Written & Submitted by Newt
You’re rolling down the highway past the fields, the farms and the trees. The day draws on with that feeling of freedom in the back of your mind as you push the metal down. No rules, just right, you do it your way. You look forward as the sun beats down on the windshield, the hood of the rig has heat waves rising up from it. Your air-seat rocks to the sway of the road, and it all feels right. You are truckin’ on, an over the road truck-driver and the day is young. They are the last of the free-range riders of our time. They don’t have the dust in their eyes with the heat beating down on them as they once did when cowboys rode the range, paved highways and air-conditioning has changed all of that, but they still deal with the weather, and now the crowds, which are over running the system that is presently in place. There are many things about this new system of highway management which is right, but there are some things about it that is wrong.
We’re not here to promote, but to report on the facts, and the facts are the trucking industry affects each one of us every time we go out our front door and get into our cars. Everywhere you go you run across trucks, more and more of them all of the time. It makes one wonder how safe are you, really. But you should also be asking, “Do we really need all of these trucks running about?” So let’s take a look.
The world around us is changing like never before as the technology revolution continues to move forward at ever increasing speed. The coming of AI is only going to perpetuate a faster movement of change, and in ways we thought of as science fiction just a few years ago.
The combination of expanded track laying, the movement toward designated trucking lanes, and the continued movement of warehousing districts to the outskirts of big cities, marks a shift in deployment of trucking resources that frankly has never seen before. During the next ten years we will see it in front of our eyes as these long-term efforts come to fruition. So who’s paying for this?
In 2023 Federal and State fuel taxes amassed a staggering $30.26 billion dollars from the trucking industry, according to the American Trucking Association. By 2025 the amount had grown to a whopping $42.8 billion in fuel taxes. This increase shows the continued growth of the industry and their contribution to our American highways.
But while these numbers are good for all Americans, the media and the numerous lawyer commercials have painted the industry as dangerous and inept. However from 2014 to 2022, the last year for these statistics that is available, there has been a noticeable increase in safety by putting an emphasis on safety, going even beyond that what the regulatory requirements are by law. An increase in spending corresponded with this industry effort reaching $14 billion by 2022, compared to $8.8 billion back in 2014. This includes onboard safety technology, increased driver safety training hours and increased driver safety incentives. This with an increase in vehicle safety related maintenance, and stricter safety compliance across the board, according to the American Trucking Association.
So why are trucking companies having a harder time recruiting and retaining drivers? In 2026 there are 1,465, 000 employees in the American trucking industry, of those 900, 880 thousand drivers, both OTR over-the-road and other drivers. Fatalities are down by about 12% from 2023 – 2024, while productivity rose in 2024 after a four year decline, according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However the average driver is still leaving in record numbers, while less and less people are willing to step up and take on this line of work, so why? The reasons are varied. AI is coming and they know it. It will change the trucking industry in ways that we are only beginning to understand now. But drivers now see only a loss of positions from the coming AI storm. When the new 7/3 rule, along with weight and health requirements were put in place by the government during the previous four years, this added to the already less than enthusiastic appeal of driving. Some of these things are changing, but how much and how soon are still to be seen. Not to mention that it continues to have one of the highest divorce rate percentages when compared to various other careers. The industry has begun to work on this as well with more guaranteed home-time on their routes.
Alabama truckers are looking for assurances that their positions aren’t going to disappear. They want safer highways, but not ones that are more restrictive. They want less government regulatory oversight. They want the government to be more pro-business and pro-driver in their policies. They also want to see lower taxes on the industry as a whole. Law suits and the advertising of lawsuits are a big area that needs to be addressed, known as tort reform. Drivers would also like to see more positions with the option for load percentages, which was once the industry standard, while continuing to increase home-time frequency.
Public perception drives a lot of the misinformation fueled by the media, which makes it difficult for people to choose driving as a career and for trucking companies in their bid at strengthening their retention of divers. Trucking companies need to do a better job of countering the numerous commercials on TV and social media by doing a better job of telling their side of the story. Hey 72.7% of all freight moved in this country was by a truck. And whatever you are eating, drinking or wearing and even sitting on or driving came to where you bought it on a truck. Just thought you would like to know.
Alabama truckers lead the nation in many of the areas that we have covered in making our highways safer, while increasing productivity and driver retention. Here’s one way you can see this in action for yourself: the annual Truck Driving Championship for Alabama will take place next month on June 5, 2026 at the Pelham Civic Complex located at 500 Amphitheater Rd. Pelham, AL 35124, from 8am – 8pm. You can call 205-620-6448 for more information.
Thanks for Listening & Drive Safely Out There !
Newt
EDITOR’S NOTE: Newt is an actual truck driver living in Bibb County, Alabama. He is an opinion writer. The thoughts and ideas expressed in this article are his own.
