Podcast: Freight recession, nuclear verdicts, and the future of trucking

SAN DIEGO, California—What are the most urgent issues keeping fleet executives and drivers up at night? In this week's episode of The Fleet Lead podcast, Rebecca Brewster of the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) and motor carrier executive Andy Owens of A&M Transport break down ATRI's annual Top Industry Concerns survey with FleetOwner’s Josh Fisher.

For the third year in a row, the prolonged freight recession is the No. 1 issue, but the conversation reveals the real-world operational pain, including:

• The insurance crisis: Why lawsuit abuse reform and insurance cost/availability have rocketed to the top three, and how the threat of nuclear verdicts is draining carrier resources.
• Costs vs. rates: Learn how non-fuel operational costs have hit a 17-year high at $1.78 per mile—the highest ever recorded—while rates remain down, leading to negative profit margins for some carriers.
• The driver "shortage" shift: Discover why the driver shortage dropped out of the Top 10 for the first time and why the remaining challenge is now a quality issue—not a quantity issue.
• New regulatory pressures: A look at new Top 10 issues, including the unexpected rise of artificial intelligence and the looming deadline for diesel emissions regulations for model year 2027 vehicles.

Plus: Andy Owens shares how his fleet is grappling with high costs—from tough staffing decisions to pushing new truck orders into next year—and offers a practical alternative to electrification with renewable diesel.

Listen now to get the full breakdown and see how your fleet's concerns stack up against the rest of the industry.

You can also find the full ATRI report for free at truckingresearch.org.