Breakbulk shipping is all about moving “big” products, from turbine blades needed to support wind farms, to steel beams and precast concrete structures for infrastructure projects. In 2025, the oversize and overweight (OS/OW) trucking sector also scored some “big” wins on the regulatory front in the United States. This market sector, essential to supply chain logistics, is expected to grow in 2026 with the expansion of renewable energy and infrastructure projects, particularly in developing countries. To keep pace with demand for service and the complexity of global supply chains, OS/OW vehicle providers are undergoing digital transformation, adopting new technologies to achieve greater efficiency.

Recent Regulatory Changes Allow Flexibility for Meal Breaks

On December 4, 2025, the Federal Motor Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a final decision to fully renew an exemption requested by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) from the 30-minute rest break provision of the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. The Association and its members had wanted to avoid the mandated 30-minute break for several reasons. According to the SC&RA, state permits often restrict OS/OW loads to specific days and hours, which frequently conflict with the mandatory 30-minute break timing, making compliance difficult. While the nation faces a severe shortage of parking for trucks, finding safe and legal parking for huge loads is especially challenging, and a forced break often means parking on highway shoulders, sometimes extending into traffic, which creates high crash risks.

The FMCSA has acknowledged that OS/OW drivers are at least as likely to be in a crash while parked roadside for a break as during driving, making the break counterproductive to safety in these specific situations, as noted in the Federal Register. The recent ruling by the FMCSA comes after several years of advocacy efforts by the SC&RA and several interim rules by the agency for a limited period. The SC&RA responded positively to the FMCSA’s action, viewing it as a major victory for the industry.

For drivers of oversize and overweight vehicles, the new regulation allows flexibility in satisfying the 30-minute rest break rule, which requires a break after eight hours of consecutive driving. The break can be satisfied by a driver using “on-duty, not driving” status rather than “off duty” status. The new rule also modifies the split sleeper berth exception to allow drivers to divide their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: an 8/2 split or a 7/3 split. Neither period would count against the driver’s 14-hour driving window. The rule also changes short-haul exceptions available to certain drivers by lengthening the maximum on-duty period for drivers from 12 to 14 hours and extending the distance limit within which the driver may operate from 100 air miles to 150 air miles. These exemptions are a crucial factor enabling OS/OW providers to serve the industries that drive market sector growth.

Elimination of Motor Carrier Numbers Streamlines Processes

These exemptions are a crucial factor enabling OS/OW providers to serve the industries that drive market sector growth. Another win for heavy-duty truckers in 2025 was the elimination of the Motor Carrier (MC) number, a federal identification number that grants legal authority for a for-hire carrier to transport regulated commodities or passengers across state lines. This change is good news for motor carriers, including those hauling OS/OW loads, because it streamlines the registration process, reduces administrative burden, and helps prevent fraud within the industry.

FMCSA Allows a Phased Approach to the Mandate for AEB Systems

Another issue of concern for heavy-duty truckers has been the FMCSA mandate for Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) on most heavy-duty trucks. While the heavy-duty trucking industry acknowledges the safety advantages of this technology, implementation presents challenges, including high costs and integration complexities with existing systems like Electronic Stability Control (ESC), potential for false activations (e.g., from overpasses), and ensuring the technology works across diverse real-world conditions. The FMCSA is giving fleets time to develop reliable tests, address variables like speed and load, incorporate feedback, manage costs, and phase in technology safely for all truck classes to minimize disruption.

Renewed Energy & Infrastructure Projects Drive Growth

The heavy-duty trucks market is valued at an estimated $51.56 billion in 2025. This figure reflects a growth rate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% over the last five years. While modest, industry experts note the stability of this trucking market sector during a period some viewed as a freight recession. The global oversize cargo transportation market, a broader category, is projected to grow from $194.6 billion in 2025 to $311.7 billion by 2034. The industry drivers include the increase in renewable energy projects and infrastructure development across much of the world.

The global energy transition is growing, with governments and private companies investing in renewable energy projects. In Europe, Asia, and the U.S., wind energy is experiencing exponential growth. These projects require massive components, including turbine blades and tower sections, cargo that can only be transported via breakbulk shipping. Hydroelectric turbines and solar panel arrays are also driving the need for specialized transportation. These items are often oversized and fragile, requiring careful handling during transportation. Breakbulk shipping can handle these commodities and deliver them to remote locations with limited port facilities. With aggressive renewable energy targets for 2030 and beyond, the demand for breakbulk services in this sector is expected to increase.

The world is also seeing a surge in infrastructure projects, often in developing economies where urbanization is growing. With investments in roads, railways, bridges, and airport expansions, many large-scale projects are underway, including the China Belt and Road Initiative and Africa’s regional infrastructure developments. These initiatives rely heavily on breakbulk shipping, not only because of the size and weight of the many commodities needed for these projects, but also because breakbulk shipping allows delivery to remote or inland areas where multimodal transport is required to complete the supply chain.

In addition to these efforts, growth in the oil and gas industry and mining operations will drive the need for breakbulk shipping. As global agricultural production increases to meet food security demands, the transport of farming machinery is experiencing significant growth.

Digital Transformation Empowers Breakbulk Provider Efficiency

With the need to provide specialized services and to operate in a wide range of global markets, many heavy-duty transportation providers and related technology companies are adopting various technologies, particularly AI, telematics, and automation, to improve efficiency. According to a market study by Gartner, a leading global research and advisory firm, AI and Machine Learning are being used for route optimization, predictive maintenance, load balancing, and enhancing safety features, including collision avoidance and driver monitoring. Telematics & IoT (Internet of Things) provide real-time data on vehicle location, fuel consumption, driver behavior, and cargo conditions, enabling proactive decision-making and operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, load balancing, and enhancing safety features, including collision avoidance and driver monitoring.

Going “Big” Requires Innovation and Collaboration

“Heavy haul shipments are some of the most complex loads to move,” said a representative of Anderson Trucking Service (ATS). “Most will require permitting and route planning, a specialized trailer, a heavy-haul truck, an experienced driver, and a thorough plan for safe loading, transport, and unloading.”

With many stakeholders, the OS/OW transportation market is preparing for a busy 2026 by advocating for regulations that are more aligned with this type of transport, working to serve specialized industries, and adopting technologies to improve efficiency.