Truckers are world-class eye-rollers. Parking lot full? Eye roll. Fuel prices bouncing like a yo-yo? Eye roll. Another regulation written by someone who’s never seen a logbook? You guessed it—eye roll.
But here’s the deal: for once, you don’t have to keep those frustrations between you, your steering wheel, and the poor soul at the truck stop diner who just wanted quiet. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) actually wants to hear them. That’s right—the 2025 Top Industry Issues Survey is live, and it’s your chance to finally put your gripes on record where they might do more than echo inside your cab.
Why This Survey Isn’t Trash Mail
Most surveys go straight into the junk pile with the fast-food napkins and yesterday’s fuel receipt. But ATRI’s? This thing has been the trucking industry’s compass for 21 years. It’s the one survey that carriers, drivers, and policymakers actually read before they start “fixing” things.
Dennis Dellinger, ATA chair and Cargo Transporters’ president and CEO, summed it up nicely:
“For over 20 years, the industry has relied on the annual Top Industry Issues Survey to highlight the critical issues facing our nation’s supply chain.”
Translation: This isn’t a feel-good exercise. It’s the report card that sets the agenda.
27 Ways to Lose Your Cool
This year, ATRI is serving up 27 issues—and you get to pick your top three. It’s like a buffet of frustrations:
⭐ The classics: Truck Parking, Driver Pay, Detention Time, Insurance Costs, Fuel Prices, Hours-of-Service rules.
⭐ The futuristic curveballs: Autonomous Trucks, Battery Electric Vehicles, AI in Trucking.
So whether you’re worried about finding a spot tonight or robots stealing your route tomorrow, this survey’s got you covered.
Carriers vs. Drivers: Same Highway, Different Radio Stations
Here’s where the sparks fly. Carriers and drivers don’t see eye to eye on what’s worst.
⭐ Carriers stay up at night over skyrocketing insurance, lawsuit abuse, and the driver shortage treadmill.
⭐ Drivers? They’re done talking about parking like it’s optional. Add in detention times and compensation that doesn’t match the miles, and you’ve got a recipe for daily frustration.
Both lists matter, and ATRI lines them up so nobody gets to ignore the other side. It’s the industry’s couples therapy session—except no one has to share feelings, just rank them.
Same Problems, New Calendar Year
If this all sounds familiar, it’s because it is. ATRI tracks trends, and some problems are like that one relative who overstays their welcome: they just won’t leave.
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Truck parking has been a top-five problem four years running.
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The economy has sat at #1 since 2022 like it owns the place.
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Driver pay keeps showing up because—spoiler alert—drivers still want more of it.
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Carriers still point at driver shortage and lawsuit abuse like they’re the boogeyman.
It’s the trucking industry’s longest-running soap opera.
ATRI Isn’t Just Listening—They’re Digging
The survey is just one piece of the puzzle. ATRI’s also tackling the heavyweight topics that keep fleets sweating:
⭐ Cabotage violations—foreign carriers poaching U.S. freight.
⭐ In-cab cameras—safety tool or Big Brother with a lens?
⭐ Insurance premiums so high some fleets are flirting with self-insurance.
⭐ Whether entry-level driver training (ELDT) is actually working once rookies hit the road.
⭐ How to turn telematics data from digital wallpaper into real maintenance wins.
In other words: ATRI isn’t just listening—they’re doing the homework.
Mark Your Calendar (Yes, This One Matters)
⭐ Survey closes: October 10, 2025
⭐ Results announced: October 26, 2025
⭐ Where: ATA’s Management Conference & Exhibition, San Diego, CA
So while you’re hauling America’s freight, ATRI is hauling data. And your input is the fuel.
Don’t Just Shrug—Do Something
Complaining in the cab doesn’t fix anything. Yelling at dispatch doesn’t shrink detention. And venting to your spouse about parking just earns you “the look.”
But five minutes on this survey? That could actually change the conversation.
👉 Take the survey now: 2025 Top Industry Issues Survey
Don’t just roll your eyes. Tell ATRI what’s broken. Because silence doesn’t move freight—and it sure won’t change trucking.