An annual survey of trucking’s most critical issues found familiar topics at the top, with the economy finishing first overall, and compensation again being the most significant concern among drivers. There were also four new entries among the top 10, illustrating the complexity of the always-evolving freight transportation industry.
The American Transportation Research Institute has conducted the critical issues survey since 2005. It was released at the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. Rebecca Brewster, ATRI’s president and chief operating officer, unveiled the list as part of a panel discussion with a fleet executive, professional driver, and technology supplier.
The 2025 survey included 4,200 stakeholders across North America. Respondents represented motor carrier executives and personnel (46.7%), professional drivers (29.8%) and other industry stakeholders (23.4%), including suppliers, driver trainers, and law enforcement.
ATRI’s full report includes suggested strategies to tackle each challenge, and separate lists for drivers and carriers.
No. 1 – The economy
ATRI said it was little surprise the economy topped the list for a third straight year, with operational costs continuing to rise amid a weak freight environment. Tariffs have introduced additional strain and uncertainty, and truck orders are slumping, ATRI said.
No. 2 – Lawsuit abuse reform
This issue appeared on ATRI’s first list in 2005, and two decades later reached its highest-ever ranking. “While the industry has seen some successful legislation at the state-level to address lawsuit abuse, the tactics employed by the plaintiff bar to target the industry also continue to expand, from third-party litigation funding to underwrite plaintiff cases to staged accidents designed to extort large settlements from trucking and insurance companies,” ATRI said.
No. 3 – Insurance cost and availability
Insurance placed No. 3 in 2025, which was the same ranking as the initial critical issues survey in 2005. ATRI said that insurance premiums have increased 36% over the past eight years, and this issue is directly linked to the need for lawsuit abuse reform.
No. 4 – Truck parking
Truck parking fell from No. 2 last year, in part because states including Ohio and Pennsylvania have invested in safe truck parking spaces. Despite some progress, the issue ranked No. 2 on the drivers’ list. It was only No. 9 on the motor carriers’ list, and this shows “truck parking should be more top of mind for management,” said Andy Owens, CEO of A&M Transport.
Owens has a reserved parking space at his company’s office in Oregon, and he said he’d be upset to find someone else parked there. He then suggested that if more executives had to fight for a parking spot at their own offices, the truck parking issue “wouldn’t come up next year.”
No. 5 – Driver compensation
Compensation was the most critical issue for drivers, and as a result, it placed No. 5 overall. ATRI said wages have not kept pace with inflation, and new research found predictable pay is a crucial component of truck driver job satisfaction. Emily Plummer, a driver for Prime Inc. and member of America’s Road Team, said she can sense the growing concern of drivers out on the road, with some dipping into their limited savings to stay afloat.
Plummer also advocated for one of the report’s recommendations: to quantify the economic impact of compensating truck drivers for all hours worked, including detention time and congestion delays. From the motor carrier perspective, Owens recommended examining the entire compensation picture, including items like health insurance, rather than just pay alone.
No. 6 – Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA)
The safety measurement system from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) jumped one spot this year. In November 2024, the agency announced changes to the program, including reorganizing compliance categories, simplifying the severity weights, and placing a greater focus on more recent violations. However, it remains unclear when these changes will be implemented.
No. 7 – English language proficiency (ELP) for drivers
The first of four new entrants on the overall list placed third among drivers, but failed to crack the top 10 among motor carriers. ATRI said it was added to the 2025 survey topics due to the significant number of write-in responses to the 2024 survey.
This issue has also gained even more traction among the general public following a high-profile truck crash in Florida this summer. A majority of respondents selected addressing ELP at the CDL-issuance level as the best way to tackle the issue.
No. 8 – Diesel emissions regulations
Appearing on the list for the first time, Brewster noted this issue has risen at the same time zero emission/battery electric vehicles fell off the top 10. The federal heavy-duty NOx regulation is scheduled to take effect starting with model year 2027 trucks, but ATA president Chris Spear said he was confident the Environmental Protection Agency would delay or change the rule.
No. 9 – Driver training standards
This issue cracked the overall top 10 for the first time, but has appeared in the drivers’ list since 2019. “The majority believe that new entrants are not being trained adequately to prepare them to safely operate large commercial vehicles,” ATRI said. Respondents called for an audit by FMCSA of the training provider registry to ensure that providers are meeting the basic entry-level driver training standards.
No. 10 – Artificial intelligence in trucking
The fourth debut on the list, artificial intelligence has the potential to unlock productivity and revenue gains for trucking fleets, but also could eliminate jobs in the process. Besides calling for more research on how this issue could impact trucking, respondents recommended developing federal legislation that provides national guidance on appropriate AI usage and legal protocols. Owens said A&M Transport is using AI-enabled cameras to better train drivers and eliminate bad behaviors such as distracted driving.
