ATRI’s New Survey Shows Divide Between Drivers and Carriers

The trucking industry may be moving in the same direction, but when it comes to what keeps people up at night, drivers and executives are traveling on different roads.  The latest report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) shows that while company and independent drivers are most worried about how much they earn, carriers and logistics leaders are far more concerned about the economy.

The 21st annual Top Industry Issues Survey — unveiled during the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition in San Diego — gathered feedback from more than 4,600 respondents, including drivers, fleet owners, and other freight professionals.  The findings paint a vivid picture of an industry juggling financial strain, evolving technology, and shifting workforce priorities.

Drivers Speak: Pay Takes the Wheel

For those behind the wheel, compensation is the defining issue of 2025.  After years of navigating tight margins, volatile rates, and long hours, professional drivers are emphasizing the need for pay that reflects the demands of the job.

Truck parking — another long-running challenge — ranked second, followed by English language proficiency among drivers, broker practices, and delays at shipping and receiving locations.  Drivers also expressed growing curiosity and concern over artificial intelligence and autonomous trucks, signaling that technology is no longer an abstract concept but a real force shaping their work.

Their full top ten issues were:

1. Driver pay
2. Truck parking
3. English language proficiency
4. Broker challenges
5. Detention and facility delays
6. Artificial intelligence
7. Driver training standards
8. Autonomous trucks
9. Electronic logging device rules
10. Diesel emissions regulations

Interestingly, the overall economy didn’t even appear on the drivers’ top ten list, suggesting that immediate, personal concerns — not macroeconomic forces — dominate their thinking.

Executives Focus on the Economic Outlook

Fleet executives and freight stakeholders see things differently.  For them, the health of the U.S. economy remains the number one concern, reflecting a market still recovering from a prolonged freight recession.

Carriers are facing reduced demand, lower freight rates, and new tariff complications that are disrupting cost models.  The survey notes that falling container volumes and rising equipment prices have only intensified uncertainty.

Here’s how the overall industry ranked its top issues:

1. The economy
2. Lawsuit abuse reform
3. Insurance costs and availability
4. Truck parking
5. Driver pay
6. Compliance and safety accountability
7. English language proficiency for drivers
8. Diesel emissions regulations
9. Driver training standards
10. Artificial intelligence in trucking

The data shows a tug-of-war between economic stress at the business level and workplace frustration at the driver level.  Even as both groups list “pay” and “parking” among their top five concerns, their priorities diverge sharply after that.

New Challenges Enter the Conversation

Four new issues made their first-ever appearance on ATRI’s list this year:

• English language proficiency for drivers
• Diesel emissions rules
• Driver training standards
• Artificial intelligence in trucking

Each reflects ongoing debates across the industry — from safety and communication to sustainability and automation.  The inclusion of AI, in particular, shows how quickly technology is reshaping fleet operations and driver expectations alike.

At the same time, several long-standing topics dropped off the list completely, including battery-electric vehicles, detention and delay, the driver shortage, and driver distraction.

The absence of the driver shortage is especially striking.  After years as the industry’s dominant talking point, it no longer ranks among the top ten concerns.  This change likely reflects the slow freight market, which has reduced hiring demand even as overall operating costs continue to climb.

Company Drivers vs. Owner-Operators: A Tale of Two Perspectives

ATRI also highlighted differences between company drivers and independent owner-operators.

• Company drivers placed compensation, parking, and training among their biggest priorities.
• Owner-operators were more focused on broker relations, emissions compliance, and freight rates.

These distinctions underline how varied the trucking workforce truly is — one group looks at paychecks and working conditions, while the other weighs market access and regulatory costs.

Economic Pain Still Runs Deep

Industry leaders acknowledge the strain.  As A&M Transport President Andy Owens put it, the past few years have been punishing: “We’re in the third year of an extended freight recession, and the pain is real.”  With operating expenses at record highs and freight pricing near rock bottom, Owens said ATRI’s research is essential for identifying where collective action can make a difference.

Finding Common Ground on the Road Ahead

The 2025 Top Industry Issues Survey reveals two overlapping but distinct realities:

• Drivers are advocating for fair compensation, better infrastructure, and stronger professional standards.
• Executives are grappling with economic volatility, legal exposure, and rising insurance and regulatory costs.

Both perspectives are valid — and both are critical to the future of trucking.  The key challenge for the industry will be aligning these priorities so that business stability and driver satisfaction move forward together.

As the freight market slowly recovers, understanding these shared and competing concerns may be the first step toward rebuilding trust and resilience in an industry that literally keeps America moving.