Though a poll taken in July at etrucker.com showed Republican nominee John McCain substantially ahead of Democrat Barack Obama among respondents, a strong “lesser of two evils” sentiment exists among drivers toward the two major candidates.

By Todd Dills and Max Kvidera

This year’s presidential election is garnering the attention of truck drivers across the country like no other contest in decades. And it’s no wonder.

With America fighting wars on two fronts and economic woes at home – a sinking housing market, depressed freight volumes and soaring fuel prices to name a few – most people are looking to November with both anticipation and apprehension.

And, as ever, it’s the federal government that holds the ultimate regulatory authority over the interstate trucking industry, and thus the choice of the highest executive of the land commands significance with regard to any number of issues. From interstate highway development, funding and construction to the cross-border trucking program to health requirements for commercial driver’s license holders to idling restrictions, the president of the United States exerts tremendous influence on the direction regulators, Congress and the courts take in addressing new and lingering problems.

Though a poll taken in July at etrucker.com showed Republican nominee John McCain substantially ahead of Democrat Barack Obama among respondents, a strong “lesser of two evils” sentiment exists among drivers toward the two major candidates. Neither campaign responded to repeated interview requests from Truckers News, and their stances on many regulatory issues pertinent to truck drivers often must be deduced from their positions on other issues.