Latest News Updates From Connor D. Wolf

Trucking is embracing artificial intelligence to reduce costs and improve safety, but company leaders warn that carriers must balance efficiency gains against legitimate concerns.

American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello warns that businesses remain hamstrung by trade policy uncertainty, and said the true impact of tariffs has barely been felt.

Grote Industries debuted two services designed to address roadside and rear-end collision risks with digital and lighting alerts, the company announced Oct. 26 at MCE 2025.

The 2025 ATRI Top Industry Issues report, released Oct. 26, found that the economy was the top concern among industry stakeholders for the third year in a row.

Nuclear verdicts are "just getting exponentially larger,” said Oriana Senatore, managing director and senior vice president of strategy at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.

Rob Abbott of Fleetworthy points out that trucking has a history of continual improvement in safety, and has reduced its fatal crash rate by more than 50% since 1975.

“Overall, we expect modest contraction in our combined truckload fleet and growth in our asset-light segments," Covenant CEO David Parker said. 

ACT noted continuing concerns over moderating economic activity, weak for-hire carrier profitability and ambiguous government policy remain as challenges to trailer demand.

"September’s tonnage level was essentially the same as in September 2023, underscoring the tough freight market over the last few years,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

The company posted net income of $7.86 million, or 5 cents a diluted share, for the three months ended Sept. 30. That compared with $30.5 million, 19 cents, a year earlier.