PM Show Hr 2 | Gord Magill on the Regulations Tying Up America's Truckers

In this episode of The Michael Berry Show, host Michael Berry welcomes Gord McGill, a third-generation trucker and author of 'End of the Road: Inside the War on Truckers,' to discuss the systemic crises facing America's trucking industry. McGill argues that the industry is under siege not just from automation and foreign competition, but from decades of deregulation, government mismanagement, and a deliberate influx of undocumented workers through federally funded CDL training programs. He traces the roots of the current crisis to the 1980 Motor Carrier Act, which deregulated entry into the market, leading to a driver retention crisis that companies now exploit by churning through workers and relying on taxpayer-funded training. The Biden administration’s 2021 Trucking Task Force, influenced by corporate lobbying, doubled CDL production without addressing inefficiencies in ports, warehouses, and distribution centers—where 40% of trucking capacity is wasted due to poor coordination. Instead of fixing these issues, the government flooded the market with over 800,000 new CDLs, many issued to undocumented immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, displacing thousands of American truckers. McGill also warns of the dangers of self-certified technology like ELDs and autonomous trucks, which are being allowed to bypass safety oversight. The episode underscores a broader theme: the trucking industry is being dismantled not by market forces, but by policy choices that prioritize political gain over safety, fairness, and American workers. Berry emphasizes the deep respect he has for truckers—intellectually sharp, thoughtful, and essential to the nation’s economy—while condemning the systemic devaluation of their labor. He highlights how the narrative of a 'driver shortage' is a manufactured myth used to justify policies that benefit corporations and foreign workers at the expense of American citizens. The episode closes with a heartfelt tribute to truckers, acknowledging their sacrifice and calling for a reevaluation of national priorities in transportation, immigration, and labor policy.