As new federal rules push drivers out of trucking, Roadmaster Group’s Michael Fisk says shippers of hazmat, explosives and defense cargo face the tightest labor market in the industry.

GLENDALE, Ariz., Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The driver shortage is the biggest story in trucking this year. For carriers that move hazardous materials, explosives and Department of Defense cargo, it started long before 2026. Michael Fisk, Vice President of Roadmaster Group, estimates that of roughly 2.5 million over-the-road drivers in the U.S., only about 5,000 have the endorsements, experience and safety record to haul that freight.

A Shortage Driven by Who Is Allowed to Drive

This year’s shortage is coming from the supply side. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says English proficiency enforcement has already taken more than 26,000 drivers off the road. The agency also estimated that its non-domiciled CDL rule, in effect since March 16, would force about 194,000 drivers out of the freight market.

New capacity has not filled the gap. Carriers are rejecting contracted loads at roughly three times the 2023 to 2025 rate, and FreightWaves SONAR expects the market to stay tight through early 2027. On a July earnings call, Schneider President Jim Filter told investors the company would now call the market “driver-constrained.”

The Smallest Pool in Trucking

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) counts 2.3 million hazardous materials shipments a day across all modes. The most sensitive of those loads need a driver most fleets never have to find. Fisk lays out the math this way: start with about 2.5 million over-the-road drivers. Roughly 10 percent hold both hazmat and tanker endorsements. Filter for experience, a clean safety record and willingness to team drive, and the qualified pool drops to about 5,000 nationwide.

“Most of the industry is learning this year what a constrained driver market feels like,” said Fisk. “For hazmat and defense freight, that market has always been small. When a shipper hands us explosives or a government load, the real question is whether a qualified, cleared driver is available to take it. There are only a few thousand of those drivers in the country, and right now every carrier wants them.”

Tri-State Motor Transit Co., Roadmaster Group’s hazmat and defense carrier, has answered by developing those drivers itself. Its drivers hold secret security clearances. New hires go through five days of orientation at eight to 10 hours a day, with homework each night, while a typical industry orientation runs four to eight hours total. Drivers are paid a daily rate, so no one is paid to rush a hazmat load.

The results show up in retention. Large truckload carriers have averaged annual driver turnover of about 93 percent over nearly three decades, according to American Trucking Associations (ATA) data cited by FreightWaves. Since Fisk joined Roadmaster Group in 2014, the company has grown from 120 to about 600 trucks and cut annual driver turnover from more than 110 percent to about 45 percent.

“Retention is a safety number,” Fisk said. “Every driver we keep already knows our protocols, our customers and exactly what is on the trailer behind them. For a shipper moving sensitive freight, a carrier’s turnover rate says more about risk than almost anything on a rate sheet.”

Five Questions to Ask Before a Sensitive Load Moves

The ATA has said some carriers reject up to 90 percent of driver applicants for failing basic prerequisites. Fisk recommends shippers of hazmat, explosives and government freight ask their carriers:

How many of your drivers hold both hazmat and tanker endorsements, and how many have hauled freight like mine?What was your driver turnover rate last year?How long is your orientation, and what does it cover on hazmat handling and security?Will your own driver haul my load, or could it be brokered to another carrier?How are your drivers paid, and does that pay structure reward speed?

“Shippers spend a lot of time checking a carrier’s authority and insurance,” said Fisk. “With capacity this tight, they should spend just as much time on the driver. The truck is the easy part to replace.”

About Tri-State Motor Transit Co.
Tri-State Motor Transit Co., a division of Roadmaster Group, is one of the nation’s leading carriers specializing in hazardous materials, arms, ammunition, explosives and secure government freight. Hauling approximately 30,000 loads annually, 99 percent of which involve hazardous materials, Tri-State operates as the largest for-hire transporter for the Department of Defense. Roadmaster Group is based in Glendale, Ariz. For more information, visit roadmastergroup.com.

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SOURCE Tri-State Motor Transit

Targeted program offers funding support and expert guidance to principal investigators setting up a laboratory for the first time, and to those relocating

CONCORD, Mass., Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Oxford Instruments America today announced the launch of its New Investigator Program for researchers investing in creating new laboratory facilities.

The program facilitates access to Oxford Instruments’ leading microscopy, imaging, and analysis solutions for life science and materials science research, along with strategic support from expert advisors, tailored training, service and upgrade packages, and the opportunity to collaborate with a network of peers.

The program has been established to help principal investigators in new settings to maximize their startup funding and establish flexible research environments that grow with their ambitions. Primarily designed to support early-career researchers as they set up laboratories to address their research challenges, the program also includes benefits for experienced investigators relocating their research programs to a new institution.

