Each month, the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Government Affairs department works to keep trucking industry stakeholders up to date on changes in the legislative and regulatory landscape.
Here’s a recap of activity seen in March 2026.
Dalilah’s Law
Dalilah’s Law is named in honor of Dalilah Coleman, who was seriously injured at the age of 5 after being struck by a semi-truck driven by an undocumented immigrant who was unqualified to operate a commercial vehicle. Her story has since been highlighted as part of a broader push for stronger roadway safety measures. She was invited by President Donald Trump to attend this year’s State of the Union address, where he called on Congress to pass legislation aimed at preventing individuals without legal immigration status obtaining commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
It goes without saying that many members of Congress want to be the champion for this type of legislation. There are currently five bills that have been introduced all together, three of which are in the House of Representatives — H.R. 7758, H.R. 7793 and H.R. 5688.
H.R. 5688 (Rouzer R-NC07) has the most support thus far with almost 70 co-sponsors. On March 18, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H.R. 5688 through mark-up. The legislation seeks to strengthen CDL requirements nationwide by ensuring commercial motor vehicle drivers are adequately trained, meet safety benchmarks, and can read and understand English. It also aims to address concerns about inconsistent state enforcement that could allow unqualified individuals, such as undocumented immigrants to obtain CDLs, potentially posing safety risks on the road.
So far, the truckload industry has also seen two bills in the Senate — S.3917 and another version led by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on March 26 known as the Dalilah’s Law Act.
Call for participants: FMCSA pilot study on hours-of-service flexibility
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is seeking commercial truck drivers to participate in a new research study aimed at improving driver working conditions while maintaining roadway safety.
This study will evaluate two pilot programs under the “Pro-Trucker Package”:
Flexible Sleeper Berth (FSB):
Allows more flexible rest splits such as 5/5 and 6/4, instead of the current 7/3 or 8/2 requirements.
Split Duty Period (SDP):
Allows drivers to pause their 14-hour driving window for 30 minutes to 3 hours, extending the window to better manage fatigue, traffic, weather, or delays.
The goal is to understand how these flexibilities impact safety, driver performance, and quality of life compared to current Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations.
Participants will help:
- Evaluate safety outcomes under both pilot programs;
- Compare performance with current HOS rules; and
- Identify how and why drivers choose different scheduling options.
Your participation will directly contribute to shaping future policies that support truck drivers while ensuring safety on the road.
Fleets that are interested in participating in one of the pretests or pilot tests should contact Steve Keppler ([email protected]) at Scopelitis Transportation Consulting, or Rebecca Hammond ([email protected]) at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
For more information, click here to download a flyer.
Call for participants: FMCSA study on driver detention time
The FMCSA is seeking motor carriers and commercial drivers to participate in a major research study examining the impact of detention time on safety and operations in the trucking industry.
This study will collect and analyze real-world data to better understand how often detention occurs, what causes it, and how it affects driver safety and operational efficiency. It will also evaluate technology solutions and develop strategies to reduce detention time across the industry.
Why participate?
- Contribute to a landmark national study influencing future Federal guidance.
- Receive a customized report on how detention time impacts your fleet’s safety and operations.
- Minimal burden, with limited driver and fleet management involvement.
- Full confidentiality: FMCSA will not know which carriers or drivers participate.
The study will include approximately 60-80 carriers and 2,500 trucks, representing a wide range of operations across the industry.
Your participation can help drive meaningful changes on one of the most pressing challenges facing truck drivers today.
If you are interested in participating in this important research visit vtti.vt.edu/driver-detention/index.html or email [email protected] for more information.
For more information, click here to download a flyer.
Upcoming Dates: Congress in District
TCA encourages members to meet with their legislators during district work periods. These meetings allow you to share how policies affect your business and the trucking industry, without traveling to Washington, D.C.
Personal conversations help legislators see firsthand the real-world impact of their decisions, making your perspective more memorable and influential. Building these relationships can strengthen advocacy efforts and increase the likelihood that your voice is considered in key policy decisions, such as funding for the Highway Trust Fund and the Gallons-Based User Fee.
Members of Congress will be back in their districts on the following dates:
House of Representatives:
- March 28 – April 13, 2026
- May 23 – June 2, 2026
Senate:
- March 28 – April 12, 2026
- May 2 – June 1, 2026
Listen to the latest edition of TCA’s Capitol Recap podcast
Hailey Betham, manager of Government Affairs for TCA, gives a roundup of the latest trucking news from Capitol Hill.
Listen on Spotify • Listen on Soundcloud
Hailey Betham serves as the manager of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), where she leads the association’s federal and state legislative and regulatory efforts. In this role, Hailey is responsible for interpreting and communicating critical trucking-related regulations — including safety, labor and environmental policies — to TCA’s membership and congressional stakeholders on Capitol Hill.
Hailey regularly drafts and submits public comments on federal rulemakings, ensuring the voice of the truckload industry is heard and reflected in policy decisions. She also serves as the staff liaison on all matters related to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and other key federal agencies. A core focus of her work is on independent contractor (IC) policy, an area she has consistently championed throughout her career.
Hailey’s work is rooted in her experience engaging with local, state and national communities. She has used her experiences and community engagement as her backbone to push legislative goals at the state and federal levels. Because of this, she has well-rounded expertise in grassroots organizing, PAC fundraising, political campaigns and lobbying at the state and federal levels.
She describes herself as a compassionate, assertive and determined individual who thrives off the energy of others.
Hailey earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Cabrini University. Hailey is married to her husband, Michael, whose family has deep roots in the trucking industry. Together, they have two happy kids, Reagan and Reid. Outside of work, you can find Hailey hiking, reading a good book or just spending time with her family.
