Public perception has always shaped the trucking industry, but the stakes feel higher today due to rising public scrutiny, tighter regulations, courtroom risk and constant pressure to recruit and retain qualified drivers. Joshua Vance, vice president of safety and compliance at J.B. Hunt, joins this episode of the TTT podcast to unpack these challenges with the team. This episode highlights the themes driving outside perception and practical steps leaders can take to improve the industry’s image by strengthening safety, compliance and workforce stability.
Most people encounter trucking only when something goes wrong, like a crash on the news, a plaintiff attorney’s billboard or trucks clogging the roadways. What they don’t see are the thousands of safe, routine decisions a driver makes during every shift.
That imbalance shapes the public's expectations. A single incident can quickly be treated as a pattern, and courtroom narratives often set the tone for how the industry is judged. Because trucks are large and intimidating, many people assume fault even though over 70 percent of car‑truck crashes are caused by the car, not the truck.
For leaders, the takeaway is clear. When the industry stays quiet, others define the narrative. Positive stories rarely spread on their own, so if we want the public to understand our work, we must show it.
Years ago, fleets proudly declared safety their top priority. Today, legal teams warn that strong safety language can be used against carriers in court. We need to talk about safety to build trust, but we also need to limit courtroom exposure.
Share specific actions rather than big claims. Highlight safer equipment investments, training enhancements and the everyday decisions drivers make to protect others. Talk about our highway heroes. These aren’t slogans, but facts that reinforce professionalism without overstating promises.
One gap continues to hold the industry back: the general public’s limited understanding of trucking. Most non-professional driver training programs barely mention trucks and new drivers learn nothing about blind spots, stopping distances or why trucks must drive slower. That lack of context feeds frustration and fear.
Several ideas that could shift this:
The industry knows how to educate, but the real challenge is getting that information in front of the people who need it most.
Another question the panel tackled was internal perception. What does it take to build pride among drivers and attract new ones?
Vance pointed to something simple in concept, but sometimes difficult in practice: relationships. J.B. Hunt focuses on knowing drivers by name, connecting with families and recognizing small moments of good decision‑making. Technology like inward‑facing cameras often gets framed as punitive, but J.B. Hunt uses it to catch good behavior and thank drivers for it.
The result is a workforce that feels seen. And when drivers feel valued, turnover drops and recruiting gets easier. Transportation leaders don’t need to mirror J.B. Hunt’s scale to apply the lesson. Consistent recognition and human connection go further than one‑time incentives.
Social media presents another opportunity to shift public perception. Many drivers share videos about daily life on the road, and those posts reach audiences far beyond industry channels.
If a driver explains blind spots, cooking healthy meals in the cab or how they manage tough situations, that’s authentic insight the public rarely sees. Encouraging and amplifying those voices may do more for public understanding than any polished campaign.
Transportation leaders juggle safety, compliance, workforce strain and operational pressure every day. Shaping public perception may feel like a luxury, but it’s not. It affects policy, litigation, recruiting and the culture inside your fleet.
Here are some practical steps worth considering:
The public won’t understand the industry unless the industry shows them, and drivers won’t feel valued without intentional recognition. Changing perception takes time, but it begins with consistent, honest communication.
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