ATRI seeks trucking industry input on the scale of unauthorized cabotage in U.S.

With federal law prohibiting the use of foreign B-1 visa-holding truck drivers from engaging in point-to-point service while operating in the U.S., ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee identified research to assess the scale and impact of cabotage activities in the U.S. as a top priority.

While B-1 visa-holders are generally allowed to make one pick-up or delivery in the U.S., anecdotal evidence indicates that some foreign truck drivers actively conduct new business throughout the U.S. and beyond the border commercial zones.

ATRI’s cabotage research includes a trucking industry survey that asks truck drivers and motor carriers to provide input on when and where this illegal activity is most often observed. The survey findings will help develop an economic model that will calculate the real costs and impacts that cabotage has on U.S. truck drivers and truck fleets.

“Cabotage laws were created to protect U.S. jobs and ensure that a level playing field exists,” noted Kaitlyn Holmecki, American Trucking Associations’ Director of International Policy. “When illegal low-cost transportation services undercut domestic freight operations, the entire trucking industry pays the price.”

All survey responses will be kept strictly confidential and used only in summary statistics.

The survey can be found here: https://www.research.net/r/MC-Cabotage-Survey and will remain open through Friday, June 12, 2026.