The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the trucking industry’s not-for-profit research organization, released its 20th annual Top Industry Issues report. 

The report identifies the industry’s leading concerns, which this year include the Economy, Truck Parking, Lawsuit Abuse Reform, Insurance Cost and Availability, and the rising interest in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).

Top Industry Issues: Economy, Parking, and Legal Reform Lead the Pack

“Without question, this has been another tough year for the trucking industry,” said Gregg Troian, president of PGT Trucking. “Our costs continued to climb while freight demand struggled. But ATRI’s analysis helps quantify these challenges and provides insights on how we can address them as an industry.”

For the second year in a row, the state of the economy and the lack of available truck parking ranked as the top two concerns.

Lawsuit Abuse Reform surged to the number three spot due to increasing concern over large verdicts, known as “nuclear verdicts.” Insurance costs, a major issue, climbed eight spots this year to become the fourth-highest concern. Rounding out the top five was Driver Compensation.

Battery Electric Vehicles: An Industry in Transition

The push to transition truck fleets to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continues to grow, with BEVs rising four spots from last year to become the industry’s sixth overall concern. 

As the cost and timelines for BEV adoption remain aggressive, the industry is focusing on the infrastructure and investment challenges this transition entails.

Survey Highlights Perspectives from Across the Industry

More than 45% of survey respondents were motor carrier executives and personnel, while truck drivers made up 31%. 

Truck drivers identified their top three concerns as Truck Parking, Driver Compensation, and the Economy. Motor carriers, on the other hand, prioritized the Economy, Lawsuit Abuse Reform, and the Driver Shortage.

Industry Leaders Weigh In

Over 3,700 stakeholders, including motor carriers, truck drivers, industry suppliers, driver trainers, and law enforcement, participated in this year’s survey. 

The results were presented at the 2024 American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition, where the complete report was made available online.