Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Oct. 24, 2025:
12 charged in SoCal cargo theft scheme
Law enforcement officials in San Bernardino County, California, have announced charges against 12 individuals, and their subsequent arrests, related to a cargo theft ring.
The 12 individuals, dubbed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department as the “Singh Organization,” were charged in the U.S. District Court for Central California in two separate indictments. One indictment was filed Sept. 19, and the other followed on Oct. 1. Those charged and arrested were:
- Paramvir Singh, 29, of Rancho Cucamonga, California
- Sandeep Singh, 31, of San Bernardino, California
- Mandeep Singh, 42, of Bakersfield, California
- Ranjodh Singh, 38, of Bakersfield
- Gurnaik Singh Chauhan, 40, of Fontana, California
- Harpreet Singh, 26, of Rancho Cucamonga
- Elgar Hernandez, 27, of Fontana
- Arshpreet Singh, 27, of Rancho Cucamonga
- Bikramjeet Singh, 27, of Sacramento, California
- Vikramjeet Singh, 30, of Fontana
- Himmat Singh Khalsa, 28, of Renton, Washington
- Narayan Singh, 27, of Fontana
“Between March 2021 and June 2025, members of the Singh Organization acquired or fraudulently used legitimate trucking companies to bid on authentic shipping contracts,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release. “Once they took possession of the freight (primarily electronics, appliances, and other high-value consumer goods), they diverted and stole the shipments instead of delivering them. The stolen cargo was later distributed through intermediaries or black-market channels, with an estimated loss in the millions of dollars.”
Charges against all 12 individuals include Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Theft from Interstate or Foreign Shipments, and Criminal Forfeiture.
Paramvir Singh and Mandeep Singh were also charged with Aggravated Identity Theft. Paramvir Singh also faces a charge of Money Laundering.
Tanker operators’ exemption for flashing brake lights renewed
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has renewed an exemption that allows motor carriers pulling tankers to install or continue to use a red or amber brake-activated pulsating lamp in addition to the steady-burning lamps required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).
FMCSA granted the renewal on Oct. 8, but because of the government shutdown, it has not been published in the Federal Register. The agency noted that it will submit the document for publication in the Federal Register once the Office of the Federal Register reopens.
The National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) organization has held the waiver that was granted Oct. 8, 2020, and expired Oct. 8 this year. With the renewal, the waiver is now effective through Oct. 8, 2030.
Federal regulations require all exterior lamps (both required lamps and any additional lamps) to be steady-burning, except turn-signal lamps, hazard warning signal lamps, and other lights specified in the regulation.
NTTC’s waiver allows the pulsating lamps in addition to the required steady-burning brake lamps required by the regulations. The pulsating lamps must be positioned in the upper center position or in an upper dual outboard position on the rear of the trailers.
In granting the renewal, FMCSA said available data from fleets utilizing the pulsating lamps “demonstrate measurable reductions in the frequency and severity of rear-end crashes” after their installation.
[Related: Tanker group seeks extended waiver for pulsating brake lights]
ATHS inducts four into American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame
The American Truck Historical Society hosted the 2025 American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 22 at its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, and inducted four new members.
“Thank you to all who attended and celebrated these pioneers with us, and especially to the representatives from each company who accepted on their behalf,” said John Gravley, executive director of the American Truck Historical Society.
Accepting the Hall of Fame inductions on behalf of the inductees, from left to right, were Brian Douglas (Bridgestone); Greg Leupold and Sydney Higgs (Autocar Trucks); and Randy Oligmueller (Joe Morten & Son).ATHS
Serving as emcee for the event, Stu MacKay, senior advisor to the Hall of Fame, shared personal anecdotes about the inductees, offering attendees a meaningful glimpse into their contributions to the trucking industry.
“The Hall of Fame isn’t just about celebrating companies — it’s about the people whose ideas and determination shaped the entire industry,” said Tom Mullen, chair of the Hall of Fame. “Their stories remind us that trucking’s strength comes from individuals who never stopped pushing boundaries.”
This year’s inductees were honored as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame:
- Roy Carver, founder of Bandag, Inc. — Accepted by Brian Douglas, vice president of retread solutions at Bridgestone, which acquired Bandag in 2007.
- Louis Semple Clarke, co-founder of The Autocar Company — Accepted by Sydney Higgs, marketing manager, and Greg Leupold, regional business manager, refuse, at Autocar Trucks.
- Joseph A. Morten and Joseph W. Morten, founders of Great West Casualty Company — Accepted by Randy Oligmueller, president of Joe Morten & Son, Inc. Joe Morten & Son helped establish Great West Casualty Company, which manages underwriting and claims operations, while Joe Morten & Son continues to serve trucking companies with insurance products and services.
