Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, July 23, 2025:
Oregon wildfires prompt HOS waiver for relief efforts
Wildfires in Oregon have prompted an emergency declaration from Gov. Tina Kotek, which allowed the Oregon Department of Transportation to issue an emergency waiver for truck drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency.
According to The Weather Channel, the Cram Fire in Central Oregon has burned nearly 150 square miles of terrain, including four homes and two other structures. The fire started July 13.
Oregon Gov. Kotek issued the state of emergency on July 16, and the Oregon DOT followed that day with a waiver from Part 395.3 and 395.5 of the hours-of-service regulations for truck drivers providing direct assistance to the fire relief.
The waiver is effective through 6 p.m. Pacific on July 30.
Mack intros new driver-assist safety system for new Pioneer
Mack Trucks this month introduced Mack Protect, its new proprietary active safety and collision mitigation system, debuting with the all-new Mack Pioneer Class 8 highway truck.
The comprehensive safety technology package represents a significant shift from the Bendix Fusion system previously used across Mack’s Class 8 product line to a proprietary collision mitigation system, delivering enhanced protection with features specifically engineered for Mack trucks, the company said.
[Related: Mack launches new digital tools to help prospective Pioneer buyers]
Mack Protect is available in three packages, allowing customers to select the level of protection that best suits their operation:
- Mack Protect (Standard): Includes forward protection technologies such as forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, traffic stop-and-go functionality, forward pedestrian detection, road sign recognition and frontal airbags.
- Mack Protect Pro: Builds on the standard package by adding comprehensive side protection, including side curtain airbags, lane change and blind spot support on both driver and passenger sides, as well as side pedestrian detection.
- Mack Protect Premier: The most advanced option, adding active steering capabilities with lane-keeping assist to the Pro package features.
According to Mack, the Mack Protect system also introduces several new safety technologies that have never before been offered, including:
- Driver Awareness Support with heads-up display capability
- Driver- and passenger-side radar detection systems
- Forward and side pedestrian detection with automatic warnings
- Active steering assistance with lane-keeping functionality
“The driver awareness features we’ve developed respond directly to the challenges professional drivers face every day,” said Scott Sokach, senior safety product manager at Mack Trucks. “Our system is designed not just to respond to emergency situations, but to help prevent them from occurring in the first place by extending the driver’s awareness of their surroundings.”
[Related: Up close with Mack’s new Pioneer Class 8]
