Measuring the Impacts of COVID-19 on the Trucking Industry: A Spatial and Econometric Framework to Capture the Impacts of the Hours-of-Service Emergency Declaration and Congestion Effects on Truck Driver Safety

Hernandez, Salvador; Velasquez, Brianna · 2021 · ROSA P / Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) (UTC)

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Summary

This study investigates the operational and safety impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. trucking industry, specifically focusing on the effects of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Hours-of-Service (HOS) Emergency Declaration and changes in road congestion. The research was motivated by the unprecedented disruptions to freight supply chains, including surges in demand for essential goods, widespread facility closures, and regulatory relaxations that allowed drivers to bypass standard rest and recordkeeping requirements. The authors aimed to quantify how these factors altered driver behavior, safety perceptions, and logistical operations. To achieve this, the researchers conducted a stated-preference survey of 521 commercial truck drivers between May and June 2020, during the height of stay-at-home orders. The survey collected data on socioeconomic characteristics, business operations, driving behaviors, and safety perceptions before and during the pandemic. The analytical framework employed the Related-Samples Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, a nonparametric statistical method suitable for Likert scale data, to identify statistically significant differences between pre-pandemic and pandemic-era conditions. This approach allowed the authors to compare paired variables across 47 distinct metrics without assuming normality in the data distribution. The findings revealed significant shifts in trucking operations and driver experiences. Statistically significant changes were observed in team driving participation, frequency of concentration lapses, driving start times, and adherence challenges related to parking shortages. Drivers reported increased service disruptions at both private and public truck stops, including facility closures and reduced access to food and vending services. Notably, 34 percent of respondents perceived roads as safer during the pandemic, likely due to reduced passenger vehicle traffic. However, the relaxation of HOS rules did not result in a perceived change in restrictions on hours worked, suggesting drivers adapted to the new regulatory environment. Additionally, nearly 79 percent of drivers received hazard pay, and weekly trip rates varied significantly, with 47 percent reporting an increase in trips despite broader economic slowdowns. The study concludes that the pandemic fundamentally altered the trucking landscape, creating new safety dynamics and operational challenges. The reduction in congestion improved perceived road safety, but facility closures and parking issues introduced new risks and logistical hurdles. The results provide empirical evidence of how regulatory emergency declarations and external shocks impact driver behavior and industry operations. These insights are critical for policymakers and industry stakeholders to develop targeted regulations and support systems that ensure the safe and efficient delivery of essential goods during future disruptions, balancing operational flexibility with driver safety and well-being.

Key finding

The study found statistically significant changes in truck driver behavior and operations, including increased team driving, altered driving start times, and more frequent lapses of concentration, despite many drivers perceiving improved road safety due to reduced traffic.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 521

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• truck driver fatigue