Standing on the shoulders of giants
I often think of what life was like in an RV chained to a parking lot lamp post. Traffic whizzing by on the interstate. The chatter of a CB fills the quiet. I picture Jim Johnston shuffling papers and his mind going a mile a minute.
That’s about as humble a beginning of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association as you could imagine. Yet it’s so very real.
Having a vision is easy. Having the grit and determination to see it into reality, that’s an entirely different scenario.
OOIDA turns 50 this year. Five decades of fighting for the rights of all truckers.
I’ve been witnessing the work OOIDA has done on behalf of all truckers for more than two decades. It was a gift to get the invitation to come on board here at Land Line and join in on what I call “the right side of the fight.”
Back in 2010, then-President Jim Johnston had a visit from former President Al Hannah. Boy, was that a conversation to be privileged enough to catch some of. Their recollection of those early days was mesmerizing and inspiring.
OOIDA Historian Sandi Soendker put together a piece for this magazine about the development of OOIDA’s first “real” agenda. Check out what Al and Jim had to say about one of the Association’s first formal actions on Page 48 and the early days of OOIDA.
Also, on Page 52, the Land Line staff with the creative genius of our Art Director Debbie Johnson, bring you a timeline of OOIDA’s milestones and accomplishments over the past 50 years.
Reminiscing about those early days and reveling in the accomplishments over the years, at a time when OOIDA has made such huge strides on a number of fronts, really fills me with a sense of pride. But, it’s also a time to challenge ourselves. To stand on the shoulders of the giants who gave us this legacy of the first 50 years and fight for the future of truckers.
Senior Editor Mark Schremmer brings you the “federal forecast” on Page 16. The regulatory agenda is packed and there is a lot coming at truckers over the next year or so. We’re talking about broker issues, speed limiters, electronic IDs (or as we call them, trackers on truckers), ELD revisions, automated driving and new entrants. It’s a lot. And now is the time to get up to speed on the issues and prepare for battle.
While on that topic, OOIDA President Todd Spencer talks about the value of an active membership, in the beginning and even more so now. His column can be found on Page 12.
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh recently drove the OOIDA tour truck back to headquarters here in the Kansas City Metro from Reno, Nev. To say his stories about the trip are comical is an understatement. He goes into some detail about experiencing a truck fully loaded with all the latest tech and how valuable that real-world experience is when educating lawmakers on Page 13. He encourages you to do the same.
This issue, as always has some fun stuff to take your mind off the grind and enjoy the cooler side of trucking. There’s plenty of truck eye candy in this issue with the American Truck Historical Society show in Reno on Page 72, Shell SuperRigs winners on Page 74 and Bryan “Boss Man” Martin’s Caught on the Lot on Page 90.
And, finally, speaking of Bryan Martin and 4 State Trucks. OOIDA is teaming up with the Chrome Shop Mafia, once again, to put on the Guilty By Association Truck Show in September. It will also serve as our big 50th birthday celebration. You can find out the details about the show on Page 62. Make plans to be there. It’s a good time. You won’t be disappointed. LL