and analysis, merging state-reported information with other data sources to identify factors in large truck crashes.  

Staying on top of regulatory developments is imperative 

For trucking industry professionals, staying informed about these evolving developments is essential for success and risk management in an industry where regulations impact profitability and safety. The second quarter of 2025 has demonstrated that change can happen fast, making proactive engagement with regulatory developments more critical than ever.  

TL;DR

The Trump administration, as expected, has gone forward with FMCSA deregulation under Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Most notably, new English proficiency requirements moved from executive order to enforcement in under two months. In May, the agency announced 20 deregulatory actions, including redefining “medical treatment” to exclude diagnostic imaging, eliminating CDL violation self-reporting, and streamlining various equipment requirements.

Additionally, the broker transparency proposal from November 2024 may be stalled in regulatory limbo. Looking ahead, the 2026 budget includes a 2% funding increase but 7% workforce cuts, with priorities focusing on fraud prevention, customer service, registration modernization, and crash data analytics. The rapid pace of change makes staying informed crucial for industry professionals.