The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) presented the American Trucking Association (ATA) with their report on the Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry for 2016. Can you guess what they are?
Critical Issues in The Trucking Industry
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is a non-profit organization that conducts research on transportation related issues across North American. Every year ATRI releases their Annual Critical Issues in The Trucking Industry Report to shed light on the major issues facing the industry.
This year the trucking industry has faced many legislative and regulatory challenges including the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and the long awaited Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate (released in December 2015). With all of these changes, what were the top issues that the industry faced?
Top 10 Issues In Trucking
Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) launched a lawsuit hoping to overturn the mandate one day after publication. The industry is concerned about privacy, usage of private information, and loss of productivity.- Hours-of-Service (HOS)
The industry remains concerned about the reinstatement of the 34-hour restart rule and the uncertainty around future HOS rule changes. - Cumulative Economic Impacts of Trucking Regulations on the Industry
The industry is growing more concerned with over-regulation. This is the first time in the history of this report that a new concern around the economic impact of regulations has been listed. Concerns revolve about the impact of the ELD mandate, EPA/NHTSA Phase 2 greenhouse gas emission rule, vehicle costs, and the potential decrease in productivity. 
Truck Parking
The diminishing availability of truck parking continues to be an issue as drivers are often forced to drive beyond their allowable HOS rules or park in non-designated and unsafe areas.- Economy
Stagnant economic growth has caused concern across many industries – especially transportation. Less growth results in less spending which translates into less materials/goods moving across our nation. - Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
CSA is always a topic of interest across the industry. Earlier this year we saw the FAST Act call into question the accuracy of data presented through the CSA program which resulted in the removal of items from public view. 
Driver Shortage
Although driver shortage has dropped outside of the top 5, the American Transportation Association (ATA) estimates that the driver shortage could increase to 175,000 by 2025.- Driver Retention
Driver retention remains a top priority for fleets. Although driver turnover declined in early 2016, the industry is still experiencing significantly higher turnover than in other industries. - Transportation Infrastructure/Congestion/Funding
Limited funding and fund allocation restrictions are leading to concern over transportation infrastructure and congestion. Despite the FAST Act allocating $225 billion over a 5-year period, not enough is being done to monitor and prioritize major infrastructure requirements. - Driver Distraction
With the multitasking nature of being a driver, distracted driving remains on the list again this year. In 2014 just over 3,000 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in vehicle accidents involving distracted driving.
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