The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has spent many years advocating for efforts to end predatory lease-purchase agreements in the trucking industry.
Spurred by those efforts, which led to a provision in the 2021 infrastructure law, a new Truck Leasing Task Force will kick off this week.
The virtual meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 11. You can register for the meeting here.
The task force aims to end predatory lease-purchase practices in the industry and will provide recommendations to the FMCSA.
“At a time when our country needs truck drivers more than ever, we must do everything we can to support the men and women who work in this vital industry,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release from May. “The Truck Leasing Task Force is taking a hard look at leasing agreements as part of our effort to ensure every truck driver in this country has good working conditions and can make a good living.”
Among the goals of the task force will be to evaluate the effects of commercial motor vehicle lease arrangements and to discuss best practices for future agreements.
Tuesday’s meeting will include opening remarks from Buttigieg and FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson, a review of the requirements ordered by Congress and committee discussion of the problem in the industry. A public comment period is scheduled from 3-3:25 p.m. Eastern. The meeting’s full agenda can be found here.
The task force includes nine industry representatives.
- Tamara Brock, Brock Logistics LLC and Lewis & Lewis Logistics LLC (independent owner-operator)
- Paul Cullen Jr., The Cullen Law Firm PLLC (attorney)
- Troy Hawkins, TTOH Consulting & Logistics LLC (independent owner-operator)
- Jim Jefferson, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (consumer protection)
- Joshua Krause, OTR Leasing LLC (business)
- Kaitlyn Long, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (labor organization)
- Steve Rush, Carbon Express Inc. (carrier)
- Lesley Tse, Animal Defense Partnership Inc. (attorney)
- Steve Viscelli, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania (economic sociologist)
“The Truck Leasing Task Force addresses one of trucking’s great challenges,” Hutcheson said in a news release. “Leasing can have a major impact on people choosing trucking as their career, and protecting drivers is of the utmost importance. FMCSA is committed to addressing issues that may impact the recruitment and retention of drivers in the trucking industry.” LL
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