What should fleets expect with a Republican Administration in 2025?
As the U.S. heads toward a presidential transition from a Democrat to a Republican administration in January 2025, fleet managers and industry leaders are preparing yet again for potential shifts in regulatory focus.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in particular, plays a crucial role in shaping the trucking industry, affecting compliance, safety, and operational standards for motor carriers nationwide. And like other federal agencies, the FMCSA and its policies are heavily influenced by politics. The Administrator of the FMCSA is, after all, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
In light of the change in administration, it's likely we will see a corresponding change in FMCSA policy. Looking back to the FMCSA’s priorities and rulemaking agenda under the previous Trump administration from 2016 to 2020 provides insights into what fleets might expect in the coming years.
FMCSA's Rulemaking Agenda: A Look Back at 2016-2020
As many will recall, during the last Republican administration, FMCSA's focus was largely on reducing regulatory burdens for motor carriers. The Trump-era FMCSA aimed to increase flexibility in operations, streamline compliance, and support economic growth by minimizing government intervention. Several key policy changes from this time period illustrate this approach:
Hours of Service (HOS) Reforms: One of the most notable rulemaking priorities during this time was the modification of Hours of Service rules in 2019. Responding to industry feedback, the FMCSA introduced HOS changes aimed at offering more flexibility. These adjustments allowed drivers to split sleeper berth time more flexibly, extended on-duty hours in certain situations, expanded the short-haul exemption, and adapted to unique situations such as adverse driving conditions.
Trump's "2-for-1" Regulatory Policy: One of the hallmarks of Trump’s administration was the implementation of a "2-for-1" rulemaking policy, which required federal agencies to eliminate two existing regulations for every new regulation proposed. This policy led to a notable slowdown in new regulatory mandates, as agencies like the FMCSA were forced to target existing regulations to offset any new rules. For fleets, this approach translated to reduced regulatory pressures, as the FMCSA was incentivized to favor industry flexibility over implementing new compliance requirements.
ELD Mandate Adjustments: Although the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate was finally implemented in 2017, it had been in the works for many years prior and it faced some scrutiny and adjustments under the Trump administration. The FMCSA sought to make the ELD transition smoother, focusing on industry concerns over the mandate’s impact on operations and flexibility. The administration balanced enforcement with leniency, especially for smaller operators, by offering additional guidance on exemptions and compliance.
Reduced Emphasis on Labor Initiatives: Unlike previous administrations, there was less focus on expanding initiatives tied to labor & driver wellness. This played out most notably when the FMCSA determined in early 2020 that its HOS regulations preempted California's and Washington's meal & rest break rules for commercial drivers, a decision that was later abandoned under the Biden administration.
Overall, the Trump-era FMCSA aimed to reduce federal oversight, giving motor carriers more operational flexibility. Many fleets saw these changes as business-friendly, enabling them to optimize efficiency and reduce compliance costs.
FMCSA Priorities During the Biden Administration (2021-2024)
With the Biden administration came a shift toward tightening safety regulations and expanding the FMCSA’s role in promoting driver welfare. The rulemaking agenda under the Biden administration refocused efforts on safety and enforcement. Several areas became central to the FMCSA’s strategy over the past few years:
Focus on Driver Safety and Welfare: The FMCSA expanded its focus on driver safety and welfare by promoting transparency in driver pay, abandoning its earlier preemption decision pertaining to California's & Washington's meal & rest break laws, and supporting new-entrant training programs. These measures were ostensibly designed to address concerns about driver retention and safety, a departure from the less restrictive approach of the previous administration.
Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse: Though initiated under the Trump administration, the FMCSA made significant advances in its Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse program under the Biden administration, pushing through the centralized database to track driver violations related to substance use. This program aimed to enhance road safety by ensuring that employers could access reliable information about drivers’ past infractions.
Environmental and Technology-Focused Initiatives: Biden's FMCSA backed programs to reduce carbon emissions and encouraged the adoption of safety technology, such as automatic emergency braking systems, speed limiters, and cameras. Many of these initatives have yet to move into final form and may very well be tabled under the Trump administration.
