Trucking industry reacts to Trump’s ‘Pro-Trucker’ package

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy is unveiling a package of new initiatives, pilot programs and regulatory updates designed to improve the lives of America’s truck drivers.

According to an USDOT media release, Duffy’s actions deliver on President Donald Trump’s promise through his Executive Order on “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers.“

“Truckers keep America running,” Duffy said. “While the country sleeps, truckers grind through the night to help keep shelves stocked, families fed, and businesses humming. It’s a job that requires grit and dedication. But for too long Washington, D.C. has made work harder for truckers. That ends today. Thanks to President Trump, we’re getting Washington out of your trucks and your business.”

The package includes millions to expand truck parking as well as initiatives to remove one-size-fits-all mandates, modernize driver resources, slash red tape and crack down on bad actors.

Truck Parking

Specific to truck parking, USDOT is set to deliver more than $275 million in grant funding to expand parking access for truck drivers nationwide – an investment which will enhance safety and improve quality of life for truckers, according to USDOT.

This includes $180 million for Florida to add 917 new truck parking spaces along the I-4 corridor in Volusia, Seminole, and Osceola Counties in Florida.

“The trucking industry is a critical link in our supply chain and ample truck parking infrastructure is vital to the safety, security, and quality of life for Florida residents,” said Jared W. Perdue, P.E., Florida Department of Transportation Secretary  “Florida is one of the first states to create a robust pipeline of truck parking projects to address both immediate and future needs, and this grant from USDOT will help deliver nearly 1,000 additional truck parking spaces to serve Central Florida communities.”

American Trucking Associations

“We thank the Trump Administration and Secretary Duffy for their continued focus on the issues impacting America’s trucking industry,” said Chris Spear, ATA president, CEO. “As the leading mover of the nation’s freight, the concerns of our industry not only impact the 8.5 million Americans who work throughout trucking, but they also affect the countless businesses and families we serve across the country. A safe and strong trucking industry is critical to America’s economic growth and security, and data-driven measures like these that reduce regulatory burdens are important steps toward that end. We look forward to continued partnership with the Administration to advance policies that strengthen America’s supply chain and bolster our essential workforce.”

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

“OOIDA and the 150,000 truckers we proudly represent welcome these transformational actions from President Trump and Secretary Duffy,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president, CEO. “These steps not only improve the daily lives of truckers across America, but also enhance safety for everyone on the road. For years, truckers have urged Washington to address the severe shortage of truck parking, eliminate the dangers posed by a national speed limiter mandate, and give drivers greater control over their hours-of-service. We thank President Trump and Secretary Duffy for listening to the [people] behind the wheel who keep America’s economy moving.”

Small Business in Transportation Coalition 

The SBTC is also applauding Duffy’s latest action, which “enhances truck parking, further cracks down on CDL operators of questionable qualifications, and responds to our open January 2, 2025 letter to USDOT demanding then-Secretary Pete Buttigieg to admit FMCSA had no legal authority to impose speed limiters due to the fact that Congress repealed the NMSL in 1995, fully returning speed limit-setting authority to the individual states.”

“In recent months, the Trump administration has responded favorably to our requests for repeal of the Obama-era 2016 MC-ECE-2016-006 Out-of-Service stand down directive and the move to crack down on English Language proficiency violators, Hobbs Act enforcement during social unrest rioting, and now abandonment of unlawful speed limiter rulemaking,” said James Lamb, SBTC executive director. “We next look forward to USDOT investigating who has been issued CDL HAZMAT endorsements in the wake of the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and FMCSA finalizing the Freight Broker Transparency Rulemaking, commenced in response to our May 6, 2020 petition for rulemaking and OOIDA’s petition which followed to level the playing field between independent truckers and big freight brokers.”

Key Actions in the Package

Expanding Truck Parking

Problem: 40% of truckers spend over an hour a day searching for parking – costing our national economy billions in wasted time. It’s also a safety issue – forcing truckers to park in harms way.
Solution: USDOT is advancing more than $275 million in funding to expand truck parking availability and opening up additional grant programs and discretionary grants for truck parking projects.

Removing One-Size-Fits-All-Mandates

Problem: Mandating speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks isn’t just an inconvenience – it is a safety hazard when drivers are forced to go slower than the flow of traffic.
Solution: USDOT is withdrawing the proposed rulemaking to mandate speed limiters so professional drivers can operate their vehicles safely.

Modernizing Driver Resources

Problem: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) online tools are outdated and a pain to use.
Solution: FMCSA is launching new digital assets that are more user-friendly, modernizing the Consumer Complaint database, and updating the DataQ system so it is more transparent.

Slashing Red Tape and Cracking Down on Bad Actors

Problem: Burdensome regulations make it harder for truckers to do their job while failing to go after bad actors.
Solution: FMCSA is proposing to eliminate 1,800 words from federal regulations, which will save truckers time and money. Concurrently, the agency has renewed its focus on unlawful double brokering—a practice that directly harms drivers.

Non-Domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses

As part of the package, Duffy also announced a nationwide audit of states issuing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.

“The open borders policies of the last administration allowed millions to flood our country – leading to serious allegations that the trucking licensing system is being exploited,” Duffy said. “Today, we are launching a nationwide audit to get to the bottom of this. Our audit is about protecting the safety of families on the road and upholding the integrity of CDLs held by America’s truckers. Every state must follow federal regulations, and ensure only qualified, properly documented drivers are getting behind the wheel of a truck.”

USDOT has directed FMCSA to conduct a nationwide compliance review of states issuing non-domiciled CDLs. The review will examine state procedures for issuing non-domiciled CDLs to identify and stop any patterns of abuse and ensure federal standards are being met across the country, according to an USDOT media release.

“These actions are one of many initiatives Secretary Duffy has launched to support America’s truckers and improve safety on our nation’s roadways,” USDOT said.

In May, Duffy signed an order announcing new guidance to enforce English proficiency requirement for truckers.

Dana Guthrie

Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.