In an impactful show of solidarity, a broad group of state and national trucking associations from across the
country are releasing comprehensive policy blueprint to eliminate bad actors who exploit regulatory gaps,
undermine safety and create unfair competitive advantages in the commercial trucking industry.
The Trucking Association Executive Council (TAEC), which developed the action plan through a special task
force, is comprised of trucking leaders from coast to coast. The initiative comes as the trucking industry
nationwide faces daunting freight demand, frivolous attacks from plaintiff’s trial lawyers and unfair competition
from illegal operators who manipulate licensing systems, engage in freight fraud, tamper with safety records and
operate outside legal boundaries, according to TAEC.
“America’s trucking industry is built on the hard work of family-owned businesses, independent owner-operators, and professional drivers who play by the rules,” said Mark Colson, president, CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association and TAEC Task Force Chair. “But bad actors and illegal operators who exploit loopholes in our regulatory systems are putting everyone at risk…this is unacceptable. We are focused on solutions and resolute on seeing them implemented. By doing so, we will save lives, save small businesses and set the table for a trucking resurgence in America.”
Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence
The action plan, The Fight for Fairness and Safety: Paving the Way for a Trucking Resurgence, addresses seven critical areas where fraudulent and illegal operators undercut law-abiding businesses, endanger public safety, and damage the reputation and morale of America’s professional truck drivers, according to TAEC.
The Trucking Resurgence action plan identifies seven major vulnerabilities that bad actors exploit, including:
- CDL Integrity – Closing loopholes in commercial driver licensing.
- MCMIS Overhaul – Fixing America’s broken trucking safety data system.
- Cross-Border Integrity – Assuring workforce integrity at our borders.
- Non-Domiciled CDL Reform – Strengthening oversight and enforcement.
- English Language Proficiency – Closing critical CDL safety gaps.
- Combating Trucking Fraud – Addressing broker and carrier fraud schemes.
- Electronic Log Integrity – Ending ELD manipulation and hours-of-service fraud
No Added Red Tape
“This isn’t about adding red tape – it’s about using smart technology to level the playing field,’ John Esparza, president, CEO of the Texas Trucking Association and TAEC Task Force member. “When carriers and
drivers who follow safety rules and invest in driver training compete against operators who cut every corner,
the bad guys win and everyone else loses. These reforms protect American jobs and save lives.”
The action plan emphasizes that most of the solutions are immediately actionable and do not require long, drawn-out legislation or rule makings. Most involve technology-driven solutions, including AI-powered data analysis to
detect fraudulent patterns, integrated databases to prevent operator schemes and enhanced verification systems
to ensure regulatory compliance. These reforms would not create new burdens for legitimate operators but would
leverage existing data more effectively to identify and eliminate bad actors, according to TAEC.
Building on Existing Legislation
“The action plan builds on recent federal actions, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s order strictly
enforcing English language proficiency requirements and another order cracking down on the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, many of which were issued improperly or illegally,’ TAEC said. ‘These actions resulted in unsafe drivers being removed from the roadways. The TAEC recommendations would extend similar accountability measures across all identified problem areas.”
According to TAEC, state trucking association leaders collectively represent more than 521 years of individual experience serving the trucking industry. Combined, these organizations have existed for 4,825 years, with the average state trucking association having served the industry for 87 years. This network and the TAEC task force that developed these recommendations brings extraordinary depth of experience to this work.
Common Sense Reforms
“These common sense reforms are supported by trucking leaders from across America – from the East Coast to
the West Coast, from the South to the Upper Midwest,” said Rebecca Oyler, president of the Pennsylvania
Motor Truck Association and TAEC Task Force member. “We are calling on the appropriate government
agencies and all supply chain partners, from shippers and brokers to insurance companies and trucking fleets,
to come together to focus on solutions to these problems.”
Members of the Federation will continue advocacy with federal and state officials to ensure that progress is made
on each of these areas. Regardless of how long or any challenges that exist, the Federation remains committed to
paving the way for a trucking resurgence.
“No single state or agency can solve these challenges alone; federal and state collaboration is essential,” said Ed Gilroy, chief advocacy officer, American Trucking Associations. “Our federation is uniquely positioned to engage government and supply chain partners at all levels on a unified plan that restores CDL integrity, protects public safety, and ensures a level playing field for the industry.
To view the plan, click here.
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.
