Artificial intelligence is making its way into trucking operations, from route optimization and predictive maintenance to customer service and cybersecurity. But many fleets are adopting AI tools without formal policies governing how they’re used or managed.

To help close that gap, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) has released a free AI Governance Framework for the trucking industry, outlining 50 recommended controls and an implementation checklist for fleets and logistics providers.

Among the framework’s recommendations are five priorities for carriers:

Assign someone to oversee AI

Every AI tool should have a designated owner responsible for approving, deploying and monitoring its use. Larger fleets may benefit from an AI oversight committee that includes representatives from operations, safety, IT and legal.

Control your data

The framework urges fleets to establish written policies outlining what information AI systems can access, how long data is retained, and whether driver or customer information can be used to train AI models. It also recommends restricting AI tools to only the data they need to perform their function.

Don’t blindly trust vendors

Before adopting AI-enabled software, fleets should evaluate vendors’ cybersecurity practices, financial stability and data protection policies. Vendor reviews should continue throughout the life of the relationship, not end once a contract is signed.

Keep people in the decision loop

AI recommendations shouldn’t operate unchecked. NMFTA recommends continuously monitoring AI performance, providing employees with an easy way to report questionable outputs, and requiring human review for high-risk decisions.

Plan for failures before they happen

Fleets should document the risks associated with each AI application, identify where failures could affect drivers or operations, and establish AI-specific incident response plans before deploying new tools.

The framework organizes its 50 recommended controls into five areas — governance, data and privacy, security, safety and reliability, and risk and compliance — and includes a practical checklist carriers can use to assess their AI readiness. Download the full framework for free here.