Truck Drivers

For August, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI reading, at 0.3, marked an improvement over July’s -1.03, with FTR calling August’s reading “neutral.” The July TCI reading fared better than June’s -1,83, the lowest in 2025.

Washington is considering a measure that would crack down on unsavory leasing practices in the trucking industry that backers say trap truck drivers into long-term debt and prevent them from becoming profitable owner-operators.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's announcement on new actions being taken to enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial truck operators were met by applause by American trucking interests.

For April, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI fell to -0.81, following a 0.28 March reading. This followed a -0.21 February reading, which marked an improvement over January’s -2.56 reading, and nearly erased all of the growth seen in December, which posted a 2.67 reading. Which was preceded by November’s 3.02, its highest reading going back to April 2022.

Industry groups are on board, but some experts say the real issue is driver turnover, not shortage.

The FMSCA says only 113 motor carriers have applied for its under-21 truck driver apprenticeship program since July 2022. That is a very disappointing turnout for an initiative that the government had expected to recruit up to 1,000 carriers and 3,000 drivers.

The long-simmering problem of how to correctly classify trucking industry workers—either as contractors or employees—has arisen once again. In a precedent-setting move, the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) general counsel is alleging two trucking companies are misclassifying drivers as independent contractors in violation of federal labor law.

The trucking industry is blasting President Joe Biden’s vaccine policy for not allowing an exemption from a federal mandate that requires private sector employers with over 100 employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

There are fears the summer driving season could be curtailed by a looming driver shortage for gasoline tank car drivers. Of course, word of driver shortages is nothing new for the overall trucking industry, which estimates it is approximately 50,000 drivers short of what carrier executives say they could use to fill trucks as the nation emerges from the post-coronavirus lockdown.

The November TCI, which is the most recent month for which data is available, came in in 10.26, down from October’s record high reading of 16.17. And the firm said that the trucking environment remains strong, as rising freight rates continue to power robust trucking conditions.

Greenwich, Conn.-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider XPO Logistics said today that it reached a new high-water mark with its digital freight marketplace, XPO Connect, noting that the Drive XPO app, which is used by carriers and truck drivers to access XPO Connect, has now been downloaded more than 300,000 times.