Insurance questions answered on the next ‘Live From Exit 24’

Every other Wednesday, “Live From Exit 24” – OOIDA’s live, hourlong internet talk show – brings listeners insightful discussions on the regulatory and legislative issues that matter to truckers.

The July 28 show will be focused on insurance-related issues. Host Mike Matousek will be joined by OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh and Travis Ginest, senior claims counsel for OOIDA.

Give us your thoughts by calling 317-67-OOIDA (317-676-6432) at 11 a.m. Central time on July 28, to be a part of the next “Live From Exit 24.”

Listeners can tune in to the show on the “Live From Exit 24” website, OOIDA Facebook page, OOIDA’s YouTube channel, iHeartRadio and Apple Podcasts.

Past episodes are archived on the show’s website.

The myth about driver shortage was disclosed during the July 14 “Live From Exit 24.”
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh; Michael H. Belzer, a professor of economics at Wayne State University, Detroit; and Land Line Magazine Senior Editor Mark Schremmer joined guest host and Land Line Managing Editor Jamie Jones to make the clarification between a shortage and churn.

“Let’s start calling it driver churn, because that’s what it is,” Pugh said. “It costs a lot of money to live on the road and that’s something they always leave out of the equation. Maybe you should pay your drivers more and they will stay.”

The parking crisis, law enforcement, driver detention and more also have created a level of heightened stress for drivers as they endure a piecework pay rate, Pugh added.

Deregulation in the 1980s is where Belzer recalls the driver shortage conversation beginning. For him, a former tank driver and author of “Sweatshops on Wheels: Winners and Losers in Trucking Deregulation,” the solution to this problem is rather simple.

“When you pay more money, you get better people,” Belzer said. “It’s basic economics. Pay is the strongest predictor of safety we have. Most employees get an hourly wage, which means you’re getting paid for your time. People don’t realize truck drivers are not paid a salary. They don’t get paid for loading, unloading or any delayed time. That’s really the problem. The solution is pretty straightforward. Pay people for all their time.”

Misinformation, like offers of as much as $14,000 per week in pay to attract new drivers, have enhanced the driver shortage narrative.

“It’s a false narrative that’s helping this myth that the issue is they can’t find drivers, and their solution is to change regulations and let kids right out of high school start driving long-haul,” Schremmer said. “The issue is a lack of pay and poor working conditions. No matter what the average salary is, the entry level drivers, who often have the most difficult jobs, aren’t making that. If you get in a bad lease-purchase agreement, sometimes you aren’t even making minimum wage.”

A recent roundtable discussion hosted by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and FMCSA acting Administrator Meera Joshi, seemed to reinforce the idea that pay and safety are linked, Schremmer said.

“It doesn’t matter what we do if we don’t fix the problems with low pay and working conditions,” Schremmer said. “The hole in the bottom of the bucket is still there. It has to be fixed in the way Dr. Belzer is talking about. It has to be made a good job again, and that’s how to fix it. It is refreshing to see this being acknowledged.”

 ‘Live From Exit 24’ survey

“Live From Exit 24” launched as a way to expand OOIDA’s communication with members and to hear directly from drivers across the industry.

OOIDA is asking for truck drivers to fill out a survey to let the Association know how they are liking the show so far. The survey can be found here. LL