Will Donald Trump’s Presidency Change The Trucking Industry?

Politicians and citizens alike continue to debate the merits of President-elect Donald Trump. The incoming Commander-in-Chief will have plenty of issues to tackle at the start of his administration, and it might come as a surprise that the trucking industry could be seriously affected by a President Trump.

Analysts at FTR Transportation Intelligence have recently revealed an assessment on Trump’s potential impact on the trucking industry, and it’s something of a mixed bag. The President-elect has expressed a strong commitment to improving the nation’s infrastructure, including improvements to highways, but it appears that the trucking industry could wind up paying for many of those improvements.

Who Will Pay For Trump’s Infrastructure Improvements?

FTR analyst Noël Perry believes that the trucking industry will have to kick in money towards Trump’s proposed infrastructure improvements. As Perry notes, “Trump made it clear during his campaign that he wasn’t going to increase the deficit to pay for infrastructure projects. The trucking industry shares the highway, so we have to pay our fair share.”

The American Trucking Associations is against using tolls to fund infrastructure projects and highway projects. Instead, they support raising fuel taxes to fund such projects, though Perry has warned that the industry should expect both.

Will Trump’s Trade Policy Impact Truckers?

Perry and FTR also warn of potential impact on the trucking industry thanks to Trump’s proposed trade policies. The President-elect has implied that he will try to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and institute other trade policies that focus on America first. Those policies could potentially upset foreign trade partners, and possibly even trigger a trade war.

Perry warns that a trade war could have major ramifications for the trucking industry. As he notes, “If [Trump] starts a trade war, we are going to have a recession, period. We will have to watch really closely to find out who he appoints to his cabinet – that will give us some clue.”

FTR analysts also note that Trump’s policies could help the trucking industry, especially his energy policy. The President-elect supports increasing domestic oil production, which could create demand for trucking as well as decreases in fuel prices.

While President-elect Donald Trump’s policies could have a huge affect on the trucking and transportation industries, one thing is guaranteed — drivers will still need to comply with the Department of Transportation’s rules. Thankfully, New Era Drug Testing is here to help your drivers comply with the DOJ’s drug and alcohol testing requirements. Contact New Era Drug Testing today for more information on our services.