Grain Valley, Mo., July 31, 2008 –The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) applauded the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for making headway on a bill to put an end to an unsafe trucking program.
The bill, HR 6630, was passed on a unanimous vote and orders the Department of Transportation to terminate a pilot program for Mexican motor carriers. The bill was sponsored by Representatives Peter DeFazio along with James Oberstar, John J. Duncan Jr., and John Mica.
The Association had sent a national alert to members on Wednesday to help encourage lawmakers to support the bill.

“Our members have been active in fighting this program for a long time by voicing their concerns to lawmakers and we thank them for staying involved,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA Executive Vice President. “There is little doubt the administration will try to extend the program beyond its anniversary. They’ve consistently ignored Congressional directives to terminate it. It’s vital that this bill be passed.”

If passed into law, the bill will restrict the U.S. Department of Transportation from granting authority to allow any more Mexico-based motor carriers to operate beyond the commercial zone after Sept. 6. The next step is for the bill to be voted on by the full House, probably after the August recess.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is a trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 159,000 members in the United States and Canada. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Missouri area.