Alaska Trucking Association Sounds the Alarm: Safety, Drivers & Roads Need Help — Now

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

🧊 It might be cold up there in Alaska, but trucking issues are heating up fast — and Jamie Benson, president of the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA), just let the state’s lawmakers know it’s time to stop ignoring the industry that keeps their state moving.

At a recent legislative lunch-and-learn, Benson laid it out plain:

“Trucks move most goods and supplies in Alaska…”

Translation: If trucking stops, Alaska stops.
But here’s the kicker — it’s getting harder and riskier to keep it all rolling.

Let’s Break Down the Big 3 Priorities Benson Pushed

This wasn’t some PR puff piece or fancy slideshow. Benson came with real-deal issues that truckers in Alaska — and across the U.S. — are dealing with daily.

1. Safety Ain’t Optional — It’s Survival

Running freight through Alaska ain’t like cruising down I-40.
We’re talkin’:

Treacherous terrain

Brutal weather

Minimal shoulder space

Zero forgiveness for mistakes

Benson called out the need for better driver training, stricter compliance, and a state-supported push for safer roads and vehicles.

This ain’t just about reducing fender benders — it’s about protecting lives on some of the deadliest freight corridors in the country.

2. The Workforce Crisis is Freezin’ Up Fast

Benson didn’t mince words:

“We need more skilled drivers — and we need to take care of the ones we’ve got.”

Alaska’s unique challenge?

Drivers face isolation, long haul times, and extreme conditions.

Recruiting ain’t easy when you’re asking someone to drive 400 miles for 3 pallets of supplies and no cell signal.

Retention’s even tougher when pay isn’t keeping up with inflation or risk.

Benson pushed for better CDL training programs, incentives for young drivers, and support for current drivers to avoid burnout and turnover.

3. Roads Are the Lifelines — and They’re Falling Apart

If you think potholes are bad in Pennsylvania, try navigating a frost-heaved Alaskan pass in a fully loaded rig.

ATA made it clear: State investment in road infrastructure is non-negotiable.

Why?

Emergency supplies depend on truck access

Fuel, food, and medical shipments require year-round road reliability

Damaged roads cost drivers time, money, and equipment wear

Benson’s message:

“Every delay and detour puts lives — and livelihoods — at risk.”

Lawmakers Are Listening… But Will They ACT?

Let’s be real: Every year politicians “listen” to the trucking industry. But very few actually do anything about it.

This time, Benson brought data, stories, and driver voices to the table.

And for a state like Alaska — where planes can’t always fly and barges can’t always dock — trucking is the only thing standing between survival and chaos.

What This Means for Truckers in the Lower 48

You might think, “That’s Alaska’s problem.”
But here’s the truth:

If they fix it up there, those policies might roll down here.

If they ignore it, that becomes the blueprint for how other states treat drivers too.

So yeah — you should care.

This is part of the bigger national conversation about:

Treating truckers with respect

Investing in infrastructure

Solving the driver shortage without exploiting workers

Bottom Line: The Road Ahead Starts with Action — Not Talk

Jamie Benson and the Alaska Trucking Association laid it out perfectly:

“We’re not just asking for help — we’re offering solutions.”

Truckers don’t want handouts.
We want roads that work, laws that protect, and a paycheck that matches the risk.

Let’s see if lawmakers can deliver — or if this becomes just another coffee-fueled lunch-and-learn with no action.

💡

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