Why Truck Drivers Are the Missing Link in Fleet Cybersecurity

Published on May 20, 2026

Cybersecurity discussions in the trucking industry tend to focus on the back office – servers, dispatch systems, cloud platforms, and the staff who manage or use them daily. But one of the most important pieces of the cybersecurity puzzle is often overlooked: the driver.

At the 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For^® conference, Ben Wilkins, Director of Cybersecurity at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) and a former truck driver himself, challenged fleets to rethink how they approach cybersecurity. His message was simple: if drivers are a fleet’s most valuable asset, they also need to be part of its cybersecurity strategy.

Too often, they aren’t.

The issue is becoming more urgent as cyber threats targeting the transportation sector continue to grow. The trucking industry has become increasingly attractive to cybercriminals because it is both highly digital and highly fragmented. According to a 2025 cyber threat report from Trellix, transportation and shipping accounted for 36% of advanced persistent threat detections in early 2025, making it one of the most targeted industries. Cyber threat detections in the sector also rose 11% during that period. Between 2024 and 2025, cybercrime incidents in the industry increased by 54% year-over-year, and there are no signs that this trend is slowing.

At the same time, trucking is dominated by small and midsize carriers that often have limited cybersecurity resources, creating uneven levels of protection across the industry.

The Human Side of Cyber Risk

Ask most fleet executives about cybersecurity threats, and the answers usually revolve around hackers, ransomware, or system vulnerabilities. But according to Wilkins, the most common threat is far less technical.

“Social engineering is the number one cyber risk facing fleets,” he explained. “It’s not about hacking systems – it’s about convincing people to take actions they shouldn’t.”

These attacks can take many forms: phishing emails, malicious text messages, fraudulent phone calls, or impersonation scams. They’re designed to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information, redirecting freight, or transferring money. And while fleets often train office staff to recognize these threats, drivers are rarely included.

That gap matters more than many fleets realize.

Why Drivers Are Prime Targets

Drivers may not have access to corporate networks, but they interact with the freight ecosystem in ways that make them particularly vulnerable to cybercrime.

Today’s trucking operations rely heavily on mobile technology. Drivers use smartphones and in-cab systems for dispatch communication, navigation, document scanning, and load information. Each of those tools represents a potential entry point for attackers.

Drivers are commonly exposed to cyber threats through phone calls, text messages, social media, and mobile apps that aren’t always connected to corporate IT systems.

Fraudulent load instructions, malicious links embedded in load information, and impersonated broker communications are increasingly common tactics used to manipulate drivers and dispatchers. Cybercrime is also increasingly linked to cargo theft. Criminal groups may impersonate brokers or customers and attempt to redirect loads already in transit – sometimes contacting drivers directly to change delivery instructions. In many cases, the driver is the first person who can detect that something is wrong.

Social media can also create new vulnerabilities. Drivers may share photos from the road or post about their loads. While these posts may seem harmless, they can provide valuable intelligence for criminals. Public posts can reveal freight details, locations, routes, or schedules that cargo thieves can exploit. Even seemingly innocent photos may contain geotagging data that reveals where a driver and their load are located.

“Anything posted online can be used for social engineering,” Wilkins warned.

But cyber threats targeting drivers aren’t limited to freight operations. In many cases, attackers target drivers as individuals, using social engineering schemes designed to exploit trust, isolation on the road, or the desire for personal connection.

A Real-World Example

Wilkins shared a story from his time in trucking that illustrates how these threats play out.

One driver believed he had met someone online and developed a relationship. When they arranged a visit, but the scammer had to cancel due to finances, the driver volunteered to help. He also offered support for family emergencies. The driver repeatedly sent money, eventually draining his savings. Long story short, the driver never met the person face- to-face and the scammer never directly asked for money, but through social engineering, he was lead to believe he was in a real relationship.

Even when presented with evidence that the profile was tied to known scams, he struggled to accept it.

“Anybody can get caught in the right kind of scam,” Wilkins said. “It’s not about technical knowledge – these attacks exploit trust and emotion.”

The situation ultimately affected the driver’s job performance. He became distracted while driving, requested financial advances from the company, and eventually quit when those requests were denied. The scam didn’t just harm the driver; it disrupted the fleet.

A Training Gap Fleets Can’t Ignore

Despite these risks, driver-focused cybersecurity training remains limited. According to data from the Best Fleets to Drive For program, only 47.5% of fleets provide formal cybersecurity training to drivers, and none of the contractor fleets surveyed offer it at all. In addition, only 12% of the Best Fleets have measures to protect their drivers’ identities or their financial information.

Instead, many fleets rely on restricting driver access to internal systems. While that reduces some risks, it doesn’t address the broader threat landscape drivers face daily. The most successful fleets align decisions with the realities drivers face on the job. And cybersecurity should be no exception.

Training That Actually Works

Wilkins emphasized that effective cybersecurity training for drivers doesn’t need to be complex; it needs to be relevant.

“You have to meet drivers where they are,” he said. “Training should reflect how they actually use technology.”

If drivers primarily communicate via text, training should focus on identifying suspicious messages, not just email phishing.

Short, practical conversations integrated into safety meetings or driver briefings are often more effective than long training modules.

These can include:

• Spotting fraudulent load instructions
• Identifying suspicious calls from impersonated brokers
• Avoiding malicious links in texts or social media
• Verifying delivery changes through dispatch

The goal isn’t to turn drivers into cybersecurity experts; it’s to build awareness

From Vulnerability to First Line of Defense

The irony is that the same drivers often viewed as cybersecurity risks could also be among the industry’s strongest defenses.

Drivers operate at the front lines of freight movement. They interact with brokers, customers, and cargo in ways office staff do not.

With the right awareness, they can identify suspicious activity early, before it escalates. A driver who questions a last-minute delivery change or flags a suspicious message could prevent cargo theft, financial loss, or a larger security breach.

“Cyber-aware drivers are safer and more valuable to the fleet,” Wilkins said.

For an industry built on speed, trust, and constant communication, cybersecurity can’t remain a back-office function. It has to extend to the driver’s seat.