Perspective: Tax Cuts Keep Supply Chain Moving
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When President Donald Trump signed the Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, it did more than reform the nation’s tax code. It prevented the largest tax hike in American history.
Here’s why: Without the Trump administration’s bold legislation, working Americans, small businesses and industries like trucking would have faced crushing new tax burdens that would have stifled growth, driven up costs and weakened our supply chain. Instead of the Obama-era tax rate snapping back into place, this tax relief puts money back where it belongs: in the pockets of the people who earn it. Working Americans — not Washington — know best how to spend and invest their money. And for our industry, those investments are tangible.
Carriers across the country have used these resources to purchase new U.S.-manufactured trucks and trailers, adopt the latest safety technologies, expand driver training, and boost pay and benefits for their employees. These are not abstract numbers on a balance sheet. They are real-world improvements that translate to safer highways, stronger businesses and better jobs.
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But it’s worth asking: What if the Big Beautiful Bill had not passed? The largest tax increase in our nation’s history — all margins for S corporations and individuals would have gone up, particularly on the middle class — would have drained resources from businesses of every size. For trucking, higher taxes would have forced tough choices: delaying new equipment purchases, postponing safety upgrades, cutting back driver training or even reducing payrolls.
We also would have seen investment slow across U.S. manufacturing. New truck and trailer orders — supporting jobs in plants nationwide — would have dropped. Safety innovations like collision-avoidance systems and driver-assist technologies would have been pushed further out of reach.
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The effects would not have stopped there. Because our industry moves more than 73% of the nation’s domestic freight, higher costs for carriers would have rippled through the entire economy and landed directly on consumers. The price of groceries, gas, medicine and everyday essentials would have risen, not because of supply shortages or inflationary shocks, but because Washington would’ve taken more from the very businesses that keep America moving.
Thankfully, that scenario never became reality. Instead, the extension of the Trump tax cuts allowed trucking companies to keep investing in people, equipment and innovation, delivering benefits that extend to every household in America.
If these tax cuts are allowed to expire, however, we risk putting that progress in reverse. Making them permanent keeps costs under control, shields consumers from unnecessary inflation, and ensures the flow of goods that keeps America moving remains efficient and reliable.
Mark Hill and Danielle Villegas of PCS Software discuss their AI engine, Cortex, designed specifically to level the playing field for midsized carriers. Tune in above or by going to .ÌýÌý
Trucking isn’t just another industry. It is the circulatory system of our economy. One in 18 jobs in America is connected to trucking. Our 8.5 million-strong workforce represents the top job in 29 states in terms of head count. When trucking thrives, the entire economy benefits.
That’s why locking in tax relief is essential. It empowers companies to invest in people, equipment and innovation rather than sending more dollars to Washington. Trucking companies and working Americans know how to put money to work far better than the federal government ever could.
We’re grateful that this president and Congress recognize what’s at stake. The enactment of this legislation not only provides certainty — it was a no-brainer.
Because when trucking rolls, America wins.
is the president and CEO of .
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