US President Donald Trump has announced that his administration will impose 25 per cent tariffs on all medium and heavy-duty trucks coming into the US from other countries starting on November 1. The US trucking industry is a cornerstone of the national economy, moving roughly 73 per cent of all domestic freight, according to the American Trucking Associations.

 

 

Around two million Americans work as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, with many more employed as mechanics and support staff, according to data provided by the US Chamber of Commerce. The top five import countries by customs value are Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and Finland. Currently, under existing trade agreements with Japan and the European Union, the US levies 15 per cent tariffs on light-duty vehicles, but it remains unclear if that rate will apply to larger vehicles following the new decision.