Fuel prices, lawsuit abuse, and regulatory concerns dominate the industry's priorities, while Pennsylvania's rankings highlight additional challenges requiring attention closer to home.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its annual Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry report this week, identifying the ten most pressing concerns facing the trucking industry nationwide. Pennsylvania's results reveal both significant similarities and important differences in the issues affecting the industry in the Commonwealth.

Together, the national and Pennsylvania results provide valuable insight into the challenges facing the industry and help guide the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association's (PMTA) advocacy priorities at both the state and federal levels.

More than 3,000 trucking industry stakeholders participated in ATRI's 2026 survey, including motor carrier executives and employees, professional drivers, industry suppliers, and other transportation professionals. Respondents identified and ranked their three most important issues and selected preferred strategies for addressing them.

How Pennsylvania Compares to the Nation

Seven issues appear on both lists, although their rankings differ considerably. The remaining three reflect different priorities in Pennsylvania compared with the national industry.

Lawsuit Abuse and Insurance Costs Remain Major Concerns

Lawsuit abuse reform ranks first in Pennsylvania and second nationally, reinforcing the importance of addressing litigation practices that contribute to rising insurance costs and threaten the financial stability of trucking companies.

Insurance cost and availability also appears on both lists, ranking fourth nationally and eighth in Pennsylvania.

These issues are closely connected. According to ATRI research, motor carrier liability insurance premiums increased 18.2% between 2021 and 2024, even as the industry's crash involvement declined by 2.6%. Small and mid-sized carriers have been particularly hard hit, with fleets operating fewer than 100 trucks experiencing premium increases of 27% to 50% over the same period. Meanwhile, the average cost of excess liability coverage in the $10 million to $15 million layer increased 45%. 

These rising costs place additional financial pressure on trucking companies, limiting their ability to invest in equipment, expand operations, and provide competitive wages and benefits. Ultimately, these costs are passed along through higher freight rates, contributing to higher prices for the goods consumers purchase every day.

PMTA has made lawsuit abuse reform a major advocacy priority. Most recently, the association joined the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform, End the Lawsuit Tax, and other organizations at a Philadelphia press conference highlighting the consequences of lawsuit abuse, excessive verdicts, and venue shopping.

PMTA continues to advocate for a more balanced and predictable legal environment, including reforms addressing venue shopping and greater transparency in third-party litigation funding.

The Pennsylvania results also identify limits on certain damages and eliminating inflated or "phantom" medical damages as preferred strategies for addressing lawsuit abuse.

Fuel Prices Rise to the Top Nationally, Rank Second in Pennsylvania

Perhaps the most dramatic change in the national rankings is fuel prices, which jumped 17 positions from 2025 to become the industry's number one concern.

In Pennsylvania, fuel prices ranked second, reflecting the enormous financial pressure that higher diesel costs place on motor carriers, particularly small fleets and owner-operators. Pennsylvania's diesel tax, at 74.1 cents per gallon in 2026, is among the highest in the nation, adding to the challenges facing carriers operating in the Commonwealth.

The consequences extend far beyond the trucking industry. When diesel prices spike, trucking companies face immediate increases in operating expenses, but they cannot always pass those increases along to their customers. Eventually, however, higher transportation costs work their way through the supply chain, contributing to higher prices for groceries, household necessities, and virtually everything else consumers purchase. With nearly a billion tons of freight moving through Pennsylvania annually, the impact of higher diesel prices reaches businesses and families throughout the Commonwealth.

PMTA has taken direct action on this issue. In October, PMTA and the Pennsylvania Bus Association jointly called for a temporary suspension of Pennsylvania's diesel tax, with full replacement of the revenue dedicated to transportation infrastructure, and a temporary suspension of the state's 2% biodiesel requirement.

The associations emphasized that extraordinary fuel costs require practical, temporary measures to provide relief without compromising long-term transportation funding.

PMTA has also worked to educate members about federal actions involving red-dyed diesel, including the important distinction between federal tax relief and Pennsylvania's existing restrictions on its use in on-road vehicles.

Diesel Emissions Regulations: A Greater Concern in Pennsylvania

Diesel emissions regulations rank third in Pennsylvania, compared with eighth nationally.

This difference underscores concerns about the cost, feasibility, and operational impacts of increasingly stringent emissions requirements.

The industry's preferred strategies include evaluating the financial impacts of compliance and promoting greater regulatory flexibility, particularly as manufacturers and fleets prepare for new heavy-duty engine emissions standards.

PMTA has been actively engaged in challenging emissions mandates that impose unreasonable costs and operational burdens on Pennsylvania carriers. Following PMTA's legal challenge to Pennsylvania's adoption of California's heavy-duty diesel emissions standards, the Shapiro administration announced plans to permanently rescind the Commonwealth's Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions Control Program.

