Uncertainty in the broader economy continues to weigh heavily on the trucking industry. For the third year in a row, economic conditions rank as the industry’s most pressing concern, according to the latest research from the American Transportation Research Institute.
ATRI’s newly released 21st annual Top Industry Issues report highlights the challenges facing trucking at a time when operating costs remain high and freight markets remain soft.
The issues shaping trucking right now.
The 2025 report identifies the following as the top five concerns across the trucking industry:
- Economy
- Lawsuit Abuse Reform
- Insurance Cost and Availability
- Truck Parking
- Driver Compensation
Several new issues also appeared on the list for the first time, including English Language Proficiency requirements for drivers and the growing role of artificial intelligence in trucking operations.
Industry leaders say the continued dominance of economic concerns reflects prolonged pressure across the freight market.
“We’re in the third year of this extended freight recession, and the pain is real,” said Andy Owens, A&M Transport president. “Operating costs climbed to their highest ever at the same time that freight pricing has bottomed out. ATRI’s annual analysis is so critical for our industry to not only quantify the issues, but more importantly, to understand what we can collectively do as an industry to address each.”
Shifts within the top rankings
While the economy held its position as the number one concern, other issues shifted slightly within the rankings.
“While the Economy retained its #1 spot, Lawsuit Abuse Reform and Insurance Cost and Availability each rose one spot, to be the #2 and #3 top concerns, respectively,” ATRI said. “The lack of available Truck Parking dropped two spots this year to the #4 concern, and Driver Compensation held on to its #5 position.”
Driver Training Standards, which had appeared on truck driver issue lists since 2019, climbed higher this year. It ranked ninth overall among all respondents and seventh among truck driver respondents.
Different priorities for drivers and carriers
The survey results also highlight how concerns differ depending on role within the industry.
Among truck drivers, the top three issues were Driver Compensation, Truck Parking, and English Language Proficiency. Motor carriers, on the other hand, ranked the Economy, Lawsuit Abuse Reform, and Insurance Cost and Availability as their leading concerns.
ATRI noted that more than 46 percent of respondents were motor carrier executives or personnel. Truck drivers accounted for 30 percent of respondents, with the remaining 23 percent representing other freight stakeholders.
Growing participation across the industry
This year’s survey included responses from more than 4,200 trucking industry stakeholders, marking a 14 percent increase compared to the 2024 survey. Participants represented a wide range of industry roles, including motor carriers, professional drivers, industry suppliers, driver trainers, and law enforcement.
The full findings were released during the 2025 American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition. The complete report is available through ATRI.
What the results signal for the industry
The survey results underscore the ongoing strain created by a weak freight economy combined with rising costs. While drivers and carriers experience these pressures differently, the data shows broad agreement that economic stability remains the foundation for addressing many of trucking’s other challenges.
As the industry continues to navigate freight cycles, insurance pressures, and workforce issues, ATRI’s findings provide a snapshot of where concerns are most concentrated and where attention is likely to remain in the year ahead.
Source: The Trucker
