Want to help shape the next highway bill? Here’s your chance
Every time a new highway bill is passed into law, it sets the tone in the trucking industry for years to come. That is why it is so critical for truck drivers to weigh in.
The time for truck drivers to do so is now. In a notice that was published in the Federal Register on Monday, July 21, the U.S. Department of Transportation asked the public to comment on what should be prioritized in the next highway bill.
“The Request for Information is intended to gather feedback, ideas and recommendations to help inform legislative priorities and ensure future infrastructure programs focus on delivering safe and efficient surface transportation, without attaching unnecessary requirements,” the DOT wrote in the notice. “The reauthorization effort will focus on modernizing America’s infrastructure by improving safety, streamlining federal processes, promoting economic growth and strengthening partnerships.”
The current surface transportation authorization bill, which is commonly referred to as the highway bill, expires on Sept. 30, 2026.
Although that date is more than a year away, lawmakers are already working on creating the bill’s foundation.
OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh told House transportation leaders in March what truck drivers would like to see in the next bill. Pugh is also scheduled to testify to the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation about the highway bill on Tuesday, July 22.
During the House hearing in March, Pugh told lawmakers that truck drivers need more truck parking, access to restrooms, enhanced driver training, broker transparency and hours-of-service flexibility. OOIDA also relayed opposition to truck size and weight increases, minimum liability insurance increases, lowering the interstate CDL age and overly burdensome mandates.
How to comment
Truck drivers can weigh in on these topics or others by going to Regulations.gov and entering Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468. The 30-day comment period is set to expire on Aug. 20. LL