Tyson Fisher
An increase in lawsuits and nuclear verdicts has been a growing problem for the trucking industry. However, researchers found that sweeping tort reform would greatly benefit all Americans, including addressing one of their main concerns: food prices.
Tort reform was the second-biggest concern among motor carriers, according to the American Transportation Research Institute’s latest survey. In just the past year, Wabash had to pay a severely discounted $30 million settlement to end a case that initially put it on the hook for nearly half a billion dollars. Daimler Truck North America got it with a $160 million verdict around the same time.
Trucking stakeholders have sounded the alarm, and some are listening. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., and Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, have introduced a bill that protects trucking companies from lawsuit abuse. Oklahoma enacted tort reform earlier this year. Nevada and Texas are looking into it.
Perhaps more lawmakers would take tort reform for the trucking industry if they realized lawsuit abuse affects everybody. That was what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform recently discovered.
Lawsuit abuse has driven up costs in the trucking industry, both in litigation costs and insurance premiums. But a new report from the Institute for Legal Reform shows the increase in trucking lawsuits has hindered broader economic growth, reducing both GDP and employment.
The study looked at the cost of litigation in the trucking sector per $1,000 of revenue across all states. North Dakota had the lowest at $25. Mississippi had the highest at nearly $58.
What would happen if the cost of litigation in all states dropped to North Dakota’s low level? According to the Institute for Legal Reform, the U.S. GDP would increase by an average of $523 billion a year and add nearly 6 million jobs across all industries.
The reason is simple: lower litigation costs would lead to higher economic activity.
To put that in the context most Americans would understand, the study calculated what that means for food costs. Significant tort reform could lower the expected inflation of “food at home” prices by up to 15%. That’s because food is among the most ground-transport-intensive goods.
That would have a more pronounced effect on lower-income households. Among the lower 20% of household incomes would see savings from money spent on food four times more than median income households. Essentially, substantial tort reform could have a meaningful effect on food insecurity concerns across the country.
Conversely, the reverse holds true as well. For every additional $1 million in trucking litigation costs, the U.S. GDP would drop by $2 million. Consequently, production and economic activity would take a hit.
Essentially, lawsuit abuse in the trucking industry is costing the United States billions of dollars, millions of jobs and driving up the cost of food. Meaningful tort reform could fix the problem. Although the study does not suggest specific policies, it explains how tort reform benefits all Americans, not just truckers.
Overdrive Staff
- Watchers credited several factors — from inflation in equipment and medical costs to nuclear verdicts and pressure to settle suits — for an unprecedented rise in trucking insurance premiums.
- The FTC has concluded an investigation into truck OEMs’ Clean Truck Partnership with CARB; Nebraska’s AG dropped a suit challenging the partnership.
- Truck and trailer parts distributor TruckPro recently donated $115,000 to four charity organizations that it supports.
Numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show insurance premiums for the commercial vehicle sector are at all-time highs — likely no surprise to owner-operators and small fleets.
Overdrive’s sister dealer publication Truck, Parts, Service recently offered an update on how soaring insurance costs are affecting truckers’ equipment purchases. In reporting from TPS’s Beth Colvin, analyst Avery Vise of FTR Transportation Intelligence credited several factors, including inflation, for rising trucking insurance costs.
“If you think about even liability insurance, hospitalization costs have gone up, the cost of vehicles have gone up,” Vise said. “If you’re in an accident and you damage a car or total a car, the cost of that goes up. The lost income goes up. You have the nuclear verdict issue, which is kind of its own issue, but you also have the fact that the actual cost to replace things to compensate has gone up.”
Insurance underwriters are also anticipating further inflation as a result of any future tariffs on trucks and truck parts, particularly from Mexico and Canada, which has led to some insurance increases since January, Colvin reported.
“They are expecting the spare parts to go up a lot because of the embedded tariffs,” even if those tariffs aren’t active yet, and even if not every replacement part is exposed, said Thom Albrecht, CFO and chief revenue officer for Reliance Partners.
Beyond nuclear verdicts, litigation in general is also spiking insurance costs, as verdicts and case settlements below “nuclear” levels are still higher than they have been in the past.
“Maybe five to seven years ago, a broken leg and lost wages might have represented $80,000 to $100,000,” Albrecht said. “We see the same claim settle [today] for $300,000 to $400,000.”
As a result, owner-operators and fleets are holding onto equipment longer than they maybe traditionally would have.
As reported earlier this year, there are ways for owners to ensure they are making the best case for themselves when it comes time for their insurance renewal.
Washington, D.C. (Oct. 14, 2025) – Law enforcement officers in Canada and the U.S. pulled over 8,739 vehicles during this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Officers issued 2,504 tickets/citations and 3,575 warnings to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers for unsafe driving infractions.
