Truck Leasing Task Force plans final meeting

Truck drivers have one more chance to share their experiences regarding predatory lease-purchase agreements before the Truck Leasing Task Force submits its recommendations.

The Truck Leasing Task Force will conduct a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3. It is expected to be the group’s final meeting before filing a report to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Those interested in attending can register here. There will be a public comment period.

What is the Truck Leasing Task Force’s goal?

Congress mandated the creation of the task force as a way to combat the issue of predatory lease-purchases in trucking. In these agreements, large carriers lease a truck to a driver. The purported goal is for the driver to own the truck at the end of the contract. In reality, however, it is rare for the agreements to end with that outcome. Instead, the truck driver often functions as an employee while making payments to the carrier for the truck and its maintenance.

The task force, which held its first meeting in July 2023, is charged with examining the terms, conditions and equitability of common truck leasing arrangements.

During the past year and a half, the task force has heard from truck drivers victimized by the programs, received a preliminary report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about the numerous inequities and used publicly available court data to estimate that more than 200,000 truck drivers have been affected by these predatory deals.

Advocates for change contend that the issue hinders highway safety and should be addressed by FMCSA.

“Turnover rates are extraordinarily high, and the likelihood of success is extremely low,” said Steve Viscelli, a task force member and economic sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania. “Even when drivers completed these agreements successfully, they actually were working for less than they would have made as an employee. There are many weeks where drivers earn very little or no pay at all. That puts stress on drivers in terms of whether they stay in the industry but also for the choices they make in terms of safety.”

Tuesday, Dec. 3 meeting

The agenda for the Tuesday, Dec. 3 meeting will include a final report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a presentation by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and a public comment period.

FMCSA will use the Truck Leasing Task Force’s recommendations to determine if any regulations or other actions are necessary. LL