Top 3 Trucking News Today: FMCSA Closes 9,970 Driver School Sites, FDA Clears Oral Fluid and Hair Drug Tests and Daimler Truck North America Sales Jump 51% (October 10, 2026)

Training, testing and truck supply all moved this week. Federal regulators are tightening the pipeline that produces new drivers, the FDA cleared a path for new kinds of drug tests, and one of the biggest truck makers reported a strong quarter. Here are the three stories carriers, drivers and brokers should know today.

1. FMCSA Has Closed Driver Training Schools at 9,970 Locations

As of October 5, FMCSA had shut down truck driver training schools at 9,970 locations as part of a two-year enforcement campaign, according to Transport Topics. Nearly 800 schools remain under review, and about 31,000 locations are still listed as active training sites. The agency says some operators used the self-certification process to claim they met Entry-Level Driver Training rules and get onto the Training Provider Registry.

FMCSA credits investigations and inspections for most of the removals and describes a surge of new schools between 2020 and 2024, some of which it calls bad actors. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in August that 110 schools had been closed in connection with about 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests. Homeland Security Investigations is also supporting the effort.

Why it matters: Carriers hiring new CDL holders should confirm where a driver trained and keep that record in the qualification file. Legitimate schools may see more paperwork and review, while drivers who trained at a removed provider could face questions about their credentials.

2. FDA Clears the Way for Oral Fluid and Hair Drug Testing

A rule that took effect October 6 exempts 14 categories of federally regulated drug-testing systems from the FDA’s 510(k) premarket clearance step, covering substances such as amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, fentanyl and opiates. Industry groups said that step had kept laboratories from getting federal certification to run oral fluid and hair tests.

The American Trucking Associations, which pushed for the change for years, wants these methods used alongside urine testing. Both rely on observed collection, which makes tampering harder, and hair testing looks back over a longer period. More than 5.5 million drug and alcohol tests a year are for FMCSA-regulated commercial drivers. It is not yet clear when labs will offer the tests or how DOT will put them into its programs.

Why it matters: Nothing changes at the collection site today, but fleets should watch for DOT guidance. A longer detection window and observed collection could shift how carriers plan pre-employment and random testing, and drivers should know the options may widen.

3. Daimler Truck North America Reports Third-Quarter Sales Up 51%

Daimler Truck North America sold 45,629 trucks and buses in the third quarter, up 51% from 30,225 a year earlier. Nine-month sales reached 116,748, up 8%. For the whole Daimler Truck group, third-quarter sales rose 26% to 91,260, while battery-electric truck and bus sales fell 28% to 1,207.

These are company sales figures, not new orders, and the year-earlier quarter was a low base. Other recent reports show fleet buyers still cautious about orders while they wait on EPA’s 2027 engine rule. Daimler Truck plans to publish detailed financial results on November 6.

Why it matters: Strong deliveries suggest fleets are replacing equipment, which can help with reliability and lead times. Owner-operators shopping for new trucks should still compare pricing and delivery dates, since order sentiment and regulation remain in flux.

The Bottom Line

The common thread is who and what gets onto the road: how drivers are trained, how they are tested and how quickly new trucks arrive. Each area is changing at the same time, so fleets with clean records and clear processes will have the easiest path through it.

Neal’s Take

I read today’s stories as one theme: standards for entering the industry are being reviewed on several fronts at once. Regulators say school closures are about safety and fraud, and carriers get clearer assurance about who is qualified, though honest schools and new drivers may face more friction along the way. New testing options could help safety, and the details of how they are rolled out will decide whether they are practical. If I were running a fleet, I would document driver training sources, watch for DOT testing guidance and compare truck delivery timelines before committing to purchases.

— Neal Cvetkovski, Founder of LOAD TIDE. Personal opinion, not legal or financial advice.

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Sources: Transport Topics (driver school closures), Transport Topics (FDA drug testing), Transport Topics (Daimler Truck sales).