ATRI seeks participants for Top Industry Issues Survey

September 14, 2020

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Truck drivers have until Oct. 16 to respond to the American Transportation Research Institute’s 16th annual Top Industry Issues Survey.

The 2020 edition of the survey aims to identify the most critical issues confronting the trucking industry.

Information about the survey and a link to participate are included here.

The ATRI survey lists 29 potential issues involving the trucking industry and asks drivers and motor carriers to rank their top three. The list of potential issues includes such concerns as automated trucking technology, COVID-19, driver compensation, hours of service, and truck parking. If one of your top three concerns isn’t listed, the survey provides the opportunity to identify other issues within the trucking industry.

The 2019 survey generated 2,119 responses.

2019 ATRI Top Industry Issues Survey

Driver shortage.
Hours of service.
Driver compensation.
Detention time.
Truck parking.
Driver retention.
ELD mandate.
CSA.
Infrastructure.
Economy.

It was the third consecutive year for “driver shortage” to be listed as the top concern and the second consecutive year for “driver shortage” and “hours of service” to represent the top two.

No. 1 issue year by year

2019: Driver shortage.
2018: Driver shortage.
2017: Driver shortage.
2016: ELD mandate.
2015: Hours of service.
2014: Hours of service.
2013: Hours of service.
2012: CSA.
2011: Economy.
2010: Economy.

Driver shortage?

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has long contended that the idea that the trucking industry faces a driver shortage is a myth. Instead, OOIDA says the problem is really a driver retention problem. Ironically, driver retention also has been listed as a top 10 issue in each of the past eight surveys.

Still, the claims by large fleets that there is a driver shortage has contributed to such initiatives as a recent FMCSA pilot program for under-21 drivers to operate in interstate commerce.

Last year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics issued a report that affirmed OOIDA’s stance that there is not a driver shortage. The report said the evidence doesn’t support the theory of a shortage and that increasing wages could alleviate any issues with recruitment and retention. Perhaps not coincidentally, driver compensation was listed as the No. 3 issue in 2019.