Tariffs will have ‘direct and disproportionate’ effect on truckers, industry warns

President Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten to lengthen the freight recession of the past two years, hurting cross-border carriers the most, trucking groups warned this week.

The U.S. implemented tariffs against Canada and Mexico on Tuesday after lifting a month-long pause, and also increased tariffs on China by 10% a day prior.

While American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear praised Trump’s emphasis on tackling security for the U.S. borders and halting the flow of fentanyl, he noted the impact tariffs will have on truckers.

“The 100,000 full-time hardworking truckers hauling 85% of the surface trade in goods with Mexico and 67% of the goods traded with Canada will bear a direct and disproportionate impact,” Spear said in a statement Tuesday.

Spear had previously expressed doubt the Trump administration would implement across-the-board tariffs. He told Trucking Dive in December the trade group expected “something more surgical, more strategic, a little more judicious” than Trump’s campaign rhetoric suggested.

“I think they’re all smart enough to know that if you go all in on tariffs, there’s the potential for counter tariffs and inflation as a result,” the ATA CEO said in December. “So I don’t think they want to do anything that’s going to have an adverse impact on the economy.”

As a result of the tariffs, the price for a new truck could rise by up to $35,000, which could put new equipment out of reach for small carriers, Spear said. Tariffs may also contribute to a reduction in cross-border freight and increase costs of operations as well as direct costs for consumers.

“The Trump Administration knows our industry well and understands how vital trucking is to our economy and supply chain,” Spear said. “President Trump proved his dealmaking skills during