Each year, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) releases its Top Industry Issues Survey, a snapshot of the hopes, frustrations, and strategic priorities of the people who keep America’s freight moving. The 2025 edition lands at a time of profound change. Technology is upending traditional business models. Economic swings are testing resilience. And the workforce is evolving, with new generations and new expectations coming to the fore. For everyone from fleet owners to company drivers, the ATRI report is more than a list of complaints, it’s a mirror reflecting the state of the industry and a compass pointing toward its future.
In this article, we’ll take you deep into the 2025 ATRI survey: what issues matter most, why they’re rising or falling in importance, and how the industry’s leaders and frontline workers are responding. Along the way, you’ll find expert analysis, real-world stories, and actionable strategies for navigating trucking’s most pressing challenges.
The Survey: Who, How, and Why
The ATRI survey is unique for its breadth and influence. Each year, more than 5,000 trucking professionals, drivers, owner-operators, fleet executives, and suppliers, participate, representing every state and sector. Respondents rank their top concerns and suggest solutions. The results are broken down by role, enabling a side-by-side view of what drivers and fleets see as urgent.
The survey’s impact is real. Policymakers, trade associations, and business leaders use it to set agendas, lobby for change, and benchmark progress. In 2025, with so much in flux, its findings are more relevant than ever.
The Top Industry Issues for 2025: What’s Keeping Trucking Up at Night?
Driver Shortage: The Relentless Challenge
Once again, the driver shortage sits atop the list. Even as freight demand has softened from pandemic highs, fleets are still struggling to recruit and retain enough qualified drivers. The reasons are many: an aging workforce, tough working conditions, and a persistent image problem that deters new entrants. Younger workers, women, and minorities remain underrepresented, despite industry efforts to diversify.
For many, the shortage is not just about numbers, it’s about quality. Fleets want safe, reliable, and tech-savvy drivers. Drivers want fair pay, respect, and a manageable work-life balance. The gap remains stubbornly wide.
Driver Pay and Compensation: Eroded Gains
Closely related to the shortage is the issue of pay. While wages have risen in recent years, inflation and cost-of-living increases have eaten away at those gains. Drivers report frustration with unpredictable earnings, complex pay structures, and bonuses that are hard to achieve or understand. For owner-operators, volatile fuel and insurance costs make take-home pay even less predictable.
Fleets are experimenting with guaranteed pay, simpler bonuses, and digital tools for tracking miles and settlements. But for many drivers, the sense remains that the job is harder, and the reward less certain—than it used to be.
Lawsuit Abuse and Insurance Costs: The Legal Squeeze
Few things keep fleet executives up at night like the specter of “nuclear verdicts”—massive legal judgments that can bankrupt a carrier after a single accident, regardless of fault. Insurance premiums have soared, especially for small and mid-sized fleets. Even with investments in safety technology and driver training, the threat of litigation hangs over every mile.
Industry groups are pushing for tort reform, better crash data, and wider adoption of in-cab cameras to defend against false claims. But for now, the legal climate remains fraught.
Fuel Prices and Volatility: Budget-Busting Swings
Despite the buzz around electric and hydrogen trucks, diesel remains the lifeblood of U.S. freight. In 2025, wild swings in fuel prices have wreaked havoc on budgets, especially for small carriers and owner-operators. Fleets are hedging, investing in fuel-efficient equipment, and training drivers on best practices. But the fundamental uncertainty remains: a few cents per gallon can mean the difference between profit and loss.
Truck Parking: The Daily Struggle
Ask any long-haul driver what frustrates them most, and you’ll likely hear about parking. The shortage of safe, legal truck parking is a chronic headache, made worse by electronic logging devices (ELDs) and strict hours-of-service rules. Drivers waste hours searching for spots, sometimes forced to park in unsafe or illegal locations. The result: lost productivity, increased fatigue, and heightened safety risk.
Federal and state investments in new parking facilities are underway, and tech companies are rolling out real-time parking apps. But for now, the problem persists—and drivers feel it acutely.
