OOIDA on the road – March/April 2026

Whether you’ve been driving for four decades or you’re a “newbie,” OOIDA’s mission is consistent across the board – to fight for the rights of ALL truck drivers.

When OOIDA’s Marty Ellis makes stops with The Spirit tour truck across the country, he is greeted by members from various backgrounds and levels of experience in the trucking industry.

Some are company drivers just starting out, and others are owner-operators who have been trucking for decades. Regardless, OOIDA is working toward policies that make sense for truck drivers and pushing back against overly burdensome regulations that make the job even more difficult.

Eric Bauman, a member from Grand Island, Neb., has worked as a trucker from multiple angles. After 35 years of being a company driver, he decided to become an owner-operator when the carrier began using artificial intelligence for dispatching. Bauman, who hauls meat, purchased a 2026 Peterbilt. The Nebraska Trucking Association named him its Driver of the Month in March 2025.

Robert and Cynthia Parkman, members from Center Rutland, Vt., stopped to pick up dash calendars and to renew Cynthia’s membership. Robert drives a 1993 Kenworth W900 with a 132” sleeper. He’s driven for 44 years, including the last 24 for Bennett.

Bruce Sluss, a member from Lancaster, Ohio, has been trucking for about three years after previously being employed as a cargo theft investigator. He said more driver training is needed, suggesting that there should be an advanced trucking course to take after being on the job for a bit. Sluss said he has been working with OOIDA to help him after being burned by a bad lease-purchase program.

Joe and Holly Mrazik, life members from Portage, Pa., stopped by The Spirit to thank OOIDA for helping him resolve a paperwork problem. Joe drives a Volvo and is leased to Landstar.

William Scott, a life member from Smiths Station, Ala., recently visited Marty, left, during a stop in Gadsden, Ala. LL