John Morreale, President, Oxford Instruments America, commented:

“At Oxford Instruments, we have a long track record of building deep and lasting partnerships with our customers which help to accelerate their progress over many years. Every engagement begins with listening, as we seek to understand the research outcomes our customers want to achieve, and then design bespoke and user-friendly solutions to meet their needs.

“We’ve created the New Investigator Program following many conversations with early-career researchers, which have highlighted just how challenging it can be to establish high-impact research environments.

“Through the program, we can facilitate access to premium research equipment paired with Oxford Instruments’ many years of experience in helping customers to push scientific boundaries.

“Our goal is both to support new investigators’ immediate requirements and to enable their future research discoveries, providing a flexible, long-term service partnership to support researchers at every stage of their journey. We can also bring the benefits of the program to experienced researchers relocating to new institutions, who face many of the same challenges as those setting up their labs for the first time.”

Key benefits of the program include:

Exclusive discounting programs to help maximize startup funds and provide access to the technology researchers need from day one.Customer success health checks that offer proactive guidance, performance reviews, and ongoing support to ensure researchers get the most from their investment.Upgrade and trade-in pathways that provide flexible options to expand capabilities and keep pace with evolving research needs.Research collaboration opportunities that connect early-career researchers with scientific experts, technology specialists, and peers to advance discovery and innovation.Advanced application training delivered by experienced application scientists to help optimize workflows, accelerate adoption, and improve data quality.Membership to the OI Investigators Network, giving researchers access to a community of fellow investigators, exclusive resources, educational content, and networking opportunities.

For further information on the New Investigator Program, and to apply, visit: New Investigator Program – Oxford Instruments.

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SOURCE Oxford Instuments

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Institute for Financial Integrity (IFI) is pleased to announce that Qi Card, one of Iraq’s leading electronic payment companies, is expanding its use of IFI’s compliance education and training services as its business grows across the region.

Qi Card has embarked on a comprehensive, multi-year compliance transformation program spanning April 2025 through December 2027. The initiative focuses on strengthening corporate governance, AML/CFT controls, sanctions compliance, transaction monitoring, risk management, and institutional compliance capabilities, with the objective of further aligning the organization with international regulatory expectations and global financial integrity standards. Continuous professional development and specialized training, supported by IFI’s DOLFIN platform, form an integral part of this broader transformation.

“Our compliance transformation represents a long-term strategic commitment to strengthening financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and institutional governance across Qi Card and its regional operations,” said Dureid Saad, Head of Compliance at Qi Card. “Developing the knowledge and capabilities of our employees is fundamental to achieving these objectives. Our collaboration with IFI supports this commitment by providing structured, internationally oriented compliance education across the organization.”

IFI’s work with Qi Card has evolved across three key areas:

Enterprise-wide foundational learning: Qi Card employees gained access to IFI’s DOLFIN platform and video library through the Financial Integrity and Cross-Border Payments Training Program, providing foundational financial crime compliance education.Customized compliance training: IFI developed three annual compliance courses tailored to Qi Card’s needs: Introduction to KYC/CDD, Introduction to Transaction Monitoring, and Introduction to Sanctions Screening.Regional expansion: IFI conducted a training needs assessment to help identify learning priorities, then enrolled Qi Card’s subsidiaries in the UAE and Jordan.

“Qi Card’s evolving training requirements illustrate the importance of compliance education that can scale with a growing financial services business,” said Natalie Pulsifer, Senior Director of Client Services at IFI. “IFI’s work with Qi Card has progressed from foundational learning to customized courses and expanded regional access, helping deliver relevant training as the organization’s needs and geographic reach continue to develop.”

As financial institutions expand into new markets, scalable and targeted compliance education can help organizations equip employees with the knowledge needed to navigate shifting financial crime risks and regulatory expectations.

About IFI

The Institute for Financial Integrity is dedicated to empowering today’s institutions to protect their operations and the global financial system from illicit use. It provides both in-person training and online education, testing, and certifications through DOLFIN®—the Dedicated Online Financial Integrity Network—its proprietary learning platform.

Follow IFI on LinkedIn.

Contact

Institute for Financial Integrity Media Relations
media@finintegrity.org 

About Qi Card

Qi Card was established in 2007 through a partnership between the private sector, represented by Iraqi electronic payment systems, and the public sector, represented by Al-Rafidain Bank, the country’s largest bank. Qi Card offers flexible financial services, full banking capabilities through mobile devices, and value-added solutions for individual and corporate customers.

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SOURCE Institute for Financial Integrity