Straight out of Congress
In May, the House Highways and Transit subcommittee held a hearing to discuss trucking and the supply chain.
The hearing was an opportunity for OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh to let Congress know what truck drivers believe is best for highway safety and the supply chain. But it also was a chance to hear what lawmakers think about a variety of trucking issues.
On truck parking
“We must also improve the quality of life for truckers on the road so that they’ll choose to stay in this profession. Increasing the amount of available truck parking will help improve the quality of life for truck drivers while preserving safety and productivity.”
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark.
On driver pay
“Driver compensation is also at the heart of our discussion here today. Better wages will help the industry attract and retain its workforce. Simply put, better wages will ensure we have the capacity and the capability to safely deliver goods on time. Better wages lead to (a) more secure supply chain.”
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.
On the 2021 infrastructure law
“This funding is working to tackle our largest infrastructure challenges and freight bottlenecks, and Congress has structured these investments so that every state benefits from these dollars, and every state has control over how to invest in them. Ensuring a well-functioning supply chain means better infrastructure everywhere and an elimination of bottlenecks wherever they exist.”
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash.
On marijuana use in trucking
“Many of you know that I was born and raised in the trucking business. My family is still in it. One thing that people don’t understand that we keep losing a lot of drivers to is the legalization of marijuana in states around this country. And if you wanna smoke it, I don’t care, but the rules are very clear … You’re gonna pop positive for 30 days after smoking it. And several drivers are making choices to go ahead and party rather than drive. It’s very frustrating that they make the choice. But if you drink a beer on a Sunday, you can drive on Monday; you smoke a joint on Friday night, you ain’t driving for another 30 days. And I don’t agree with the legalization of marijuana, but something’s gotta be done to figure this out.”
Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill.
On driver retention
“So when we think about recruitment, it’s about improving the quality of the job and the experience to reward that hard work, the time – five days a week – that they’re spending away from their families. And if we recognize the sacrifices that go into this job, maybe we would have higher retention if we pursue fair wages, reasonable hours, high-quality benefits, paid leave, and correct worker classification.”
Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J.
On detention time
“And it sounds to me like drivers are being used, perhaps as Mr. Pugh has pointed out, maybe even abused, that they are being required to be this buffer if you think of it as an entire system.
And it’s not because it’s best for our supply chain, it’s not because it helps us move goods in the most efficient manner. But it’s because it comes at no cost, right? You can have a driver sit there as long as you like and it’s a no-cost option to build in a buffer into our supply chain, but there is a human cost.”
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-Texas
On younger drivers
“So drivers from 16-19 have three times the number of accidents as drivers 20 and older. And when we have so many trucks on the road, and I talked to a lot of truckers … and they are concerned about the lack of qualified drivers on the road and that is scary … I know we need more drivers. We need to figure this out, but not if it’s going to make our roads unsafe.”
Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore. LL