OOIDA tells Congress: Show truckers you truly care

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers and the general public have been quick to recognize the work of truck drivers to keep the nation’s supply chain moving.

While the acknowledgment is appreciated, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is encouraging Congressional leaders to do more than say, “Thank you.” In a letter sent on Monday, April 6, OOIDA asked lawmakers to address issues that will affect truck drivers long after the COVID-19 national emergency is over.

“As our country continues to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, members of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association have been on the front lines of response and recovery efforts – delivering critical supplies to communities across the country,” OOIDA wrote in a letter signed by President and CEO Todd Spencer. “OOIDA represents 160,000 small-business truckers and professional drivers, who have sacrificed their own wellbeing to keep our country healthy, safe and productive.

“In reality, our nation’s truck drivers do this on a daily basis. They were delivering important medical supplies, groceries and manufacturing materials long before COVID-19 and will continue to do so long after the U.S. has recovered from the current crisis. Unfortunately, it has taken a global pandemic for the media, the general public and Congress to truly appreciate everything they do.”

In the letter to Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, and Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy, OOIDA reminded the lawmakers that truck drivers have always been essential employees who make sacrifices for America.

“It won’t be long before COVID-19 is a distant memory for many Americans,” Spencer wrote. “Eventually, the media will move on to the next big story. The public will turn its attention to the return of baseball, concerts, dining out and commuting to work. But truckers will still be hauling freight across the country, away from their families and the comforts of home, while saddled with excessive taxes, regulatory burdens, poor working conditions, low wages, and a forgotten appreciation from the American people.”

OOIDA said that the time is now for lawmakers to back up their “thank yous” by addressing the issues that negatively affect the nation’s truck drivers.

“Lawmakers have been quick to express their appreciation for truckers, but professional drivers can’t afford to have you think praise is a sufficient response to their hard work,” Spencer wrote. “While those accolades are important, now is the time to address issues that have plagued truckers for decades. Now is the time to show them that you truly care. Now is the time for action.”

Add truck parking

The first step, OOIDA said, is to provide truck drivers with a safe place to park. In March, OOIDA worked with Reps. Mike Bost, R-Ill., and Angie Craig, D-Minn., to introduce the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. The bill, HR6104, would authorize $755 million for truck parking over five years.

“The lack of truck parking has been its own national crisis for far too long, and matters have been made worse by COVID-19, as states, localities and individual facilities further limit parking options for truckers,” Spencer wrote. “The lack of truck parking is a complex problem, but HR6104 is a simple first step toward improving conditions for drivers.”

Modernize hours of service

For two years, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has worked toward providing truck drivers flexibility within the hours-of-service regulations.

In March, FMCSA sent an hours of service final rule to the White House for review. OOIDA asked Congress to support FMCSA’s plan.

“In response to COVID-19, many hours-of-service requirements have been waived or relaxed to expedite the movement of freight – without much (if any) opposition from elected officials,” Spencer wrote. “Yet, when truckers advocate for slightly more flexibility in hours-of-service standards, they are often met with strong resistance on Capitol Hill. Drivers have been telling Congress for years they need relief from existing hours-of-service requirements, because they are overly rigid and counter-productive. Truckers shouldn’t just get this relief when the nation needs help responding to an emergency.”

Address detention time

OOIDA told lawmakers that excessive detention time reduces drivers’ wages, while slowing down the movement of freight and leading to increased risk of crashes.

“Many drivers spend countless unpaid on-duty hours being detained due to the inefficiency of others within the supply chain,” Spencer wrote. “Unfortunately, these unchecked inefficiencies are also likely preventing emergency supplies from being delivered as quickly as possible today. In these times where speed is demanded, the problem is even worse. Creating a financial incentive for shippers and receivers to improve the loading and unloading of trucks would likely help reduce excessive detention, while ensuring drivers are being appropriately paid no matter the circumstances.”

OOIDA said it strongly supports publicizing expected loading, unloading, and delay times at individual locations to incentivize shippers and receivers to improve their operations.

Repeal overtime exemption

Truck drivers put in long hours and often spend weeks or months away from home at a time. However, most truckers are paid only when the wheels are turning. Pay-by-the-mile systems mean truckers aren’t compensated for any of their nondriving time.

To remedy this, OOIDA asked lawmakers to repeal the overtime exemption for employee drivers in the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“The average truck driver works 60-70 hours per week, which is rarely – if ever – reflected in their compensation,” Spencer wrote. “Instead, they should be paid for all the work they do, not just the time they spend driving. Many drivers are working longer hours during the COVID-19 crisis but have little to show for their extraordinary efforts and sacrifices. Congress must also explore ways to provide drivers hazard pay during national emergency declarations. As COVID-19 is showing, many risk their own wellbeing while moving critical supplies for the rest of us.”

Waive 2020 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax

OOIDA said offering a one-time waiver of the $550 fee truckers pay per vehicle for the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax would be a straightforward way to provide tax relief for owner-operators.

“Assistance for truckers included in the most recent relief package could be helpful, but any economic slowdown as a result of the virus could jeopardize the existence of countless small trucking businesses, which comprise 96% of registered motor carriers,” Spencer wrote.

Don’t modify federal weight standards

While many weight restrictions have been waived across the country for commercial motor vehicles, OOIDA said that Congress must avoid any modifications to current federal standards.

“Permitting trucks to operate at a higher gross vehicle weight would have immediate and negative economic implications for hundreds of thousands of small trucking businesses, who would be pressured to increase their hauling capacity just to stay competitive – potentially in the midst of an economic downturn,” Spencer wrote.

Life after the pandemic

Truckers, like everyone else, yearn for the time when the COVID-19 crisis will be over.

However, OOIDA wants to make sure that the nation remembers the role truck drivers played and that lawmakers take steps toward making trucking a viable career path.

“As the nation begins recovering from this crisis, we anticipate our members will face many new and unexpected challenges,” Spencer wrote. “When Congress returns to Washington, we encourage you to prioritize hearings focusing on emergency response and recovery needs within the trucking industry.”