ATA urges fleets to stay the course as tariffs and weak demand pressure trucking
Key takeaways
- Trucking faces a third year of freight recession driven by weak demand, excess capacity, and policy uncertainty.
- ATA secured regulatory wins on emissions, driver qualifications, and lawsuit reform to ease industry pressures.
- Tariffs and shifting federal policies continue to challenge fleets, requiring strategic planning and resilience.
SAN DIEGO, California—At American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear delivered a sobering message about the state of the industry, describing an ongoing freight recession that’s stretched into its third year. Spear tied the industry’s challenges to weak demand, excess capacity, and a volatile political landscape that has left fleets struggling to plan amid sweeping policy shifts. While the ATA favors the Trump administration’s rollback of emissions regulations, including efforts to dismantle the EPA’s Endangerment Finding and California’s Clean Air Act waivers, Spear warned that regulatory whiplash and tariffs continue to create uncertainty for carriers and manufacturers alike.
Despite the headwinds, Spear spotlighted several ATA wins on emissions policy, driver qualification standards, and lawsuit abuse reform. He praised the group’s advocacy for tougher enforcement of English Language Proficiency among drivers and stronger oversight of B-1 visa misuse while also celebrating legislative efforts to curb costly lawsuits against fleets. Still, he acknowledged the economic strain caused by tariffs and the freight slump, pledging that ATA will keep pushing for policies that stabilize the market. “Stay the course,” Spear urged, reaffirming ATA’s mission to protect the trucking industry’s future through consistent advocacy and resilience.
For more insight into Spear's address, check out this full article from Fleet Maintenance, FleetOwner's associate publication.
