‘Live From Exit 24’ revisits broker issues

“Live From Exit 24” will delve deeper into broker-related topics on the Nov. 3 show.

On Oct. 6, Anne Reinke, president and CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, joined the show and hit on a broad range of broker topics.

This week, host Mike Matousek and OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh will welcome Ken Lund of the Allen Lund Co. to further discuss issues related to brokers. He is executive vice president at Allen Lund Co., which is a national transportation brokerage firm that moves 300,000 loads annually, according to the company website.

Share your thoughts by calling 317-67-OOIDA (317-676-6432) at 7 p.m. Central time on Nov. 3, to be a part of the next “Live From Exit 24.”

Every other Wednesday, OOIDA’s live, hourlong internet talk show brings insightful discussions on the regulatory and legislative issues that matter to truckers.

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.

On the Oct. 20 episode of “Live From Exit 24,” Matousek, Pugh and Bryce Mongeon, OOIDA’s director of legislative affairs updated the ongoing truck parking crisis.

As mandated by Jason’s Law, a national inventory of truck parking in 2014 showed that there is in fact a national shortage, Mongeon said. Unfortunately, the updated version in 2019 showed that little had been done to remedy the issue.

“Some states even have fewer public truck parking spaces than when they first did the survey,” Mongeon said. “They also found the nation’s truck parking capacity has not kept pace with the growth in truck vehicle miles traveled. Broadly speaking, there is a shortage of truck parking and it’s getting worse even though states can use federal funding to expand capacity.”

The head-scratching part is that very few, including those enacting laws, deny there’s a truck parking problem.

“I think it’s very disappointing, what’s not being done,” Pugh said. “Everybody knows it’s an issue. When we talk to the legislative people on Capitol Hill, they know it’s an issue. They go places and see the trucks after dark, lined up on the ramps and the rest areas overflowing. There’s really only one organization I know of that’s against it. That’s unheard of in Washington, D.C.”

Pugh urged truckers to pick up the phone and do their due diligence in contacting their elected officials.

Listeners detailed what they’re seeing out on the road and offered a couple of different solutions including median parking, distribution centers providing parking and commercialization among others.

“The operators of truck stops certainly have very good relationships with lawmakers and have a lot of sway on this issue,” Mongeon said. “We were appreciative during the onset of the pandemic last year the federal highway administration made some allowances to allow food trucks to operate at rest stops, if states wanted to allow it. That was a good way of showing a way to expand services for truckers.”

Government land is another option that can be explored, Pugh said.
“Truck stops can’t afford to build on the land around big cities, it’s too valuable for shopping or businesses,” Pugh said. “The government can surely take some of the land they have and put in some parking areas. Every town seems to have an industrial park. The government could make a regulation for a certain amount of parking for trucks that are going to be serving that industrial park.”

Lastly, Mongeon echoed Pugh’s call for drivers to get in touch with their representatives to express their concerns.

“That’s how we get things done. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them.” Mongeon said.

‘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 wants 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