The election’s impact on U.S. and Canadian trucking

Just a few short weeks ago, the United States saw the largest number of voters ever participate in a presidential election. This participation in the election process was certainly impressive, considering a typical presidential election sees less than two-thirds of eligible voters show up to the polls. While tens of thousands of eligible voters still did not make an effort to cast a ballot, the 2020 presidential election has shown that politics and policy are top of mind for a vast majority of U.S. citizens.

With more and more Americans paying attention to how politics affect their daily lives, the same can be said for the business community, particularly the trucking industry. Trucking has historically received bipartisan support. Because our policy issues range so widely, we have friends in both political parties. While trucking was generally pleased with how the Executive Branch treated our industry over the past four years, we see many opportunities to work with the incoming administration on areas of common interest.

This Thursday, TCA will be hosting its 4th Annual Bridging Border Barriers, which is an informative half day session for trucking executives focused on key issues and topics affecting the trucking industry on both sides of the U.S./Canada border. During this virtual event, attendees will hear an update on regulatory and legislative issues that directly impact trucking. The 2020 U.S. election will be covered, but attendees will also gain insights on the potential ramifications for key administrative agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Labor, and Health and Human Services.

These conversations are important for cross-border trade since Canadian trucking companies which cross the U.S. border need to abide by any rules that come out of the new administration. With the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposing two new pilot programs on hours-of-service flexibility and 18-20-year old drivers in interstate commerce, the next administration has work to do to follow up on this data collection effort. Beyond FMCSA, issues such as hair testing and the definition of an independent contractor will also likely see consideration in the months and years ahead.