Poll: Rank the Biggest Challenges Facing the Trucking Industry
POLL: ATRI’s Top Trucking Issues — How Do You Rank Them?
Fuel prices have returned to the top of the trucking industry’s concerns, but the American Transportation Research Institute’s latest survey also shows a clear divide between motor carriers and truck drivers.
ATRI released its 22nd annual Top Industry Issues report Oct. 18 during the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nearly 3,100 people participated in the survey.
Fuel prices led the combined results, replacing the economy as the industry’s top concern. The economy had held the No. 1 position for three consecutive years but fell to No. 6 in the 2026 rankings.
For drivers and owner-operators, however, the issues closest to daily operations often ranked higher than they did among motor carriers. Truck parking, driver compensation and the potential effects of autonomous trucks were among the most prominent concerns for drivers.
Carriers and drivers see different priorities
Motor carriers ranked lawsuit abuse reform first, followed by fuel prices and the driver shortage. Drivers ranked fuel prices first, truck parking second and driver compensation third.
- Motor carriers: Lawsuit abuse reform, fuel prices and driver shortage
- Truck drivers: Fuel prices, truck parking and driver compensation
The difference reflects the pressures each group encounters. Carriers are focused on legal exposure, recruiting and operating costs across a fleet. Drivers are more likely to feel the effect of fuel costs, limited parking and compensation practices directly during a trip.
Drivers’ rankings also placed greater emphasis on autonomous or driverless trucks, hours-of-service rules and other issues tied to the way work is performed. The areas where drivers most closely matched the overall results were fuel prices, driver compensation and diesel emissions regulations.
Fuel costs affect small fleets most sharply
ATRI’s data indicates that smaller fleets often pay more for key operating expenses than their larger counterparts. Truckload fleets with fewer than five trucks averaged 53 cents per mile for fuel, compared with 44.2 cents per mile for fleets operating more than 1,000 trucks.
That 8.8-cent difference can have a significant effect on a small carrier’s margins, particularly when freight rates are under pressure. Larger fleets may have more purchasing power, negotiated fuel programs and additional equipment available when a truck is down. Independent operators and small fleets generally have fewer ways to spread those costs.
Fuel was relatively stable during 2025, according to ATRI’s cost data, but operating expenses excluding fuel rose 4.2% to $1.854 per mile. That increase was higher than the 2.7% inflation rate. Tolls recorded the largest percentage increase, followed by repair and maintenance, driver benefits and tires. Equipment payments and insurance also reached new highs.
Maintenance costs showed another significant gap. Fleets with fewer than five trucks averaged 27.5 cents per mile for repair and maintenance, compared with 16.9 cents for fleets with more than 1,000 trucks.
Those expenses are connected to fuel efficiency as well as safety. Improper tire inflation, engine problems, fuel-injection issues, faulty sensors and neglected preventive maintenance can increase fuel consumption. Brake defects, worn steering and suspension components, defective tires, air leaks and inoperative lights can also lead to roadside inspection violations or service interruptions.
Official overall rankings
ATRI’s overall top 10 trucking industry issues were:
- Fuel prices
- Lawsuit abuse reform
- Compliance, Safety, Accountability
- Insurance cost and availability
- Driver shortage
- Economy
- Artificial intelligence in trucking
- Diesel emissions regulations
- Driver compensation
- Driver retention
Artificial intelligence remained in the top 10 for a second year. ATRI said concerns about AI include possible job elimination and AI-enabled fraud.
Diesel emissions regulations also remained in the top 10 for a second consecutive year. The Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements for 2027 engines remain an area of industry concern. The agency submitted a proposed rule in July, but a final rule had not been published at the time of ATRI’s announcement.
Issues drivers identified for consideration
To reflect the concerns that appeared most prominently among drivers and owner-operators, the issues available for an owner-operator-focused ranking include:
- Fuel prices
- Truck parking
- Driver compensation
- Autonomous trucks
- English-language proficiency for drivers
- Artificial intelligence in trucking
- Detention and delays at customer facilities
- Broker issues
- Diesel emissions regulations
- Hours-of-service rules
Fuel prices are the one issue that clearly cuts across both groups. The remaining concerns show how differently the industry experiences the same operating environment. A carrier may be focused on litigation, insurance and recruiting, while a driver is dealing with finding a safe parking space, waiting at a receiver or determining whether current compensation reflects rising costs.
ATRI’s findings do not identify a single problem that affects every trucking operation in the same way. They provide a broader picture of where fleets and drivers see the greatest pressure—and how those priorities differ depending on a person’s role in the industry.
