Updates from Louisiana's Transportation Industry!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

2026 Annual Sponsor

 
 
 

Register Now! Drive Your Bottom Line: LMTA’s First Accounting, HR & Finance Conference | October 13

LMTA is excited to host our first-ever Accounting, HR & Finance Conference: Drive Your Bottom Line on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, from 12:00–5:00 p.m. at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.

Created specifically for Louisiana’s trucking industry, this half-day conference will focus on the business side of trucking and the issues that directly impact your company’s bottom line. From accounting and financial management to human resources, workforce challenges and business operations, attendees can expect practical information designed for today’s trucking companies.

 

(New!) After the conference, Drive Your Bottom Line, then raise a glass at "Gourd Times Ahead," our FREE fall-themed cocktail hour at the LMTA office featuring seasonal drinks, light bites and networking. All are welcome; advance registration is requested.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
Registration: NOW OPEN

Agenda

  • 12:00 p.m. | Welcome
    • Louisiana Motor Transport Association
  • 12:15 p.m. | Wage Pressure Facing Trucking Company Owners
    • Leah Shaver, President & CEO, National Transportation Institute
    • Driver compensation trends, factors driving wage pressure, and strategies to manage labor costs while staying competitive.
  • 1:15 p.m. | Compliance Across the Miles: The New Maternity Mandates, Owner-Operators, and W2s. 
    • Alexandra Hains, Partner, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P.
    • A discussion of new federal maternity law requirements and practical strategies for managing owner-operators and truck drivers remotely. testing for owner-operators and W-2 employees.
  • 2:15 p.m. | Operations That Hit the Bottom Line
    • Steve Horelica, McLeod Software
    • How planning, fuel, labor, equipment utilization, and day-to-day operations impact the bottom line.
  • 3:15 p.m. | Post Accident Strategies for Reducing Exposure
    • Doug Williams, Partner, Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P.
    • Current legal issues facing Louisiana trucking companies and how to defend against them in your operations.
  • 4:15 p.m. | Factoring vs. Traditional Financing for Trucking Companies
    • Cory Turner, WEX
    • What carriers need to know when comparing factoring and traditional financing.
  • (New!) 5:00 p.m. | "Gourd Time Ahead" - After Conference Cocktail Hour
    • LMTA Office, a 5 minute walk from the Hilton Capitol Center. All are welcome; advance registration is requested.

REGISTER NOW!

 

2027 LMTA Membership Dues Have Been Sent Out Via Email

DUES DETAILS:

2027 membership dues invoices were sent electronically via email on Monday, October 5. Dues are for the 2027 calendar year and are due January 1, 2027.

If your dues invoice should be sent to a specific email address, or if you did not receive your invoice, please contact Accounting Director Burton Comeaux at burton@lmta.la to update your billing information.

KEEP YOUR LMTA INFORMATION UP TO DATE

Please take a moment to log in to your Info Hub Portal and review your company and contact information. Keeping your profile current helps ensure LMTA communications and account information reach the right people.

Be sure to check who is listed to receive your company’s invoices and billing communications. If your billing contact has changed, please update your profile with the most current information, or contact burton@lmta.la.

Your Info Hub information is also used for LMTA records and our annual Membership Directory.

REMINDER: LMTA’s mailing address has changed. Due to USPS delivery issues, mail or checks sent to our former Bennington Avenue address may not be received.

Please update your records and send all future mail to: 325 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801.

 

2027 LMTA Annual Sponsorships Are Here, With New Pricing

An LMTA Annual Sponsorship is more than your logo at an event. It puts your company in front of thousands of eyes throughout the year while supporting LMTA’s work to advocate, educate, connect and respond to the issues that matter to Louisiana trucking.

For 2027, we have repriced our Annual Sponsorship opportunities to reflect the current economic challenges facing the trucking industry. We know companies across our industry are being asked to do more with less, and we want to make supporting LMTA more accessible while continuing to provide meaningful value and year-round visibility.

SEE WHAT YOUR SPONSORSHIP INCLUDES

We encourage you to review our new 2027 Annual Sponsorship Guide for a complete look at sponsorship levels, benefits, upcoming events and the many ways LMTA recognizes the companies that invest in our industry.

Annual sponsorship provides recognition at our Transportation Conference, Seafood Gala and Annual Convention, plus exposure through the LMTA website, Truck Talk Weekly, LMTA app and social media. Select levels also include event registrations, tickets and additional promotional opportunities.

2027 ANNUAL SPONSORSHIPS

Gold | $17,000 | 1 available
Premium benefits including event registrations, a professionally produced promotional video and exclusive apparel.

Silver | $14,000 | 2 available
Event registrations and exclusive promotional opportunities.

Bronze | $10,000 | 3 available
Exclusive promotional opportunities.

Monthly installment options are available. The guide includes a full breakdown of what is included at each level so you can find the opportunity that best fits your company.

 

Hurricane Isaias Update: Interstate Weight Restrictions Remain in Effect

As Hurricane Isaias approaches, LMTA wants to remind motor carriers of important restrictions regarding emergency weight allowances on Interstate highways.

At the time of this update, no Presidential emergency declaration has been issued for Hurricane Isaias. Without the necessary federal authorization, states cannot independently waive applicable federal weight restrictions on Interstate highways.

Motor carriers should continue operating within existing federal Interstate weight limits unless appropriate authorization is issued.

LMTA will continue monitoring developments and share updates with members as additional information becomes available.

