Best investment ever made
As we put the challenges of winter behind us, we have a hint of better times ahead. Hard to imagine it’s been four years since COVID wreaked havoc on global economies and supply chains. For many truckers, it’s been one heck of a ride – and I’m afraid it won’t be over for a bit longer.
But as you’re scrambling to keep your head above water, you aren’t always able to look ahead. At OOIDA, we do our best to pursue good initiatives for our members, rather than the illogical ones that often catch the attention of lawmakers.
One of our priorities almost from Day 1 was to improve training for people entering the trucking industry. Adoption of a training requirement was a big win for OOIDA and for truckers, and we did it largely by ourselves.
What better way to improve safety than to equip new entrants with the knowledge and skills essential for doing the job right? In addition to being safer, better-trained drivers who are equipped for their jobs are more likely to be satisfied. And if their personal and economic needs are met, they stick around – creating experienced drivers who are even safer. Good training is a win for all and a worthwhile investment.
Every day now, we are deluged with negative news. But not all the news is bad.
The infrastructure bill that Congress passed in its previous session included $300 million for parking. Thankfully, we’re seeing new parking spots – and more money will come if we keep pushing. The House bill is HR2367, and the Senate bill is S1034. We make it really, really easy at FightingForTruckers.com for you to encourage lawmakers to support this legislation.
Some in Washington do listen and respond, as evidenced by changes made to personal conveyance. These changes occurred because we were able to show the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that drivers run out of hours through no fault of their own. The agency in turn expanded the sleeper berth provision and modified the 30-minute break rule, allowing drivers to use available hours in a manner that makes sense.
Other issues in the works also could yield benefits for truckers:
- The detention time study now underway will document the many negatives to the supply chain when drivers are detained. This has long been a big cost, but it was magnified during COVID. It’s a safety issue, too, as well as a contributor to driver turnover. For those carriers still complaining of a driver shortage: If you keep drivers, you don’t need to replace them.
- The National Academy of Sciences is looking at how pay and methods of pay impact safety and driver retention. We all know there is a connection. And would big carriers be pushing for speed limiters if there were value placed on a driver’s time?
- The Truck Leasing Task Force authorized in the previous Congressional session may help identify and fix one of the biggest black eyes in trucking. Success shouldn’t be all about how well a company can exploit the vulnerable.
- The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (round two) hopefully will shed some light on the real factors in crashes. Safety is about avoiding crashes, and it should be measured with this as the priority. The megabucks spent on FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program have been a bust. We can and should do better.
- FMCSA now is saying we’ll hear more about broker regulations in October. While I have no idea what’s coming, the status quo is not acceptable. The agency is responsible for saying who can be a carrier and who can be a broker, yet the current system doesn’t even verify you are a real person on this side of the globe. I don’t think an effort to look at safety or ethics qualifies as overregulation.
We’re focusing on these issues and more at OOIDA.
As we begin our 51st year fighting for the rights of truckers, we know the secret to our success is the support we receive from members – men and women who join and support the cause. We also know from experience this is the only way to make real change.
If you’re currently an OOIDA member, you have my thanks. If not, please join. When I joined OOIDA 48 years ago, the membership fee was more than it is now – and it was the best investment I ever made. It will be for you, too. LL