Truck drivers must have the ability to work on their vehicles.
That was the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s message to the House Energy & Commerce Committee ahead of a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 13.
“OOIDA members are the safest drivers in the trucking industry and have the most experience maintaining and repairing their own equipment,” Association President Todd Spencer wrote in the letter sent to committee leaders on Jan. 9. “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.”
Specifically, OOIDA asked committee members to include heavy-duty trucks and commercial motor vehicles in the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act.
Introduced by Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., HR1566 aims to ensure that consumers have access to data relating to their motor vehicles, including critical information regarding maintenance, service and repairs.
OOIDA told committee members that they have an opportunity to reduce costs for small-business truckers.
“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,” OOIDA wrote. “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.”
In addition to helping truckers reduce costs, OOIDA said that giving them the ability to repair their equipment will reduce downtime and keep the supply chain moving.
“We support HR1566 as currently proposed, but if your Committee removes coverage for truckers by exempting heavy-duty vehicles, they will feel justifiably betrayed,” OOIDA wrote. “The trucking industry is in the midst of a historic downturn, and small businesses are looking for every possible way to reduce costs and maximize productivity. Siding with large corporations and manufacturers at the expense of small-business truckers and mom-and-pop repair shops would ignore these challenges and make it more difficult for truckers to keep their business afloat during these challenging economic times. Hundreds of thousands of small-business truckers will be watching closely to see if you prioritize their needs or the profits of a few large corporations. We strongly encourage you to ensure HR1566 includes heavy-duty trucks.”
Dunn introduced the REPAIR Act in February. As of Jan. 12, the bipartisan bill had 43 co-sponsors. LL
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