Donald Trump says Ohio Sen. JD Vance will be his vice presidential pick, accroding to an Associated Press report.
He said on his Truth Social Network that, “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio.”
The Republican National Convention kicked off this week, with delegates and officials descending on Wisconsin amid the tumult that follows a Saturday assassination attempt on Trump as he officially becomes the GOP’s nominee.
The selection may favor the trucking industry.
Vance is cosponsor of two bills that are considered high priorities for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), who issued a statement in favor of the selection, but did not go as far as to endorse Trump for president.
“We’re a non-partisan organization, but unabashedly pro-trucker,” the statement read.”We’ll work with anyone and everyone who supports our members’ priorities, regardless of party affiliation. There’s no question that it’s helpful to have someone with a proven pro-trucker legislative record that is close to someone who could be the eventual president.”
The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act which directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide competitive grants for projects that provide public parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers. States, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and local governments are eligible for these grants. The grants must be used for projects on federal-aid highways or a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility.
Background information includes the fact that truckers are legally obligated to comply with ‘Hours of Service’ Regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It is estimated that truckers spend approximately one hour per day looking for safe parking, which cuts down on time driving to their destination. According to a study commissioned by the Federal Highway Administration, 98% of truck drivers say they regularly experience difficulty finding safe parking, and are forced to park on an exit ramp, on the side of an interstate, or other unsafe areas. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act will allocate funds to create thousands of safe parking spots for trucks and make necessary improvements to existing truck parking areas.
Most folks probably don’t realize that 70% of American freight is transported by truck, yet incredibly there is only one parking spot for every 11 trucks on the road, OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “When truck drivers don’t have a designated place to park, they end up parking on the side of the road, near exit ramps, or elsewhere. This isn’t safe for the driver and it’s not safe for others on the road.”
Another piece of legislation of interest for OOIDA that Vance is connected to is the Drive Act which prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from issuing any rule or regulation to require vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds and are operating in interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. The FMCSA issued an advance notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking on this subject on May 4, 2022.
In layman’s terms, legislation would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing any rule or regulation mandating large commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. Studies have shown that speed limiting devices on large CMVs make our roads less safe, increasing congestion and creating dangerous speed differentials among vehicles, leading to higher crash rates, according the OOIDA.
Studies and research have already proven what we were all taught long ago in driver’s ed classes – that traffic is safest when vehicles all travel at the same relative speed, Limiting trucks to speeds below the flow of traffic increases interactions between vehicles, which can lead to more crashes,” Spencer noted.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
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