The American trucking industry is facing unprecedented challenges, marked by a deepening economic crisis and deteriorating highway safety standards. While supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to the transportation sector, the narrative surrounding these issues has been largely mischaracterized, particularly regarding the nature and extent of the purported truck driver shortage in America.
The American Truck Association (ATA) has consistently promoted the idea of a chronic truck driver shortage to Congress and the public. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chains experienced significant strain, this narrative gained considerable traction. Responding to what was portrayed as an urgent crisis, both state and federal governments implemented policy changes aimed at rapidly expanding the truck driver workforce. These measures included lowering standards for commercial driver’s license (CDL) qualification, relaxing training requirements, and easing restrictions on who could obtain licenses.
The regulatory changes had far-reaching consequences that extended beyond simply increasing the number of available drivers. The trucking industry witnessed an influx of inadequately trained individuals, many of whom reportedly lacked proper understanding of American road regulations and language proficiency. This situation created a dangerous precedent on highways across the nation.
Safety standards deteriorated as inexperienced drivers operating older, poorly maintained vehicles became more common on American roads. Reports indicate that some of these new entrants regularly exceeded legal driving hour limitations, operating vehicles for 18-20 hours per day—almost double the legally permitted duration.
What has followed has been described as the “Great Freight Recession,” characterized as the most severe economic downturn the freight industry has ever experienced. American truck drivers, long considered the backbone of the national supply chain, have seen their livelihoods threatened by the availability of cheaper labor, which poured in unabated despite the worsening freight market conditions.
As economic pressures mounted, more carriers began hiring drivers willing to work for lower wages, creating a race to the bottom in terms of both compensation and compliance with regulations. This competitive disadvantage forced even legitimate operators to consider similar practices to avoid bankruptcy, further exacerbating industry-wide problems.
