The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s government affairs team works throughout the year to relay truck drivers’ needs to lawmakers. However, the message is even stronger when it comes directly from a truck driver.
Last week, Matthew Bradley, an OOIDA board member and company driver from Benton Harbor, Mich., spent a day in Washington, D.C., meeting with members of the House and Senate.
Bradley had visits with the offices of Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., as well as Reps. John James, R-Mich.; Bill Huizenga, R-Mich.; Brad Knott, R-N.J.; Nellie Pou, D-N.J.; and Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.
“The main thing I wanted to do was address them from a driver’s point of view,” said Bradley, who has been a truck driver for more than a decade. “I wanted to get across that they were talking to a real driver who can explain the problems to you.”
Bradley used his time to discuss such problems as the lack of truck parking, truck drivers being denied restroom access at shipper and receiver facilities and the lack of overtime wages.
Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act
The lack of truck parking nationwide has been a problem for years. Since 2020, Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., has sponsored the Truck Safety Improvement Act, which would dedicate $755 million to expanding truck parking capacity.
As Congress attempts to put together a highway bill this legislative session, it is a good opportunity for Bost’s bill to reach the finish line.
Bradley let lawmakers know what the problem means to truck drivers and also noted that it’s a safety issue for the general public. Additionally, he explained that cities and states lose out on sales tax revenue when truck drivers don’t have a place to park that offers access to businesses.
“A lot of light bulbs went on when I told them that,” Bradley said.
Trucker Bathroom Access Act
Another problem that Bradley relayed to lawmakers was the lack of restroom access truckers face.
In recent years, truck drivers frequently have been told they can’t use the restroom at shipper and receiver facilities.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act in the previous session and is expected to reintroduce the measure soon. The bill would require shipper and receiver facilities with existing restrooms to make them available for truck drivers who are delivering or receiving a load. The legislation would not require businesses to construct new restrooms.
“A few of them were surprised that this was a problem,” Bradley said. “This is a problem for all truckers, but it’s especially an issue for my sister truckers.”
GOT Truckers Act
All the way back in 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act included a provision that exempted motor carriers from having to pay truck drivers overtime wages. Nearly 90 years later, most truck drivers still don’t receive any extra compensation despite routinely working more than 40 hours per week.
Earlier this month, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., introduced the Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act in the House, and Sen. Alex Padilla sponsored the measure in the Senate.
Bradley told lawmakers that the bill would force shippers and receivers to value a truck driver’s time.
Connecting with lawmakers
Whether through an in-person visit, an email or a phone call, OOIDA encourages all truck drivers to make a connection with their representatives on the local, state and national levels.
“As a trucker, you are the expert on issues affecting your profession,” said Bryce Mongeon, OOIDA’s director of legislative affairs. “Only an extremely small number of lawmakers have any direct experience with trucking, and that’s just one of the reasons it’s so important to connect with them. By sharing your expertise, you help lawmakers truly understand the issues that matter most to truckers, and you can inspire them to act.”
A good place to start is OOIDA’s Fighting For Truckers website. There, truckers can connect with lawmakers and regulators about a variety of trucking issues. LL
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