 

Federal Update: Use Caution on Dyed Diesel Executive Order

FROM OUR FEDERAL CONTACTS AT THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS (ATA):

The American Trucking Associations has provided the following update regarding the President’s recent Executive Order on dyed diesel and how motor carriers should approach the new policy.

IMPORTANT: ATA recommends that carriers delay the use of dyed diesel for on-road use until the U.S. Department of the Treasury issues additional guidance.

What Was Announced

On October 5, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order directing temporary federal tax-payment and penalty relief for highway use of dyed diesel. Dyed diesel is normally reserved for off-road uses and marked red to distinguish it from fuel subject to highway taxes.

The order directs Treasury and the IRS to:

  • Determine eligibility for tax deferral. Within five days, Treasury must determine whether statutory authority permits relief and which taxpayers qualify. If authorized, eligible tax obligations incurred from October 5 through December 31, 2026, would be deferred without interest or penalties.

  • Announce dyed-diesel penalty relief. Treasury must direct the IRS to announce that specified penalties will not apply to dyed diesel sold for highway use or used on highways during the applicable period. The announcement must also address penalties for missed semimonthly tax deposits.

  • Publish implementing guidance. Guidance must identify covered taxpayers, conditions, applicable deadlines and when postponed taxes must ultimately be paid.

  • Explore tax forgiveness. Treasury must examine options, including legislation, to eliminate deferred tax obligations. The Executive Order itself does not forgive those taxes.

The order also directs federal coordination on fuel access, protection of agricultural distribution and encouragement of corresponding state action. It explicitly directs FMCSA to continue legally required compliance enforcement.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a directive for temporary penalty relief and potential tax deferral, not a blanket repeal of diesel taxes or all fuel-related requirements. ATA recommends that carriers delay the use of dyed diesel for on-road use until Treasury issues its guidance.

Practical Implications for Trucking

Potential relief is not the same as permanent savings.
Federal diesel tax is 24.4 cents per gallon, or approximately $60 on a 250-gallon fill. Claims of savings exceeding $100 per fill assume corresponding state action. Those savings should not be considered guaranteed, particularly because federal tax forgiveness remains unresolved.

Dyed diesel does not create additional fuel supply.
Dyed and clear diesel come from the same underlying supply. Allowing highway use changes the fuel's tax and enforcement treatment, but it does not address the broader supply constraints driving prices higher.

Access through normal fueling networks remains a practical hurdle.
Most truck stops and major fleet fueling locations dispense clear diesel. Switching involves storage, delivery controls, labeling and recordkeeping. The Executive Order directs coordination on access but does not establish that dyed diesel will be readily available through carriers' normal fueling networks.

State taxes and interstate reporting require separate clarification.
State tax liability and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) reporting remain significant concerns for interstate carriers. Requirements should be checked against new federal guidance and each state's written instructions. Some states have suspended enforcement of dyed diesel restrictions but have different requirements.

Interstate carriers should exercise particular caution. Trucks using dyed diesel could face penalties when entering a state that has not issued corresponding enforcement relief.

Highway funding remains an important consideration.
There is an important distinction between delayed tax collection and actual tax forgiveness. Fuel taxes also remain a significant source of funding for roads and bridges used by the trucking industry.

ATA's Recommended Guidance for Motor Carriers

  • Do not change fueling practices solely based on the Executive Order announcement.

  • Delay the use of dyed diesel for on-road use until Treasury issues its guidance.

  • Confirm eligibility, supplier participation, state requirements and reporting treatment before making changes.

  • Retain complete fuel-purchase and mileage records.

  • Do not assume deferred taxes have been eliminated or change fuel-surcharge arrangements based on advertised savings alone.

  • Be aware that dyed diesel can stain fuel systems, leaving residual evidence that could potentially be subject to enforcement after federal or state relief expires.

  • Before using dyed diesel, check with equipment suppliers regarding any potential warranty implications.

LMTA will continue to share additional information with members as federal and state guidance becomes available.

 

Emergency Declarations

All Emergency Declarations, Waivers, Exemptions and Permits

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency-declarations

LMTA Member Exclusive Affinity Programs

The LMTA currently offers a variety of exclusive business partnerships and services to members of the association. Special member-only offers for our partners are listed below and can be found through your LMTA Info Hub under the "Resources" tab.

 

LMTA ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLAN

Exclusively for LMTA members, this group health insurance program helps trucking employers reduce costs and enhance employee benefits through collective purchasing power and risk sharing. Powered by USI, it offers greater transparency, trucking specific plan options and expert guidance giving employers improved control and drivers access to specialized care.

LEARN MORE

 

LMTA & WEX CARD

The Louisiana Motor Transport Association (LMTA) is excited to announce a rewarding affinity program partnership with WEX and their MasterCard product. Whether you use a physical WEX MasterCard, a Ghost Card for recurring payments, a Virtual Card for one-time payments, or integrate WEX MasterCard to handle all electronic payments, you can help the LMTA earn valuable rebates.

LEARN MORE

 

APP EMBARK

App Embark specializes in creating mobile apps for companies that allow employers to organize and communicate with their employees more efficiently and effectively. As part of our partnership with App Embark, LMTA members save $500 on the cost of the build fee!  

LEARN MORE

 

TO LEARN MORE OR SCHEDULE A DEMO, SELECT THE LINK BELOW IN YOUR MEMBER PORTAL.

 

Please note: Since these are exclusive member only offers, you will be directed to log into your Info Hub to view the details.

 

This email was sent on behalf of The Louisiana Motor Transport Association (LMTA) located at 325 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801. To unsubscribe click here. If you have questions or comments concerning this email contact lmta@lmta.la.