Truck to Success preview on the next ‘Live From Exit 24’

“Live From Exit 24,” returns Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Central with a preview of the upcoming Truck to Success course, scheduled for Oct. 26-28 at the Courtyard Marriott in Blue Springs, Mo.

Host Mike Matousek, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh and Barry Fowler of Taxation Solutions Inc., a presenter at Truck to Success, will provide the particulars.

Give us your thoughts by calling 317-67-OOIDA (317-676-6432) at 7 p.m. Central time on Aug. 25, to be a part of the next “Live From Exit 24.”

Listeners can tune in to the show on the “Live From Exit 24” website, OOIDA Facebook page, OOIDA’s YouTube channel, iHeartRadio and Apple Podcasts.

Every other Wednesday, “Live From Exit 24” – OOIDA’s live, hourlong internet talk show – brings listeners insightful discussions on the regulatory and legislative issues that matter to truckers.

Past episodes of are archived on the show’s website.

On the Aug. 11 “Live From Exit 24,” Bryan Martin of 4 State Trucks stopped by to preview the Guilty By Association Truck Show, while Bryce Mongeon, OOIDA director of legislative affairs updated listeners on AB5 and the PRO Act.

“Everybody is ready to get out, mix it up and have some fun come September in Joplin,” Martin said of the upcoming GBATS event. “This started out as a customer appreciation day. What other truck show can you enter your truck at no cost and come out and spend the whole weekend?”

Martin then credited OOIDA for helping GBATS grow as much as it has.

This year, big rig burnouts, diesel drag racing, stunts, truck and tractor pulls and fireworks are among the scheduled events, as is a free concert featuring Curtis Grimes and headlined by Joe Nichols.

“No way did we ever think it would get this big,” Martin said. “We want to make every upcoming GBATS a bigger and better experience than the last GBATS. We have to raise the bar.”

Important distinctions between the PRO Act and AB5 were covered as Mongeon joined Matousek and Pugh via phone.

“Our concerns with them are the same, that it would upend the independent contractor model and upend the owner-operator model,” Mongeon said.

Uncertainty adds to the concern of these proposals.

“We don’t know what you have to do to be compliant,” Pugh said. “There’s talk of going back to the two-check system, but nobody really knows. Until we see what you have to do to be compliant, I’m not a fan of this at all. At this point, the safest drivers are ones who have their own trucks, have their own authority, and have their own customers.”

There’s also the possibility of only parts of the PRO Act being passed.

“Reconciliation is the process Congress can use to basically bypass the filibuster in the Senate and pass a bill with a 50-vote majority,” Mongeon said. “But there’s a lot of stipulations on what can be included in that bill. You can only include things that have a direct impact on revenues to the federal government or spending by the federal government.”

The regulation of lease-purchase agreements is also something that need to be seriously addressed, Pugh said.

“A lot of it comes down to who owns that truck,” Pugh said. “If it’s a lease-purchase deal and you quit, you don’t get to take the truck with you. If you’re leased to a carrier and you own or are purchasing the truck and you decide to quit, then you and your truck and your equipment can go somewhere else. And that’s a very big distinction.”

On Aug. 9, the California Trucking Association officially filed its petition for their case against AB5 to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. Until the decision as to whether or not the case will be heard is made, AB5 will not be enforced on the trucking industry.

‘Live From Exit 24’ survey

“Live From Exit 24” launched as a way to expand OOIDA’s communication with members and to hear directly from drivers across the industry.

OOIDA is asking truck drivers to fill out a survey to let the Association know how they are liking the show so far. The survey can be found here. LL