Washington – Today, the American Trucking Associations commended the Trump Administration for proposing an independent contractor rule that rescinds a destructive, Biden-era classification standard. ATA has long pushed for this proposed rule to protect over 350,000 independent truckers. This regulatory move would restore the first Trump Administration’s definition for independent contractors that brought clarity and order to the law in this area.
“Following years of advocacy led by ATA, the Trump Administration’s proposal represents a significant step forward to defend the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of truckers who choose to work as independent contractors,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear. “We thank President Trump for listening to the concerns of professional drivers and taking action to protect individual opportunity, our supply chain, and our economy. ATA will continue to support the effort to finalize this rule as well as urge Congress to pass legislation that would codify President Trump’s beneficial policy into law.”
The trucking industry has relied on independent contractors since the inception of interstate trucking, and court decisions over the last nine decades have continually reaffirmed the legitimate role independent contractors play in the economy.
In 2024, independent contractors came under fire when the Biden Administration radically rewrote their classification, replacing a straightforward definition with an opaque and deliberately confusing standard designed to fuel frivolous litigation and deny self-employed individuals the freedom of choice to work as independent contractors.
ATA strongly opposed the Biden Administration’s independent contractor rule since it was first proposed and testified at a hearing on Capitol Hill to advocate for protections for independent truckers. ATA also endorsed the Modern Worker Empowerment Act, which would codify the independent contractor definition implemented under the first Trump Administration.
Many women choose to work as independent contractors because of the flexibility and entrepreneurial opportunity this employment model provides. That’s why this issue has been a priority for ATA’s Women In Motion Council, which distributed a booklet with testimonials to lawmakers on Capitol Hill during their inaugural Call on Washington. These stories served as the foundation of a powerful line of questioning at a congressional hearing involving one of the architects of the Biden-era independent contractor classification. Additionally, when ATA’s Women In Motion Council hosted their second Call on Washington last year, they reinforced their message through meetings with over three dozen congressional offices and Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling.