The new year is officially upon us, marking 2025 as another successful year for truckers and everyone alike. As we bring in 2026, let’s take a moment to reflect on what the past year brought, in the hopes of carrying forward the good and leaving behind the bad. If you weren’t distracted by celebrity court trials or weird new trends, you may have noticed some newsworthy topics like tariffs, devastating natural disasters, a government shutdown, and more.

 

How New Tariffs Affected the US and the Trucking Industry

 

One of the new changes the trump administration imposed early on was tariffs on imports and exports to and from foreign countries. The tariffs affecting us were meant to increase American jobs and the percentage of goods made in the US, but the magnitude of the changes brought delivery strains and an increase in consumer goods prices. Many companies halted or decreased deliveries to the US while tariff negotiations were underway, making it difficult for truckers to smoothly complete deliveries to and from places like Canada. We will continue to see the effects of tariffs throughout 2026 as well.

 

Devastating Severe Weather and Natural Disasters of 2025

 

Last year was filled with severe weather and disasters; Mother Nature had a tough one. The new year wasn’t so forgiving for 2025, starting with one of the most devastating disasters of the year, the wildfires  in southern California.

 

 

 

 

The Palisades and Eaton fires consisted of an inferno that lasted days and burned over 30,000 acres, leaving behind death and demolition that we’re still recovering from. Floods were also a repeated disaster in 2025, with the ones in Texas that happened in July being the most catastrophic. These events showed us how destructive nature can be, and having some knowledge of what to do when driving in flood-threatened areas can help save a life. Severe weather and natural disasters leave complications, especially for truckers, even after the event, due to traffic concerns and the need for rerouting. Severe weather brought tornado warnings throughout the Midwest, halting some freight movement.

 

Government Shutdown and More for Trucking in 2025

 

The government shutdown of 2025 also made history as the longest ever recorded. Most truckers don’t directly suffer from a government shutdown as they remain essential workers.

 

 

 

 

Government-funded trucking companies or those working to move freight for federally funded construction companies do get affected and may experience a decrease in runs during the shutdown. The shutdowns make it more difficult to take care of many things, like licensing, customs, and border control services, due to staffing shortages. Last year’s construction season happened before the shutdown, but it still brought difficulties for truckers trying to navigate their routes. Other difficulties truckers faced in 2025 were parking shortages, which continue into this year, with the hopes of changes for the better coming soon.

 

Follow our blog for more trucking news and highlights, and check out our employment opportunities and requirements if you are interested in a trucking job.

 

Other Recommended Readings from our Blog:

Trucking Through Spring

A Summer On The Road

Fall Changes Facing Drivers

How to Find Parking as a Trucker