The Trucking Alliance’s Focus and Future Agenda
The Trucking Alliance, while one of the smaller lobbying groups in the trucking industry, comprises significant players and has consistently prioritized safety in its policy advocacy.
Following a challenging year in 2025 where trucking, safety, and politics intersected in unpredictable ways, the Alliance is outlining its agenda not just for 2026, but for future years. They acknowledge that some regulatory changes may take time to develop.
Freightwaves is showcasing a three-part video and editorial series featuring insights from an interview conducted by editor at large John Kingston with key leaders of the Trucking Alliance, including Steve Williams (co-founder and president), Lane Kidd (managing director), Greer Woodruff (executive VP at J.B. Hunt), and Brett Sant (senior VP at Knight Swift).
The complete interview with the Trucking Alliance leaders can be accessed here.
The first part addressed issues primarily affecting drivers directly, while the second part focused on recommended safety measures that should mainly be implemented by carriers. The final part centers on broader regulatory changes, recognizing the interconnected nature of these issues, despite attempts to categorize them for easier tracking.
Insurance Adjustments
It is noteworthy that since the deregulation of the trucking industry in 1980, the minimum insurance requirement for carriers remains at $750,000, a point the Trucking Alliance considers problematic.
Brett Sant mentions that the original intention was for the insurance industry to regulate these carriers. However, many carriers operate with small fleets and lack rigorous underwriting. For instance, he pointed out an unnamed carrier with a 15% to 20% market share whose clients maintain an average fleet size of just two trucks, leading to inadequate risk assessment.
The Trucking Alliance recommends increasing the minimum financial responsibility requirement to $2.9 million, which reflects the 1980 amount adjusted for inflation, and suggests annual adjustments based on medical inflation. However, whether Congress will support this change remains uncertain, even though some states like New Jersey have made similar adjustments.
English Language Proficiency
During the FreightWaves interview, the topic of English language proficiency was briefly touched upon, noted as a significant factor in the broader issue of cabotage. Greer Woodruff indicated that conversations about language proficiency have accelerated awareness of this issue.
The Trucking Alliance’s white paper suggests various recommendations regarding English proficiency, including requiring insurers to provide certificates directly and ensuring ongoing monitoring for coverage lapses. They also propose enforcing identity proofing measures to combat fraud and extending these measures to brokers. Furthermore, the Alliance is advocating for clear English language proficiency standards for all commercial drivers in the U.S. to enhance communication during inspections, emergencies, and daily operations, thereby improving highway safety.
ELD Enforcement Changes
Unexpected developments during the Trump administration included the FMCSA removing numerous Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) from the market. The Trucking Alliance strongly supported the ELD mandate, but Lane Kidd expressed concern that instead of certifying each manufacturer, the FMCSA allowed self-certification, which led to numerous documented failures during roadside inspections.
Kidd argues that to amend this, the FMCSA must adopt bold measures, including requiring ELDs to undergo a recertification process via independent third-party certification labs. He remarked on FMCSA’s openness to partner with third-party providers to enhance their certification process, suggesting a potential shift toward improved standards in the industry.
