What’s Ahead for the Trucking Industry in 2021?
The new federal administration will, in all likelihood, change the legislative and regulatory landscape, and this will have an effect on aspects of the trucking industry. A new highway bill is due to be passed by Congress since the FAST Act expired in December. There will be new leaders at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In the year ahead, the trucking industry could potentially be affected by speed limiter legislation and insurance hikes.
More Regulations Likely
A change of power in Washington to a new administration that is likely more regulation-friendly could lead to many changes. A few are discussed below.
- Speed Limiter Legislation. A prior draft for a speed limiter mandate, which was tabled in 2017, proposed that truck speeds be limited to 60, 65, or 68 miles per hour.
- Higher liability insurance limits. Another proposal tabled in 2017 was looking at increasing the current liability insurance minimum of $750,000 for motor carriers.
- There may be a resurgence of proposed clearer criteria for screening truck drivers for sleep apnea and guidelines about treatment if the condition is found.
The Courts are Looking at California’s A.B. 5
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is currently reviewing the California Trucking Association’s (CTA) request for a continuing exemption from the state’s A.B. 5 law, which went into effect in January 2020. Initially, the law was widely interpreted as restricting the ability of motor carriers to contract loads to owner-operators. The U.S. District Court handed down an injunction blocking enforcement of the law against trucking companies while the CTA’s lawsuit is pending. A decision from the 9th Circuit is expected in the first few months of 2021. Lawyers for CTA say they are prepared to pursue the case through to the United States Supreme Court.
Emissions Regulations
President Biden has been clear that one of the priorities for his administration will be climate policy. This could translate into a renewed focus on federal emissions regulations.
New Leadership at FMCSA
By this summer, a nominee to head FMCSA should be announced under the new DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. It is safe to assume that the new leadership will be pro-safety, and in line with the stated mission of FMCSA to reduce truck and bus crashes and related fatality rates.
Freight Patterns May Return to Normal in 2021.
The freight patterns in 2020 were beyond what has been seen in any other year, due to conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some prognosticators expect freight demands to return to a more predictable, seasonal pattern in 2021. If vaccines become widely available, consumers will venture out more and rely on online orders and deliveries less.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below includes further predictions for how 2021 will look for the trucking industry.
Modesto Truck Accident Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading our discussion of potential changes heading for the trucking industry in the year ahead. My name is Ed Smith, and I have been a Modesto truck accident lawyer for more than 38 years. Large commercial trucks are a key part of American commerce. The highways of Northern California are heavily-traveled commercial routes. When an accident occurs involving a semi-truck, property damage to the other vehicle is usually severe. Unfortunately, often so are injuries to the other vehicle’s occupants. A passenger vehicle just does not have much protection against the impact of a large commercial truck. If you or someone you love has been injured in a crash involving a commercial truck, you will benefit from our compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice. Please reach out to one of our injury lawyers at (209) 227-1931 within the local area, or from outside the region, use our toll-free line: (800) 404-5400.
It is always helpful to hear from prior clients when searching for legal representation. Many of our former clients have left reviews that can be found at the sites linked below.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/transportation-driving-freeway-1495618/
mm llo [cs 673]