Emerging issues in the trucking industry, then and now
Every year, ATRI names the concerns ranked just below its top 10: the ones that might break through next. In 2022 there were three. Four years later, one is a top-five cost, one became a federal pilot program, and one turned into an enforcement crackdown.
Written by Gabriel Gonzalez
The 2022 watch list in numbers
The emerging issues in the trucking industry that ATRI flagged in 2022, ranked 11th to 13th, were insurance cost and availability, hours-of-service rules, and driver training standards. By 2026, insurance had climbed to fourth. Hours of service and training dropped off the list, but each led to federal action: sleeper-berth and detention pilots, and a purge of CDL schools.
The top 10 gets the headlines, but the three issues just below it are where the next round of costs tends to come from. Watching them is cheaper than reacting once they reach the top.
I have spent more than 22 years at Simplex, nearly 16 of them as COO, and I read these lists for what they will cost a carrier. This post follows ATRI's 2022 watch list to today, explains what each issue means for a small fleet's budget, and names the three issues ATRI is watching now.
The full briefing, read aloud
7 chapters. Select one to jump to it.
Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Gabriel Gonzalez.
Key takeaways
Three issues sat just below the 2022 top 10
Insurance cost and availability ranked 11th, hours-of-service rules 12th, and driver training standards 13th in ATRI's 2022 survey.
Insurance broke through
It jumped to fourth in 2024, third in 2025, and fourth in 2026. ATRI found liability premium costs per mile rose 18.6% from 2021 to 2024 while truck crash rates fell.
Hours of service moved into pilot programs
Drivers in 2022 wanted more sleeper-berth flexibility and relief from detention. FMCSA has since proposed pilots to test 6/4 and 5/5 splits and a pause of up to 3 hours in the 14-hour window.
Driver training became an enforcement story
Concern peaked at ninth in 2025. FMCSA has since removed thousands of providers from its Training Provider Registry, and the issue left ATRI's list in 2026.
The 2026 watch list is parking, autonomy, and English
Truck parking ranks 11th, autonomous trucks 12th, and English language proficiency 13th, according to ATRI's 2026 report.
In this articleContents
What were the emerging issues in the trucking industry in 2022?
They were insurance cost and availability, hours-of-service rules, and driver training standards, the issues ranked 11th to 13th in ATRI's 2022 Critical Issues report. ATRI tracks them as topics that draw real interest but fall just outside the top 10, and that may become top issues later.
| 2022 emerging issue | 2022 rank and ICI | 2026 rank |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance cost and availability | 11th (35.3) | 4th |
| Hours-of-service rules | 12th (33.8) | Not in the top 13 |
| Driver training standards | 13th (32.5) | Not in the top 13 |
The margins were thin. Insurance, ninth in 2021, scored 35.3, just 0.1 below lawsuit abuse reform at 35.4, the 10th issue; our recap of concerns six through 10 covers that one. The full top 10, led by fuel prices, is in our post on the top trucking industry concerns of 2022.
Who worried about what mattered too. Motor carriers ranked insurance seventh among their own concerns. Truck drivers ranked hours of service seventh and driver training standards ninth.
Did insurance cost become a top trucking industry challenge?
Yes, and faster than the other two. Insurance stayed outside the top 10 in 2023, then jumped to fourth in 2024, rose to third in 2025, and ranked fourth in 2026.
In 2022, ATRI pointed to its own research showing insurance premium costs per mile rose 47% from 2010 to 2020. Fleets said they offset it by cutting wages and bonuses, buying less excess coverage, and delaying new equipment.
The trend continued. ATRI's May 2026 research found liability premium costs rose 18.6% from 2021 to 2024, to 10.2 cents a mile, while heavy-truck crash rates fell 2.6%. Per-mile premiums for the $10 to $15 million excess layer rose 45%. ATRI's 2026 report adds that fleets with fewer than 100 trucks saw increases of 27% to 50% over those four years.
The same research found two things a carrier controls. Fleets that kept more risk in their primary layer, through deductibles or self-insurance, had lower combined losses and premiums, and six safety technologies were linked to lower liability losses per mile. Your own record matters too; see how CSA scores affect truck insurance premiums.
What happened to the hours-of-service concern?
It faded from the overall list but turned into two federal pilot programs aimed at exactly what drivers complained about in 2022: sleeper-berth flexibility and time lost to detention.
The 2022 concern came after FMCSA's 2020 rule changed four provisions: the short-haul exception, the adverse driving conditions exception, the 30-minute break, and the sleeper berth. Today a driver still gets 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window after 10 hours off, and can split the 10 hours as 7/3 or 8/2 in the sleeper berth. Drivers told ATRI those splits weren't flexible enough and that long waits at shippers ate into the 14 hours.
The two pilot programs
- Flexible Sleeper Berth. Adds 6/4 and 5/5 splits for about 256 participating drivers, to test whether they are as safe as today's options.
- Split Duty Period. Lets about 256 drivers pause the 14-hour window once a day for 30 minutes to 3 hours, off duty or in the sleeper berth, or on duty at a pickup or delivery, which covers detention.
FMCSA proposed both in September 2025 and sought 18 drivers for six-week trial runs in 2026. In October 2026 it published information-collection notices for the full studies, with comments open through December 7, 2026. Until a driver is enrolled in a pilot, the current rules apply. To plan a day inside them, see our guide to time management around the hours-of-service clock.
