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the final rule. Those strategies included The state of the nation’s transpor- The annual Top Industry Issues
ensuring that the ELD mandate did not tation infrastructure ranked ninth in Survey provides an important indicator
require that the devices be capable of this year’s overall survey. The negative of where trucking’s attention is focused
creating hard-copy HOS records; grand- impacts of congestion, failing roads and and which issues may rise to promi-
fathering in existing devices installed bridges and the need for a long-term nence in the near future. It’s an impor-
by early adopters; and ensuring that the transportation funding solution all tant tool for providing direction to
two-year implementation window not combined to keep this issue in the top industry groups at the state and nation-
be extended. ten in 2015. The top strategy for deal- al levels in terms of the issues and strat-
With the final rule issued, the ELD ing with infrastructure as identified by egies that motor carriers and drivers
mandate may see a change in ranking survey respondents is to advocate for believe will have the most impact on
in the 2016 Top Industry Issues Survey long-term highway funding through an the industry for years to come. Armed
(to be launched in August 2016) driven increase in the fuel tax or other user with this information, state trucking
more by any remaining issues or con- fees, and prevent additional diversion of associations and the American Trucking
cerns that carriers and drivers have as revenue to non-highway projects. Associations are better equipped to
ELDs are deployed. Finally, Arkansas respondents iden- address the issues more broadly and
Driver health and wellness con- tified a different top 10 issue in tenth proactively.
tinues to climb in ranking, this year place — Drug and Alcohol Testing — with ATRI is the trucking industry’s
reaching seventh in the overall survey, the top strategy identified as advocat- 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research
its highest position to date. Many in the ing for carriers to have the option of organization. It is engaged in critical
industry recognize the critical connec- using hair samples in lieu of urine for research relating to freight transporta-
tion between improved driver health some categories of required drug tests. tion’s essential role in maintaining a
and wellness and the industry’s abil- This represents yet another issue that safe, secure and efficient transporta-
ity to retain qualified drivers. As such, has subsequently been addressed in the tion system. A copy of the 2015 Critical
more and more fleets are deploying FAST Act of 2015 which requires the Issues in the Trucking Industry report is
health and wellness programs for their U.S. Department of Health and Human available from ATRI at www.atri-online.
drivers. Services to set standards for hair testing. org. ATR

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