6 Regulatory Changes for Trucking to Watch in 2026

After a year of what many industry experts have called regulatory turbulence, 2026 is shaping up to be another pivotal year for trucking compliance. While some expected deregulation, what actually unfolded in 2025 was a significant enforcement crackdown on existing rules.

Here are the six most important regulatory developments trucking companies should be watching closely in 2026.

1. English Language Proficiency Enforcement

English Language Proficiency (ELP) rules have been on the books for decades, but enforcement tightened dramatically in 2025. Drivers who fail to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency during roadside inspections are now placed out of service immediately.

By the end of 2025, nearly 10,000 drivers had reportedly been sidelined under the renewed enforcement standard.

For fleets, this creates two major risks:

• Operational disruptions if drivers are placed out of service
• Legal exposure if a crash involves a driver later found noncompliant

Carriers with bilingual drivers should strongly consider English-as-a-second-language support and documented internal assessments.

2. Non-Domiciled CDL Restrictions

Non-domiciled CDL issuance became a national flashpoint following several high-profile crashes. In response, FMCSA moved to significantly tighten eligibility standards and restrict visa categories that qualify.

Although legal challenges delayed parts of the emergency rule, the direction is clear: stricter vetting and reduced eligibility moving forward.

For carriers operating in border-heavy regions or employing non-domiciled drivers, this issue requires immediate workforce analysis and renewal planning.

3. Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Oversight Tightening

ELDs were meant to eliminate hours-of-service fraud, but enforcement officials uncovered widespread abuse — including noncompliant devices and “chameleon” ELD providers that rebrand after being revoked.

FMCSA has announced plans to increase vetting before devices are placed on the approved list. However, the U.S. will still use a self-certification model rather than a government-certified approach like Canada.

Fleets should proactively audit their ELD provider’s compliance status and prepare contingency plans in case of revocation.

4. Entry-Level Driver Training Scrutiny

Following a federal review of 16,000 training providers, nearly 3,000 were removed from the registry and 4,000 more were put on notice for potential noncompliance.

While this removes questionable operators, deeper concerns remain:

• No federal minimum hour requirement for training
• Heavy reliance on self-certification
• Inconsistent oversight of curriculum standards

Carriers should carefully vet the schools their drivers graduate from. Hiring poorly trained drivers increases both safety and insurance risk.

5. Safety Fitness Determination & SMS Changes

FMCSA has long aimed to revise how it measures motor carrier safety. Updates to the Safety Measurement System (SMS) and potential changes to Safety Fitness Determinations are still expected.

If implemented, these changes could:

• Alter how carriers are prioritized for audits
• Change public-facing safety scores
• Impact insurance underwriting and shipper contracts

Although timelines remain unclear, fleets should monitor announcements closely and maintain strong compliance documentation.

6. Autonomous Truck Regulation Development

Autonomous trucking technology continues advancing rapidly, but federal regulatory standards have yet to catch up.

Currently, rules governing autonomous truck operations vary state by state. Federal agencies have indicated that national standards are likely coming.

Key questions regulators will need to address include:

• Liability allocation
• Safety oversight requirements
• Remote monitoring standards
• Interaction with existing CDL frameworks

Carriers considering early adoption of autonomous technology should prepare for evolving compliance and insurance implications.

Other Regulatory Areas to Watch

Additional potential rulemaking areas in 2026 include:

• Drug testing changes (including marijuana rescheduling and hair testing)
• Broker transparency requirements
• Independent contractor definitions
• Mandatory automatic emergency braking
• Side underride guard requirements
• Rear-view camera allowances
• Updates to ELD technical standards
• New motor carrier entrant safety processes

What This Means for Carriers in 2026

The common theme across all these developments is increased scrutiny. Even in an environment described as deregulatory, enforcement intensity has clearly risen.

For fleets, this means:

• Greater documentation discipline
• Stronger hiring verification processes
• Ongoing compliance audits
• Proactive driver qualification file management
• Close monitoring of federal rulemaking

Regulatory exposure increasingly translates into insurance exposure. When enforcement tightens, underwriting tightens.

How Allcom Insurance Helps You Stay Ahead

At Allcom Insurance, we stay ahead of regulatory trends so your business doesn’t fall behind them.

Whether you need:

• A compliance exposure review
• Help aligning insurance coverage with workforce changes
• Risk management guidance tied to new enforcement trends
• Protection against increasing litigation exposure

Our team understands the evolving trucking regulatory landscape and how it affects your bottom line.

Call 866-277-9049 or email info@allcomins.com to ensure your fleet is positioned to operate confidently in 2026.

Preparation is no longer optional. In today’s regulatory climate, it is protection.