Voting now open in the OOIDA biennial Board of Directors election

Voting in OOIDA’s biennial Board of Directors Alternate election is now open. Paper ballots have been mailed to all current dues paying members and online voting is now open. Voting will run from Dec. 14 through Jan. 31.

Every two years, OOIDA holds an election for alternates to the Association’s Board of Directors. The Nomination-Election Committee has determined the list of nominees, made up of members who have had a minimum of five consecutive years of commercial truck driving experience and five consecutive years of active membership in the Association immediately before the nomination. This year there are seven candidates, five of whom will be seated on the board.

Alternates will be elected by the membership for two-year terms. Voting is open to life members, senior members, members and retired members who are current on their dues. The five elected alternates will be seated at the spring 20193 board meeting.

To help you with the election process, short bios and comments from nominees are featured here. You can also tune into Land Line Now on Dec. 17 and 18 for interviews with the candidates.

OOIDA’s biennial Board of Directors Alternate Candidates

Danny R. Schnautz, 50, Pasadena, Texas

Senior Member Danny Schnautz’s love for trucking and his passion for the industry started much earlier than most. Danny’s father was a trucker, and the truck was Danny’s first daycare. He took his first truck ride at just 2 days old, and trucking has been in his blood ever since.

Linda Allen, 54, Spring Hill, Fla.

Linda Allen entered the trucking industry 10 years ago during the economic recession when both she and her husband lost their jobs. At the time, her husband knew how to drive a truck so they both got their CDLs, bought a truck and obtained their own authority.

Brad Peterson, 43, Brookings, S.D.

Brad Peterson joined OOIDA seven years ago because he wanted to belong to an organization that helps in all aspects of trucking. Brad reads Land Line religiously to stay informed on industry issues as well as follows trucking news and listens to Road Dog radio. Education is one of the keys to succeeding in trucking.

Rodney Morine, 50, Opelousas, La.

Senior OOIDA member Rodney Morine comes from a trucking family. His grandfather, his father and his uncles were all truckers. Rodney says he knew from the time he was 5 years old that he wanted to join the family trucking ranks. His father had an old GMC Astro 250 cabover with straight pipes. When his dad left on a run and headed down the road, Rodney would sit up on the top bunk, grab the wooden post and shift when he heard the truck shift.

M. Carl Smith Sr., 57, Marysville, Ohio

Carl Smith first joined OOIDA in 1983 and has been in trucking most of his adult life. Carl knew he wanted to be a truck driver at age 12 so after high school he joined the Army and learned to drive as part of his training.

Stephen Saunders, 63, South Salem, N.Y.

Life member Stephen Saunders joined OOIDA in 2004 because he wanted to have a voice as a small business trucker and wanted to better keep up with changes in the trucking industry. He received his Class A license when he was 18 and has been involved in the industry for more than 40 years

Kristopher Peters, 41, Branson, Mo.

Senior member Kris Peters joined OOIDA in 2004 because he wanted to be part of a group actually fighting for truckers and not just taking money and paying lip service. Kris is a third-generation trucker, and his son, who recently started driving, makes the fourth generation in his family.