OOIDA Compliance Department says broker issues a daily occurrence

OOIDA, specifically its Compliance Department, receives calls on a daily basis regarding problems with brokers ranging from carrier tracking to harassment.

Compliance Department employees Tom Crowley and Aron Lynch recently detailed just what they’re hearing from members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

Carrier tracking

“The brokers want to keep track of exactly where the load is, so you’d think that would alleviate check calls, but it doesn’t,” Crowley said. “They still want to do check calls and wake drivers up during their sleep time. And they fine you if the tracking fails or you lose service. One broker has a 20% reduction in your rate if the tracking fails.”

This often extends to wanting private and personal information.

“A big thing is privacy issues, especially with the small carriers,” Lynch said. “They (brokers) want your data. Everything is a digital space these days, and your data is important and it’s valuable.”

Should a broker obtain ELD data, for instance, it brings about a major issue when negotiating a rate if the broker already knows where a truck is, Crowley added.

“These companies are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars to get their algorithm set up with AI, because this is where the business is going,” Lynch said.

Government oversight

Lynch added that lackluster enforcement at the federal level and being “late to the game” increases to the complexity of these issues.

“The problem is on the rise, and trust me, it’s going to get worse,” he said.

Crowley also spoke about how limited regulation exacerbates broker problems.

“Private industries and vetting companies try to come in and bridge the gap, but there’s no regulation, and they just pretty much do what they want,” Crowley said. “The only consequences (are ones) the small carrier pays.”

Harassing phone calls

Based upon feedback from OOIDA members, it seems incidents of harassing phones calls from brokers are on the rise.

“It has gotten worse, and it’s based on the fact the broker can see if the truck is moving or not,” Crowley said. “It’s all about what the broker can keep and take away from the motor carrier.”

Even answering a phone call from a broker while on a required rest break can cause problems for the motor carrier.

Technically, a driver would be back on-duty, because this call is work-related unless the call is “brief,” Lynch said. LL

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