Regulatory Compliance: The Moving Target
From hours-of-service to emissions to labor standards, fleets and drivers face a dizzying array of regulations. The patchwork of state and federal rules makes compliance complex and costly. New mandates on the horizon, especially around decarbonization and safety—are adding to the burden.
Fleets are investing in compliance management systems, training staff, and engaging with policymakers. But the pace of change, and the risk of costly violations, remain high.
Driver Retention: Keeping the Best
Recruiting drivers is only half the battle. Keeping them is just as tough. High turnover rates drive up costs, strain operations, and erode safety culture. Fleets are piloting mentoring programs, wellness initiatives, and more flexible schedules. Recognition and rewards for tenure and performance are gaining traction. Still, the challenge remains: how to make driving a career, not just a job.
Detention and Delay: Wasted Time, Lost Money
Time spent waiting at customer facilities, unpaid and unproductive—is a top complaint for drivers and a drag on fleet efficiency. Digital appointment systems and contractual penalties are helping, but progress is slow. For drivers, every hour lost to detention is an hour not earning, resting, or getting home.
Infrastructure and Congestion: The Slow Lane
Aging highways, crumbling bridges, and urban bottlenecks slow freight movement and increase costs. Congestion in major corridors like Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles is a perennial challenge. The industry is advocating for increased infrastructure funding and public-private partnerships. Routing technology helps, but the scale of the problem demands national action.
Autonomous Trucking and Technology Disruption: Opportunity and Anxiety
The arrival of self-driving trucks, AI-driven dispatch, and digital freight platforms is both thrilling and unnerving. Many see the potential for efficiency gains and safer roads. Others worry about job loss, cybersecurity, and the pace of change. Fleets are piloting new tech in controlled environments, upskilling drivers, and engaging in industry forums. The future is coming fast, and not everyone feels ready.
Diverging Priorities: Drivers vs. Fleets
One of the ATRI survey’s most valuable insights is the gap between what drivers and fleet executives see as urgent. Drivers emphasize day-to-day frustrations—parking, pay, detention—while fleets focus on business risks and long-term strategy, like insurance, regulation, and technology. Bridging these gaps is essential for building a more resilient, satisfied workforce and a competitive industry.
Emerging Issues in 2025: What’s New?
This year’s survey surfaced several new or rising concerns:
• Decarbonization and new EPA rules, as fleets prepare for stricter emissions mandates and the transition to electric and hydrogen trucks.
• Supply chain disruptions, with lingering effects from global shocks and a heightened focus on resilience.
• Workforce diversity and inclusion, as fleets recognize the need for broader recruitment and equitable opportunity.
Real-World Strategies: How Fleets Are Tackling Top Issues
Leading fleets aren’t waiting for solutions to arrive—they’re investing in people, technology, and advocacy. Some are launching mentorship and career development programs, offering tuition reimbursement and pathways to management roles. Others are embracing predictive maintenance, AI-powered dispatch, and digital freight platforms to boost efficiency and compliance. Industry associations are working with lawmakers on insurance reform, infrastructure funding, and regulatory harmonization. Sustainability is rising, too, with investments in alternative fuels and carbon tracking.
The Road Ahead: What to Watch in 2025 and Beyond
The ATRI report is both a snapshot and a forecast. The issues it highlights will shape trucking for years to come. Key trends to watch include the pace of autonomous and electric truck adoption, the evolution of driver training and recruitment, the impact of new EPA rules, and ongoing battles over insurance and regulatory complexity. Fleets that stay informed, invest in their people, and adapt to change will be best positioned to succeed.
Conclusion
The 2025 ATRI Report is both a warning and a guide. The challenges it documents, from driver shortages to regulatory complexity, are real, but so are the opportunities for innovation and growth. By understanding the industry’s top concerns, engaging with solutions, and working together, America’s trucking community can keep freight moving, no matter what lies ahead.
