Is there hope for oversize tow bills?

LLN (9/2/19) – An effort to reform law-enforcement dispatched towing in Missouri has died – at least for this year. Also, 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most important court victories ever to benefit truck drivers – one that quashed a corrupt law enforcement scheme in Tennessee and closed down a major state agency – the state Public Service Commission.

0:00-10:10 – Newscast.

10:10-24:44 – Missouri towing

24:44-38:42 – The Tennessee PSC, 25 years later – Part 1

38:42-48:19 – The Tennessee PSC, 25 years later – Part 2

Segment 1

Newscast

• OOIDA is urging truckers to comment on the FMCSA’s proposed changes to the hours-of-service regulations. The deadline to comment is Oct. 7.
  • You can submit your comments here.
  • Find more on the proposal on the FMCSA website: FMCSA Hours of Service Proposed Rule.
  • Read more from Land Line Magazine:
    • OOIDA calls HOS plan ‘a big step in the right direction.’
    • FMCSA encourages feedback on hours-of-service plan.
    • Data review shows short-haul change won’t decrease safety, FMCSA says.
    • Change to adverse driving provision would extend trucker’s driving window.
  • Registration is now open for the second edition of OOIDA’s three-day business course, “Truck to Success.” The class takes place Sept. 10-12 at the Courtyard by Marriott at Exit 21 off Interstate 70 in Blue Springs, Mo. The course is designed for truckers who are about to make the leap into becoming an owner-operator and for those who have been in the industry to cut costs and become more financially successful.
    • For more information, go to the OOIDA Online Education website.
    • Watch how you can register for the class: VIDEO: Register for OOIDA’s second Truck to Success seminar.
    • Read more about the class: OOIDA plans second Truck to Success seminar for potential owner-operators.
  • The OOIDA Foundation has EPA grants to pay for 25% of the cost for an auxiliary power unit. Drivers need to have a model year 1996 through 2006 truck, and be based in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa or Nebraska. OOIDA membership is not required, but OOIDA members can get discounts on EPA-approved units.
    • Go to the OOIDA Foundation website for details.

Segment 2

An effort to reform law-enforcement dispatched towing in Missouri has died – at least for this year. Mark Reddig discusses what happened and the possibilities for another try with Tom Crawford of the Missouri Trucking Association.

• Read other Missouri towing related stories:
  • Missouri governor vetoes bill that created towing task force.
  • OOIDA-backed bill creating towing task force sent to Missouri governor.
  • Missouri Trucking Association, OOIDA work to pass towing bill.

Segments 3 and 4

We recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of a major OOIDA victory against corrupt law enforcement in the Tennessee PSC case. Terry Scruton and Gary Blackburn, who was OOIDA’s local legal counsel in the case, discuss just how high up the corruption went and how the lawsuit brought it down.

• Check out Land Line Magazine’s story: ‘We kicked ass’.
• Keep up-to-date on things OOIDA is currently working on at the Fighting for Truckers website