PMTA's legal action helped halt enforcement of the regulations, which threatened to increase equipment costs, limit vehicle availability, and create uncertainty for Pennsylvania trucking companies. Although the formal rescission process has not yet been completed, the administration's decision to pursue permanent repeal represents a significant development in PMTA's ongoing advocacy efforts.

The Pennsylvania results reinforce the need for continued engagement on state and federal emissions policies that balance environmental objectives with economic and operational realities.

Pennsylvania Places Greater Emphasis on Driver Distraction and Emerging Technology

One of the most notable differences between the lists is Pennsylvania's fourth-place ranking for driver distraction, an issue that does not appear in the national top ten.

The Pennsylvania results identify stronger enforcement of distracted driving laws for all motorists and exploration of roadway camera technology as preferred strategies.

The findings highlight the importance of addressing unsafe behavior by all roadway users, not just commercial drivers.

Highway safety remains central to PMTA's mission. Through its Safety Management Council, Pennsylvania Truck Driving Championships, Road Team, and partnerships with transportation and law enforcement agencies, the association works to promote safe driving practices and recognize the professionalism of commercial drivers.

Autonomous trucks represent another significant difference, ranking sixth in Pennsylvania but falling outside the national top ten.

The Pennsylvania results emphasize the importance of establishing clear responsibilities for drivers and other personnel, developing consistent interstate operating standards, and understanding the legal liability and insurance implications of autonomous vehicle technology.

These concerns point to the importance of developing clear, consistent policies as new technologies enter commercial transportation.

Artificial intelligence in trucking, meanwhile, ranks seventh nationally and tenth in Pennsylvania. Both surveys reflect growing interest in AI's potential benefits for safety and efficiency, along with concerns about cybersecurity, workforce impacts, and regulatory consistency.

Recognizing the growing importance of this technology, PMTA's Safety Management Council has made artificial intelligence the focus of its October 28 Safety Day Conference in Carlisle. The conference will explore practical applications of AI in driver training, supervision, fleet safety, and regulatory compliance, as well as the legal implications of AI technology in trucking operations.

Federal Safety Oversight and Hours-of-Service Regulations

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA), the federal motor carrier safety measurement system, ranks third nationally but seventh in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania results prioritize additional resources for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), modernization of its systems, and improvements in the accuracy and reliability of carrier safety performance data.

These priorities closely align with issues PMTA raised during Senator Dave McCormick's Red Tape Dialogues at Temple University in October, where transportation industry participants identified opportunities to improve federal regulatory effectiveness and reduce unnecessary compliance burdens.

Hours-of-service regulations also appear in Pennsylvania's top ten, ranking ninth, but are absent from the national list.

The Pennsylvania results highlight interest in additional research on fatigue management, greater flexibility in split sleeper berth and duty periods, and the use of personal conveyance provisions.

These findings reinforce the importance of regulations that maintain strong safety protections while recognizing the practical realities of trucking operations.

Economic Concerns and the Trucking Workforce

The economy dropped from first nationally in 2025 to sixth in 2026, suggesting some improvement in industry sentiment following an extended freight recession. In Pennsylvania, the economy ranked fifth.

Despite signs of stabilization, carriers continue to face significant operating costs, uncertain freight demand, and the effects of tariffs on equipment and consumer goods.

Interestingly, three workforce-related issues — driver shortage, driver compensation, and driver retention — appear in the national top ten but not Pennsylvania's list.

That does not mean workforce challenges have disappeared in Pennsylvania. Rather, the rankings suggest that other immediate concerns have taken precedence.

PMTA continues to support workforce development and the recruitment of qualified professional drivers. The association also advocates for stronger commercial driver training and licensing integrity, including Pennsylvania's Act 50 of 2026, which established significant penalties for operating unlicensed commercial driver training schools.

During the recent Red Tape Dialogues, PMTA representatives also identified the need for a workable pathway for qualified 18- to 20-year-old drivers to participate in interstate commerce, helping create additional career opportunities for younger workers.

Turning Survey Results Into Action

While the rankings differ, the national and Pennsylvania surveys deliver a consistent message: trucking companies are navigating substantial economic, legal, regulatory, and operational challenges.

They also demonstrate why advocacy must take place at multiple levels.

Some challenges, such as federal safety regulations, emissions standards, and interstate workforce policies, require coordinated national action. Others, including Pennsylvania's fuel taxes, lawsuit abuse, and roadway safety concerns, require focused attention in Harrisburg.

For PMTA, these survey results are more than an annual snapshot of industry concerns. They are an important tool for identifying priorities, evaluating policy proposals, and ensuring that the association's advocacy reflects the needs of the businesses and professional drivers it represents.

As PMTA develops its legislative and regulatory priorities for the coming year, the association will continue using member feedback, industry research, and direct engagement with policymakers to pursue practical solutions that improve highway safety, strengthen Pennsylvania's trucking industry, and support the businesses and communities that depend on it.

The goal is straightforward: to make sure the concerns of Pennsylvania's trucking industry are heard — and translated into meaningful action.