As they have done for the past 16 years, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has prepared their list of critical issues facing the trucking industry. As we all know, 2020 has been a chaotic and unpredictable year. Over the course of a few months, the US economy completely spiraled into ruin, fundamentally changing the way we work, travel, and shop. The shift from onsite consumer sales to online consumer sales hyper-accelerated e-commerce growth.
In many states, fatal crash rates skyrocketed, while fatality crash numbers plummeted, due to limited automobile usage, a dearth of traffic congestion, and long, unfettered stretches of roadway. That same operating environment, however, allowed trucks to move essential goods to stores, hospitals, and fulfillment centers in record time. Now more than ever the average American understands how essential the trucking industry is to their lives and the economy.
The top 10 issues facing the trucking industry in 2020 and beyond are:
- Driver shortage
- Driver compensation
- Truck parking
- Compliance, safety, and accountability
- Insurance cost/ availability
- Driver retention
- Tort reform
- Economy
- Detention/ delay at customer facilities
- Hours of service (HOS)
In addition to the top 10, there are 3 other issues of great concern, but they fell just outside the top 10:
- Driver distraction
- Transportation infrastructure/ congestion / funding
- Covid-19
For full analysis, the report can be downloaded here.
This year’s survey generated the highest response since the survey began. Over 3,100 industry stakeholders across North America weighed in with their opinions on the most important issues affecting the trucking industry and the supply chain in general. Almost 44 percent of respondents represent motor carrier personnel, about 32 percent are commercial drivers, and around 24 percent represents another part of the industry, such as suppliers, driver trainers, and law enforcement.
We also recommend checking out other recent ATRI reports such as their work on the impact of nuclear verdicts and toll system revenue.
Leave a Reply