OOIDA’s Spencer nominated for MATS Wall of Fame honor

OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer is the latest member of the trucking industry to be nominated for the Mid-America Trucking Show’s Wall of Fame.

The nomination was announced on the Louisville, Ky.-based truck show’s Facebook page on Monday, April 26.

“Todd has truly dedicated his entire life to trying to improve working conditions for truckers,” the MATS’ post stated.

“Todd has testified many times on Capitol Hill representing truckers. He has made thousands of trips to Washington, D.C., and state capitols across America to fight for the rights of small-business truckers and drivers. There hasn’t been a single piece of legislation that has come from OOIDA that Todd hasn’t had something to do with since 1980.”

MATS’ Wall of Fame is part of the truck show’s celebration of its 50th anniversary. Each honoree will be someone who has “made significant contributions to improve the American trucking industry.”

To nominate someone for the trucking show’s wall of fame, click here and fill out the form on the MATS’ website.

A trucking career

Spencer began his career as a truck driver in 1974 and then began working at OOIDA in 1981. He became OOIDA’s executive vice president in 1992 and was elected as the Association’s president in 2018. During that time, Spencer helped build OOIDA into a trucking trade association that represents more than 150,000 small-business truck drivers across the nation.

Spencer has spent most of his life advocating for the rights of truck drivers.

In April 2020, Spencer sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking for “urgent and immediate action” to protect truck drivers as they hauled essential freight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His advocacy led to Business Insider naming him among its list of 100 leaders in North America who are driving change and innovation in their industries.

“One key part of Spencer’s advocacy has been pressing the federal government to provide personal protective equipment to truck drivers, which the administration agreed to do in April 2020,” Business Insider wrote. “OOIDA, with other groups, also fought to stop the shuttering of rest areas. Several states, including Pennsylvania, reopened those areas after continued demands from truck drivers nationwide.”

On April 13, the truck show also announced longtime truck driver Mirah Lesa “YoYo” Worley as a MATS Wall of Fame nominee.

According to MATS’ Facebook page, all inductees will be featured on a commemorative Wall of Fame at the 50th anniversary show on March 24-26 in Louisville. LL