American Transportation Research Institute

Charlotte – October 19, 2026 -- The economy fell to #6 on the American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI) 22nd annual Top Industry Issues list after three consecutive years at #1, as fuel prices, lawsuit abuse reform, CSA and insurance cost and availability moved to the forefront of trucking concerns.

Diesel above $6.50 per gallon squeezes smaller fleets

Ben Banks, TCW President, said diesel topping $6.50 per gallon arrived just as the freight economy showed positive signs. He called the spike "particularly painful" for small- to mid-size fleets, given that overall operating costs keep climbing.

Workforce issues return to the top 10

Driver Shortage ranked #5 and Driver Retention #10. Driver Compensation held its top 10 position at #9. Artificial Intelligence in Trucking and Diesel Emissions Regulations, both new to the list in 2025, remain top 10 concerns.

Washington – October 16, 2026 -- The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has selected former TeamOne Logistics CEO Page Siplon as its next president and chief operating officer, ending a nationwide search to replace Rebecca Brewster, who retires in February 2027 after more than three decades with the organization.

Siplon joins in November for a three-month handover with Brewster

Siplon starts at ATRI in November and works alongside Brewster until she retires in February 2027, when he assumes the presidency. ATRI is the trucking industry's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. Its board announced the appointment on Oct. 16.

Washington – September 16, 2026 -- The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released new research identifying which telematics metrics deliver the greatest value to motor carriers, exposing a gap between what fleets currently measure and what actually drives safety and operational gains.

Cost-per-mile ranks as top operations metric despite limited adoption

The report, titled "From Telematics Data to Decisions: High-Value Performance Metrics for Trucking Operations," found that managing cost-per-mile scored highest for importance among operations KPIs, yet only 73 percent of surveyed carriers currently track it.

Four safety metrics dominate current fleet adoption

Critical events, speeding, risky driving behavior and hard braking emerged as the four most widely used safety-related KPIs among motor carriers surveyed for the study.