Truckers’ right to repair, AVs on lawmakers’ radar

A bill granting truckers access to vehicle maintenance and repair data is one step closer to becoming law.

The House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee on Tuesday, Feb. 10, advanced the REPAIR Act, HR1566, via a voice vote. The bill now moves to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Although the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act applies to passenger vehicles as well, truckers have advocated to make sure they remain covered under the bill.

“We strongly oppose any provision that would exempt heavy-duty vehicles from HR1566 and will vocally and vigorously oppose the overall legislation if any such exemption is ultimately included,” the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association wrote in a letter to lawmakers last month. “While there have been attempts to provide a right to repair through previous memorandums of understanding, Congress must act decisively to give small-business truckers a clear and unambiguous right to this information. Without having these rights enshrined in law, truckers and the repair shops they rely on have little recourse to obtain the information.”

The REPAIR Act prohibits manufacturers from using technological or legal barriers to prevent motor vehicle owners from accessing vehicle-generated data, choosing a towing or service provider, or diagnosing, repairing or maintaining a vehicle in the same manner as a manufacturer or dealer.

The bill has found bipartisan support as the 43 co-sponsors are made up of 22 Democrats and 21 Republicans.

“When it comes to repairing their automobiles, consumers deserve options,” said Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., who introduced the bill in 2025. “The REPAIR Act would give owners, including the rural communities in my district, secure access to critical data so their chosen service center can replace parts and repair their vehicles.

Although there was some discussion at Tuesday’s subcommittee hearing about amending the bill to exclude recreational vehicles, the REPAIR Act advanced with protections remaining for truckers and commercial motor vehicles. OOIDA is working to keep it that way.

“It is critical that truckers have the necessary capabilities to work on their own vehicles, or when needed, work with trusted independent repair shops in their communities or while on the road,” OOIDA wrote.

SELF DRIVE Act

Another bill with interest to truckers that advanced through the subcommittee on Feb. 10 involves autonomous vehicles.

The Safety Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act would create a national framework for regulating autonomous vehicles.

Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, who introduced the bill last week, said HR7390 would strengthen safety requirements, clarify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s authority, improve crash data transparency and promote U.S. leadership in AV innovation.

However, Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., said more information about the safety of these vehicles is needed before allowing full-scale operations across the United States.

“I hope one day that they lead to a dramatic decrease in traffic deaths, but we are not there yet,” Mullin said during the hearing. “And to know if we’re getting there, we need the data. That’s why for two years I’ve been calling on NHTSA to require more data from AV operators. Unfortunately, this bill includes no meaningful data-recording requirements beyond what NHTSA is already collecting about collisions, which I believe is insufficient.”

Mullin said he wants to work with other committee members to add reporting requirements to the bill.

“While this bill does mention the need to collect vehicle miles traveled, it is meaningless without specifying that the miles must be miles traveled on public roads,” Mullin said. “Companies should not be able to report miles driven on test tracks or in the middle of a wide-open desert.”

The lawmaker’s comments echoed much of OOIDA’s stance regarding AVs and the lack of information made available about their safety records.

“The reliance on voluntary safety reporting from AV manufacturers has not effectively built public trust, acceptance and confidence in the testing and deployment of these vehicles,” OOIDA told regulators in late 2025. “Any hurried and misguided introduction of AVs would not only hurt safety but would disrupt the trucking workforce by displacing drivers and adversely impacting the economy.”

HR7390 advanced out of the subcommittee by a narrow 12-11 vote, meaning the AV bill could face a tough road ahead. LL