‘Live From Exit 24’ to preview GBATS, update AB5 and PRO Act

August 9, 2021

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The Aug. 11 “Live From Exit 24,” at its new start time of 7 p.m. Central, will feature a preview of the upcoming Guilty By Association Truck Show as well as an update on AB5 in California and the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.

Host Mike Matousek will be joined by Bryan Martin of 4 State Trucks to preview GBATS, while Bryce Mongeon, OOIDA director of legislative affairs, will provide the latest on AB5 and the PRO Act.

Give us your thoughts by calling 317-67-OOIDA (317-676-6432) at 7 p.m. Central time on Aug. 11, 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.

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.

Past episodes of are archived on the show’s website.

On the July 28 “Live From Exit 24,” the lack of a correlation between insurance and safety was discussed by Matousek, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh and Travis Ginest, OOIDA senior claims counsel.

To protect the interest of its members, OOIDA is leading the charge with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Specifically, the Association are fighting separate proposals that would increase motor carriers’ minimum insurance requirement by 167% or 556%.

“We have people on Capitol Hill every day,” Pugh said. “Our staff in Washington, D.C., is constantly working with lawmakers. We sent out a coalition letter along with other industries, and I was at a hearing back in February. But where the rubber meets the road is when we get members to pick up the phone.”

Larger fleets, in particular, stand to benefit greatly from an insurance increase, Ginest said.

“We all know what the real issues are,” Pugh said. “We’ve been telling them for years the things that could make a difference and make the highways safer. I worked out there for 20 years, and I know how dangerous it could be. A lot of good drivers out there are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why aren’t they pushing for more training?”

Further complicating the matter for truck drivers are trial lawyer billboards and their negative reinforcement.

“It’s a propaganda machine,” Ginest said. “They all say the truck is bad. After you see this over and over, you start thinking maybe these trucks are bad.”

Pugh questioned how an insurance rate hike would lead to an improvement in highway safety, and instead proposed a different solution.

“It’s a proven fact carriers that pay more money are safer and have better retention,” Pugh said. “Trucking is so inefficient because shippers and receivers use trucks as rolling warehouses. We’ve completely set up the industry for failure by the way they workers are paid. If I have $1 million of insurance or if I have $2 million of insurance, how does that make me a better driver? How will this change safety?