Over 2023 and 2024, the Truck Leasing Task Force uncovered numerous examples of truckers being taken advantage of by predatory lease-purchase programs.
Although the programs are advertised as a way for a commercial truck driver to run his or her business and end the contract in possession of a truck, the reality is far different. Truckers shared stories of having little to no control over their work, being stuck with high-mileage trucks in need of repairs, and actually owing money to the trucking company at the end of a pay period.
The task force estimated that 90% of truck lease-purchase agreements end in default. Hundreds of thousands of truck drivers have been negatively affected, the task force said.
Now, a bill is being introduced with the intention of protecting truckers from predatory practices.
Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., introduced the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act of 2025 on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
HR5423 would prohibit motor carriers from using predatory commercial motor vehicle lease-purchase programs. Additionally, the bill would establish a process that would allow truck drivers to be relieved from the terms of a lease-purchase agreement.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which was represented on the task force, is supportive of the bill.
“Lease-purchase programs have been around trucking for a long time, and most often they’re used to primarily take advantage of aspiring truck drivers willing to work their tails right into the ground in hopes of someday owning a piece of equipment,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “In the overwhelming majority of instances, those hopes are just dashed. It’s time to address that issue and really take it seriously.”
The task force also concluded that predatory lease-purchase programs create safety risks, as truckers struggling to make their payments may feel compelled to put off repairs or drive when they’re tired.
“(It’s time to) put a stop to the predatory scams that have victimized hard-working people for a long time and, too often, end up with people running way too hard in hopes of realizing a dream and compromising safety in the process. Thank you, Rep. Brownley.”
In its report issued to Congress, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor in January, the Truck Leasing Task Force officially asked for a ban on truck lease-purchase agreements where a motor carrier controls the work, compensation and debts of a driver.
“Lease-purchase programs are regularly established to enrich motor carriers at the expense of drivers,” the task force wrote. “These programs promote a race-to-the-bottom in driver compensation and treatment, pushing qualified drivers out of the profession.”
If passed, the bill would require the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to prohibit the use of predatory truck lease-purchases by motor carriers within one year. Essentially, the Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act accepts the task force’s recommendation to ban such agreements.
Getting to this point comes from years of effort by OOIDA. The Association worked behind the scenes to get the creation of the Truck Leasing Task Force mandated in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Now, that task force’s recommendations could lead to the end of predatory lease-purchases in the trucking industry.
“Now, we have action. We have tangible legislation being introduced where folks can show support for truckers by getting on board and saying enough is enough with these predatory lease-to-own schemes,” Collin Long, OOIDA’s director of government affairs, told Trucking with OOIDA. LL
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