EXCLUSIVE: Many big-rig truckers are backing former President Trump this cycle, amid worries surrounding how a Harris administration would affect the crucial auto industry, a trucking company executive admitted.
The presidential election is just five days away, and Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have presented different futures for the auto industry while on the campaign trail.
Mike Kucharski, co-owner and vice president of JKC Trucking, Chicago’s largest specialty contract carrier, said that there are five reasons truckers are more in favor of a Trump presidency this cycle: costs, increased regulatory burdens, infrastructure, driving range of the trucks and less cargo capacity due to the battery.
“I personally don’t vote along party lines, but I support candidates with policies. And I would say policies are the gateway to truckers’ vote — policies that help small business thrive,” Kucharski said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. “Right now, a lot of small business owners in the trucking industry are seriously concerned about Kamala Harris’ impact on our industry if she takes office.”
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Many truckers are supporting former President Trump this cycle because he offers an energy-independent future, according to JKC Trucking co-owner Mike Kucharski. (Chris Kleponis)
The number one issue, according to Kucharski, is costs.
“Truckers are already struggling to stay afloat due to issues like skyrocketing diesel costs. It’s pouring too much for diesel. Truckers are driving less miles, paying more for fuel,” he said. “Another blow to truckers is this increased regulatory burdens. Truckers are overregulated.”
Kucharski added that truckers are supportive of electric trucks, but that the industry is not ready for mandates such as those being pushed under the Biden-Harris administration.
Harris’ campaign told Fox News Digital that she does not support electric vehicle mandates. However, the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a final rule in March to require up to two-thirds of all new car sales to be electric by 2032. The agency also set a goal to require 40% of heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emissions by 2032.
The EPA previously projected the standards could lead to 50% of vocational trucks, 35% of short-haul tractor-trailers and 25% of long-haul tractor-trailers produced in 2032 being electric.
“The small trucking companies simply can’t absorb these extreme costs. And people are saying the larger companies could do it. But I think they’re going to have an issue. It’s a great idea, but I don’t think it’s going to work,” Kucharski said of the final rule.
Kucharski said that truckers are supportive of electric trucks, but that the industry is not ready for mandates such as those being pushed under the Biden-Harris administration. (Mandel Ngan)
Many truckers are supporting Trump this cycle because he offers an energy-independent future, Kucharski said.
“Trump has a little different perspective,” he added. “Donald Trump, during COVID, brought truckers to the White House and thanked them for being essential workers.”
“Truckers really have hope that he’ll walk back on just some of these regulations, because we’re overregulating the trucking business,” he said. “Truckers are very excited because when Trump was talking about the economic plan, he brought up tariffs. And Trump is saying that he wants to bring more businesses, more production back into the U.S., which would be awesome.”
Jeremy Kirkpatrick, spokesman for American Trucking Associations (ATA), told Fox that they will work with whichever candidate gets elected and will be an advocate for the industry.
“The American Trucking Associations works with any officeholder who is willing to work with us. Regardless of the outcome, ATA will remain at the table and continue to advocate for commonsense, pro-trucking policies that strengthen the supply chain, grow the economy and deliver for the American people,” he said.
Tractor trailers are seen at the entrance of the Port of Baltimore in Baltimore on Oct. 8. (Nathan Howard)
Brian Pannebecker, founder of Auto Workers for Trump 2024, recently told Fox he thinks that many Rust Belt autoworkers, a traditional cornerstone of the blue voting base, will be voting Republican this cycle.
“The Democrats have been shipping our jobs to Mexico and China for over 40 years, so this process has just come to a head now with Donald Trump, and he’s speaking our language. He knows what we want to hear, that he’s going to protect our industry before it completely disappears, and we’re going to vote for him in big numbers. I’m saying 65% to 70% of the UAW members are pulling the lever for Donald J. Trump,” Pannebecker told FOX Business’ “The Bottom Line.”
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Harris was endorsed by the United Auto Workers union in July, which said that “our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to build on her proven track record of delivering for the working class.”
FOX Business’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report.