The concern also changed hands. Hours of service last made ATRI's top 10 in 2020. In 2026, drivers still rank it 10th among their own concerns, and law enforcement respondents rank it fifth, behind ELD fraud at No. 1.
What became of the driver training standards concern?
It climbed into the top 10, at ninth in 2025, and then FMCSA acted on it. The concern in 2022 was the new entry-level driver training rule, required since February 7, 2022. Training providers list themselves on FMCSA's registry by attesting that they meet the standards, and drivers told ATRI too many new drivers reached the road undertrained, by trainers who were not well trained themselves.
On December 1, 2025, FMCSA announced it had removed nearly 3,000 providers from the Training Provider Registry and put another 4,500 on notice, the first step in reviewing 16,000. On August 31, 2026, it announced the emergency removal of more than 110 more, tied to drivers who failed English proficiency checks. As of October 20, 2026, the registry lists 9,973 removed training locations.
With the issue in FMCSA's hands, it fell off ATRI's 2026 list. For a carrier hiring new CDL holders, the business risk is now the school, not the rule. Our guide to entry-level driver training covers what to check on a new hire's training record.
Which trucking issues are emerging in 2026?
ATRI's 2026 report, released October 18, 2026, puts truck parking, autonomous trucks, and English language proficiency for drivers just outside the top 10.
| Rank and ICI | Issue | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|
| 11th (40.4) | Truck parking | Out of the top 10 for the first time since 2012; drivers still rank it second |
| 12th (32.7) | Autonomous trucks | Up five places; drivers rank it fourth |
| 13th (31.6) | English language proficiency | Debuted seventh in 2025; down six places |
Not every concern passes through the watch list first. Artificial intelligence in trucking and diesel emissions regulations debuted straight into the 2025 top 10 and held seventh and eighth in 2026.
How should a small carrier plan for emerging trucking challenges?
Treat 11th to 13th as a two-year warning. Insurance went from 11th to fourth in two years, and every renewal in between was a chance to prepare. Three habits fit this list:
- Prepare insurance renewals all year. ATRI linked safety technology and carrying more of your own risk to lower costs, and underwriters also read your inspection record. Shop the renewal with a broker who places commercial truck insurance across several markets.
- Price detention into your loads. Hours spent waiting at a dock come out of the 14-hour window today. Charge for them in writing until the rules change.
- Verify new drivers' training, not just their CDL. A school can be removed from the registry after your driver graduates, so keep a copy of each new hire's training certification in the file.
How Simplex helps carriers stay ahead of the next concern
Insurance, hours of service, and driver qualification are the three issues from this watch list that reach a carrier's books. We help with all three.
Insurance placed by a broker
As a broker, we quote and place commercial truck insurance, from auto liability to cargo and physical damage, and help you prepare for renewal.
Hours of service on a registered ELD
Our ELD solutions record hours of service and help your office spot detention and clock problems before they become violations.
Driver files that hold up
We build and maintain driver qualification files, so every new hire's license, medical, and training records are where an auditor expects them.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emerging issues in the trucking industry right now?+
What are the biggest challenges in the trucking industry in 2026?+
What are the biggest workforce challenges for trucking companies?+
Is FMCSA changing the sleeper berth rule?+
Where this information comes from
The rankings, survey details, and figures below come from ATRI's reports and research and from FMCSA and the Federal Register, checked on October 20, 2026.
-
1
ATRI — Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry 2022
The 2022 emerging issues (11th to 13th) with ICI scores, the reasons behind each, and rankings by drivers and carriers.
-
2
ATRI — Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry 2026
The 2026 ranks, the 2026 emerging issues, rankings since 2017, small-fleet insurance increases, and law enforcement's top concerns.
-
3
ATRI — New Research Analyzes Motor Carrier Responses to Rising Insurance Costs
Liability premium costs per mile from 2021 to 2024, excess-layer increases, and the risk practices linked to lower costs.
-
4
FMCSA — Hours of Service
The four provisions changed in 2020, current sleeper-berth splits, and the 2026 tests for the two pilot programs.
-
5
Federal Register — Pilot Program to Pause the 14-Hour Driving Window (information collection)
The Split Duty Period pilot's design, about 256 drivers, and comments open through December 7, 2026.
-
6
FMCSA — Removal of Nearly 3,000 CDL Training Providers (December 1, 2025)
Nearly 3,000 providers removed, 4,500 put on notice, and the review of 16,000 listed providers.
-
7
FMCSA — Interagency Effort to Crack Down on Fraud in Trucking (August 31, 2026)
The emergency removal of more than 110 training providers tied to drivers who failed English proficiency checks.
-
8
FMCSA — Training Provider Registry
Registry counts of active, under-review, and removed training locations as of October 20, 2026.
Written by
Gabriel Gonzalez
Chief Revenue Officer, Simplex Group
Chief Revenue Officer at Simplex Group, with more than 22 years at the company, including nearly 16 years as Chief Operating Officer. His background combines revenue strategy with deep operational experience, giving him a strong perspective on how compliance, risk, permits, cash flow, and operational readiness affect a carrier's ability to grow profitably.
Published · Updated
Related articles and services
The cheapest time to deal with a concern is while it's still emerging
Insurance sat on ATRI's watch list two years before it became a top-five concern. That was two renewals' worth of time to build a cleaner record, settle on a deductible you can carry, and give a broker a complete file.
If you want help getting your insurance, hours of service, or driver files ready for what comes next, talk to our team.