Central Intelligence (Cargo Version)
May 23, 2025
The American Transport Research Institute (ATRI) has long championed causes that benefit the commercial transportation industry. They’ve been at it since 1954. And their board of directors includes people involved in major transportation and logistics enterprises.
Every year, ATRI telegraphs what it believes are the major research issues. For 2025, ATRI is intent on studying:
Rising Insurance Costs and Self Insurance Motivations. Building on prior years of study, this will look at current commercial auto insurance trends and investigate the growing role of insurance captives and self-insurance retentions.
Efficacy of Entry-Level Driver Training on Safety Outcomes. Prior research examined driver training programs and safety outcomes. This year’s research will use that safety data and statistical models to determine the safety impacts of the mandated Entry-Level Driver Training approach.
Safety Impacts of In-Cab Monitoring. This year’s research will examine the technology data to determine any statistics that connect in-cab monitoring with improved safety outcomes, along with particular strategies that serve to improve those safety outcomes.
Capitalizing on Telematics Data. Not all carriers have a full slate of telematics data designed to improve their operations. Research this year aims to collect essential data tools and applications for the spectrum of carrier operations toward improving performance.
Understanding the Prevalence and Impact of Cabotage Violations. “Cabotage violations occur when non-domiciled carriers engage in multiple point-to-point deliveries within the U.S. These cabotage violations can result in unfair competition by undercutting pricing and taking jobs away from U.S.-based trucking companies. This research will seek to quantify the frequency, scale and impact of these cabotage violations.”
The one element linking those 2025 research topics? Safety. The insurance. The training. The monitoring. The metrics. Even the cabotage protections are designed to secure the safety of domestic operations.
We’re encouraged by and appreciate the focus.