Operation Safe Driver Week is the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual, seven-day safe-driving initiative aimed at improving drivers’ behaviors through traffic-enforcement strategies, interactions with law enforcement, and outreach and awareness campaigns. CVSA’s jurisdictions devote time, personnel and resources to this driver safety initiative because driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, etc., are a top cause of roadway crashes.
From July 13 to 19, officers issued 3,230 warnings and 1,839 tickets/citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 345 warnings and 665 tickets/citations to passenger vehicle drivers for various unsafe driving behaviors.
A total of 20 citations and 53 warnings were given to drivers for reckless/careless/inattentive driving, the focus for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Broken out by driver type, 12 citations and 47 warnings were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and eight citations and six warnings were given to passenger vehicle drivers.
CVSA Releases 2025 International Roadcheck Results
Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. conducted 56,178 CMV, driver and cargo inspections on May 13-15 as part CVSA’s 72-hour International Roadcheck inspection, enforcement and data-gathering initiative. Most of the vehicles (81.6%) and drivers (94.1%) inspected did not have any out-of-service violations.
CVSA Releases 2025 Operation Safe Driver Results
Law enforcement officers in Canada and the U.S. pulled over 8,739 vehicles during this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Officers issued 2,504 tickets/citations and 3,575 warnings to CMV and passenger vehicle drivers for unsafe driving infractions.
Deadline Approaching to Register for the North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum
Be part of the effort to help improve and implement uniform cargo securement regulatory requirements throughout North America by attending the North American Cargo Securement Harmonization Public Forum, scheduled for Nov. 6 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. There is no registration fee to attend this forum; however, advance registration is required. The deadline to register is Oct. 24.
CVSA Looks Forward to Ongoing Partnership with FMCSA as Derek D. Barrs is Confirmed as New Administrator
Derek D. Barrs has been confirmed to serve as the eighth administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). As an organization consisting of CMV safety officials who enforce the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, CVSA works closely with FMCSA to protect our roadways and improve CMV safety by providing guidance, education and advocacy for enforcement and industry across North America.
CVSA Seeks Research and Analysis Specialist
CVSA is accepting applications for a research and analysis specialist. The specialist will be responsible for the development, management, oversight and quality control of the organization’s new research and analysis initiatives. The research and analysis specialist will design research efforts and data collection approaches to evaluate safety and efficiency impacts of CMV regulations, policies and/or program changes; analyze the implications of proposed actions and decisions and their effect on the Alliance; provide expertise, technical support and training coordination to the membership in upgrading programs to ensure uniformity, reciprocity and compatibility of enforcement activities; assist CVSA leadership on collaborative projects to set overall organizational policies and priorities; promote technology applications that increase safety, efficiency and crash reduction; and much more. This position may be remote. We are accepting applications through Oct. 31.
Land Line Media
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more prevalent in everyday life; the trucking industry is no exception.
Autonomous vehicles are being deployed expeditiously, while states have utilized AI technology for truck parking systems, platooning and more.
Arkansas is the latest state to announce an AI-driven technology for trucking purposes.
State officials said a $2.7 million project will modernize trucking operations in one of the state’s most critical freight corridors.
ARDOT will partner with the Arkansas Highway Police and Quarterhill on a system that will feature weigh-in-motion sensors capturing truck weights at highway speeds and real-time detection of unsafe tires.
License plate recognition, DOT checks and Intelligent Roadside Operations Computer (IROC) will verify vehicle credentials instantly.
Message boards will alert drivers who need further inspection.
“Partnering with Quarterhill allows us to bring cutting-edge tools to two of Arkansas’ most important freight gateways,” Jeff Holmes, Chief of Arkansas Highway Police, said. “These upgrades will strengthen enforcement, improve roadway safety, and keep goods moving efficiently across our state and beyond. This initiative is a win for our economy, drivers, and communities.”
The system will be deployed at two key entry points, eastbound Interstate 40 in Lehi, Ark., and on southbound Interstate 55 in Marion, Ark.
These highways see some of the highest truck volumes in the nations, a news release said.
“This project demonstrates how technical innovation and collaboration can solve real-world challenges in freight management and strengthen Arkansas’ position as a national leader in freight movement,” Quarterhill CEO Chuck Myers said. “By working hand in hand with ARDOT and the Arkansas Highway Police, we are ensuring that Arkansas’ highways remain safe, efficient, and capable of supporting growth in interstate commerce for decades to come.”
Washington state DOT has also recently partnered with Quarterhill on a truck parking initiative.
That system is designed to help truck drivers quickly locate available parking at rest areas along Interstate 5.
“This project is a prime example of how public agencies and private partners can work together to improve highway safety,” said Matt Neeley, state traffic systems development engineer for WSDOT. “Reliable access to truck parking information not only supports safer freight movement but also strengthens the resilience of Washington’s transportation network for all road users.”
