Trucking Industry’sTopTen ATRI’s 2013 industry survey results FIGURE 1 – DISTRIBUTION OF INDUSTRY ISSUE PRIORITIZATION SCORES ISSUES OF TOP CONCERN


800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0


Third Most Important Second Most Important Most Important


ISSUES


By ReBecca M. BRewsteR Guest Writer


Since 2005, the American Trucking


Associations has turned to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) to survey trucking industry stakeholders to identify the top issues of concern. And for the 2013 annual survey, there was no shortage of topics for the industry to choose from. First and foremost were the changes to the


federal Hours-of-Service rules which took effect July 1 of this year. Included in the new rules were limitations placed on the use of the 34-hour restart and a mandated 30-minute rest break for drivers before driving after eight hours on duty. While the safety impacts of the


HOS changes have yet to be fully understood, the productivity impacts were immediately felt. Prior to the July 1 changes, ATRI published research which quantified potential impacts from the new rules, including productivity costs to the industry of as much as $376 million annually just for the restart changes. Compared to the potential benefit to the industry of $133 million estimated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it’s clear to see why industry had concern. Tat concern was not unfounded. On


November 18 ATRI released its latest HOS analysis, this time clearly documenting actual impacts on motor carriers and drivers


operating under the new rules. Among those impacts: 80 percent of carriers reported a productivity loss; nearly 70 percent of drivers reported pay decreases; and more than 80 percent of drivers reported a negative impact on their quality of life, with 66 percent reporting increased fatigue levels operating under the new rules. Te impacts on driver wages alone for all over-the-road drivers could total $1.6 billion to $3.9 billion in annualized loss. Tese real-world impacts were the subject of a November 21 congressional hearing by the Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce. But hours-of-service isn’t the only issue facing the industry. Te industry is still


NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 1, 2014 — www.nebtrucking.com


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NUMBER OF RESPONSES


Hours-of-Service


CSA Driver Shortage


Economy ELD Mandate Truck Parking Driver Retention Fuel Supply/Fuel Prices Infrastructure/Congestion Driver Health/Wellness


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