OOIDA on the Road – March/April 2025

When talking to lawmakers, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association often refers to its members as the “experts” of the trucking industry.

That couldn’t be any truer, of course. The nation’s professional drivers are the ones who are out on the front lines every day, and they are the ones who know what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to highway safety.

The latest batch of members to visit OOIDA’s Marty Ellis at the Association’s tour truck boasts plenty of experience. Combined, the six OOIDA members are approaching 200 years in the industry.

Chuck Spencer, a life member from Grenola, Kan., recently stopped by The Spirit with his wife, Angie. He is pictured with several members of OOIDA’s Marketing Department.

Shawn Rance, a member from Schoolcraft, Mich., has been trucking for about 25 years. He has a 2013 Freightliner with more than a million miles. Shawn’s company is called Duckin Truckin Express.

David Anderson, a life member from Frost, Minn., has been in the trucking industry for 42 years. Currently, he drives a 2020 Western Star 4900. He is pictured with his dogs Buddy and Joey. His third dog, Chandler, was in the truck.

Andy Schmitz, a member from Mankato, Minn., has been in the trucking industry since he was 21 years old. He recently became an OOIDA member after reading a pamphlet and learning about advocacy efforts, as well as discounts that are available to members.

Manjit Singh-Dhillon, a member from Yuba City, Calif., has been trucking for more than 30 years after coming to the United States in the 1980s. He owns a 2022 Kenworth T680 and pulls a reefer.

Gary Bartels, a life member from Dawn, Texas, became a full-time trucker in 1980. He said that, like many drivers, farming helped lead him to trucking. These days, he hauls a couple of loads a week and stays mostly local. LL