Press Release

For Immediate Release

OOIDA to tell Congress trucking is broken, repairing it falls on improving treatment of truckers

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association will call the state of the American trucking industry “broken” before a Congressional subcommittee today.

OOIDA President Todd Spencer will testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit at a hearing titled “Under Pressure: The State of Trucking in America.”

The subcommittee seeks input on the challenges for those working in the industry and ways to address those issues.

Spencer will share in his testimony, concerns about the lack of driver training, truck parking shortage, excessive detention time and over-regulation.

He says that trucking is broken, but certainly not beyond repair, and that the most critical components are the drivers.

“Large motor carriers are pressuring Congress to enact unsafe policies to combat a fictitious driver shortage, while doing nothing to address their precariously high turnover rates. The American economy is stronger than it has been in years, but many drivers are still struggling to make ends meet,” said Spencer.

The Association has long sought ways to address one of the biggest inefficiencies in the industry which is excessive detention, a problem that makes it difficult for drivers to earn a living since they are typically paid by the mile and not by the hour.

OOIDA also supports robust training standards for new entrants, including behind-the-wheel experience. Spencer will also label the driver shortage as a myth, pointing toward high turnover rates among large motor carriers as one of the industry’s most pressing problems.

Those are just a few examples of what will be presented to the subcommittee. The full testimony can be read here.

“We’d like to thank Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Chairman Peter DeFazio for hosting this hearing and opening a dialogue that will hopefully lead the way toward making trucking an appealing, safe and sustainable career choice,” said Spencer.

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