As is common under Democrat administrations, the Biden-era FMCSA has been characterized by a ramp up of federal regulations and enforcement, with an emphasis on driver wellness and the environment.
What Fleets Can Expect in 2025: Republican Administration Predictions
As fleet operators prepare for a shift back to a Republican administration in 2025, it's reasonable to anticipate a reversion to the priorities seen under the previous Trump administration. Here’s what fleets might expect:
Additional regulatory flexibility: Given past Republican stances, it’s likely that the FMCSA may revisit existing regulations, including, for example, its HOS rules to potentially expand operational flexibility for carriers. This could mean further adjustments to sleeper berth provisions, break requirements, personal conveyance, and possibly expanding existing HOS exemptions. While no specific FMCSA-related regulatory rollbacks have been proposed to date, it would not be surprising to see once the new adminisitration takes office.
Reinstatement of the "2-for-1" Regulatory Policy: It's certainly possible Trump may reintroduce his "2-for-1" (or perhaps and even more stringent) rule. Under this policy, federal agencies--FMCSA included--would be forced to target a certain number of existing regulations for removal for every new regulation they wish to push forward. Again, this policy, if reinstated, could discourage new rulemaking activity, meaning fleets might expect fewer new regulatry iniatives under this administration.
Reduced Emphasis on Climate and Technology Mandates: Under a Republican administration, it’s likely that the USDOT (FMCSA included) will reduce the focus on environmentally driven programs and technology mandates, such as those encouraging electric trucks or zero-emission targets. Although these trends have been gaining traction in certain states (e.g., California), a Republican FMCSA may deprioritize these in favor of economic growth initiatives. A potential wrench in this area may be Elon Musk's likely involvment in the Trump administration, given his heavy focus on technology and autonomous vehicles. Whether his influence will find its way to FMCSA policy-making is yet to be seen.
Scaled-Back Enforcement on Driver Health and Welfare Programs: Republicans may prioritize industry flexibility over prescriptive driver welfare programs. Programs mandating specific driver pay practices, truth in leasing regulations, or rest break requirements may be scaled back to give fleets more leeway.
Reduced Federal Oversight and Greater State-Level Autonomy: Similar to Trump’s earlier term, FMCSA’s rulemaking agenda may seek to reduce federal oversight and encourage state-level discretion in certain areas of trucking compliance.
Though tough to predict with any certainty, it wouldn't surprise us if some of the existing rulemakings like the speed limiter mandate come to a halt under the Trump administration. Others like the planned changes to the Safety Measurement System and potential revisions to Safety Fitness Determinations are more likely to move forward, in our estimation.
ICYMI: Check out our recent episode of Trucksafe LIVE! where we were joined by former FMCSA Chief Safety Officer to discuss the agency's inner workings and what a Trump presidency might mean for the agency going forward.
Conclusion
A shift in FMCSA priorities with a new administration underscores the need for fleet operators to remain adaptable and tuned into regulatory developments.. As the FMCSA’s rulemaking agenda evolves, Trucksafe is committed to providing updates, insights, and resources to help fleets navigate new compliance challenges and opportunities. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest regulatory news and analysis!
About Trucksafe Consulting, LLC: Trucksafe Consulting is a full-service DOT regulatory compliance consulting and training service. We help carriers develop, implement, and improve their safety programs, through personalized services, industry-leading training, and a library of educational content. Trucksafe also hosts a livestream podcast on its various social media channels called Trucksafe LIVE! to discuss hot-button issues impacting highway transportation. Trucksafe is owned and operated by Brandon Wiseman and Jerad Childress, transportation attorneys who've assisted some of the nation’s leading fleets to develop and maintain cutting-edge safety programs. You can learn more about Trucksafe online at www.trucksafe.com and by following Trucksafe on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Or subscribe to Trucksafe's newsletter for the latest highway transportation news & analysis. Also, be sure to check out eRegs, the first app-based digital version of the federal safety regulations aimed at helping carriers and drivers better understand and comply with the regulations.