Commercial trucking is an excellent barometer for the state of the economy and where it might be going.

Cyberattacks represent an ever-increasing risk that motor carriers and fleets are up against — and which may not be insured under the typical coverages they carry, insurance industry experts said.

As the trucking industry grapples with a litigious environment and many motor carriers struggle to manage ever-rising insurance premiums, safety technologies have captured the attention of the insurance industry.

The California Trucking Association has partnered with C3 Risk and Insurance Services to offer insurance products to trucking companies through a new, for-profit insurance agency.

A major concern of the trucking industry is the widely reported shortage of professional truck drivers, who of course play a vital role in the U.S. economy by safely transporting the nation’s freight.

Bonnie Greenwood, the first female TMC FutureTech champion, is a shop technician with FedEx Freight.

Former Army mechanic Lindsay Dunham says the “unpredictable nature” of her job and being able to work with her hands are among the things she enjoys most about being a big-truck technician.

Whether truck drivers are classified as employees or independent contractors is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for many motor carriers when it comes to workers’ compensation and other insurance coverages, industry experts said.

An aging workforce of drivers is elevating the risk of workers’ compensation claims for fleets even as trucking companies are seeing stable or even lower premiums for workers’ compensation insurance, industry experts said.