What Happened?

Nearly two-thirds of everything Americans buy moves by truck. With federal transportation rules set to expire Sept. 30, Congress is weighing a range of decisions that could reshape how the trucking industry operates, from how drivers are classified to how cargo theft is handled.

A report by Congress' research branch updated Sept. 11 lays out the policy questions lawmakers may tackle as part of surface transportation reauthorization, the process by which Congress renews the laws governing roads, bridges, and freight. The report covers truck lease-purchase agreements, driver pay classification, insurance minimums, cargo theft, and hazardous materials safety.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

Trucks carry about 65 percent of U.S. freight by weight and 75 percent by cargo value, according to federal transportation data. That means the rules Congress sets for trucking touch nearly every product on store shelves.

A few specific changes under debate would affect drivers and consumers directly:

  • Insurance minimums: Federal law has required interstate truckers hauling nonhazardous goods to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage since 1980. One bill, H.R. 8218, would raise that floor to $5 million.
  • Lease-purchase agreements: Some truck drivers lease their vehicles from carriers under arrangements that critics say can leave drivers in debt. A federal task force recommended in January 2025 that Congress ban certain versions of these deals. A separate bill, H.R. 5423, would do that.
  • Driving hours: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed a pilot program that would let participating drivers extend their 14-hour driving window by up to three hours.
  • Cargo theft: Criminals are increasingly posing as legitimate carriers to redirect shipments. Congress held two hearings and a roundtable on the issue in 2025, and the House passed H.R. 2853 to address organized supply chain crime.

Both Sides, Now

The current administration has aligned with the trucking industry's preferred approach on worker classification, restoring a 2021 interpretation that makes it easier to classify drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. The American Trucking Associations backed that approach at a May 2025 congressional hearing and disputes the federal task force's recommendation to ban certain lease-purchase agreements.

The Truck Leasing Task Force, created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, reached the opposite conclusion, recommending in January 2025 that Congress prohibit those lease agreements. The task force's findings reflect concerns that some arrangements leave drivers financially exposed.

Congress holds the power to act on all of these questions, but no final votes have been scheduled on the insurance, lease-purchase, or hours-of-service proposals.

What Happens Next?

Surface transportation authorizations expire Sept. 30, giving Congress days to act or extend the deadline. Lawmakers could pass a full reauthorization, a short-term extension, or let the deadline pass without action.

The FMCSA separately reviewed nearly 7,000 public comments on a proposed rule that would require freight brokers to keep electronic transaction records and share them with trucking companies on request. That rule has not been finalized. Until Congress acts and agencies complete their rulemaking, the current framework stays in place.

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