WASHINGTON — The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is the latest industry group to voice its support for the BUILD American 250 Act.
“OOIDA applauds the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for crafting the comprehensive, bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act and including important priorities of small-business truckers,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president. “This surface transportation reauthorization contains many meaningful provisions that support the [people] who make their living behind the wheel and avoids missteps that would make their lives harder. We look forward to this bill advancing out of committee and to the House floor.”
An OOIDA press release noted they support the ACT because it includes several priorities that the Association has championed to improve the lives and businesses of its members.
“This year’s highway bill represents a bipartisan effort to strengthen our nation’s surface transportation network and recognizes truck drivers’ essential role in keeping our economy moving,” OOIDA said.
Provisions Championed by OOIDA
“Thanks to OOIDA’s advocacy, the BUILD America 250 Act includes a substantial $750 million investment in expanding truck parking capacity across the country,” OOIDA said.
The bill also includes OOIDA priorities such as a prohibition on predatory lease-to own schemes, which have scammed hardworking truckers with the empty promise of becoming owner-operators. Additionally, OOIDA advocated for and secured access to restrooms at facilities where truckers pickup and deliver freight .
Other major victories for America’s truckers include:
- Requirements that EV and hybrid users contribute to the Highway Trust Fund.
- Incentives for a minimum of 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training for new drivers.
- Provisions to combat growing fraud in our industry. OOIDA strongly supports increasing barriers of entry for brokers and motor carriers, as well as enhanced enforcement tools for FMCSA.
- Overdue reforms to strengthen the National Consumer Complaint Database.
- New studies on the safety impact of cabotage.
- Electronic Logging Device certification.
- A fairer and more accountable DataQ process.
OOIDA Concerns
“While OOIDA considers the bill to be the most pro-trucker surface transportation reauthorization proposal in recent history, there are provisions that concern us,” OOIDA said. “Providing autonomous vehicle manufacturers the ability to self-certify their technology for deployment on public roads is very troubling. And, the committee’s inclusion of the controversial Beyond Compliance initiative is problematic.”
Rejected Policies
“Thanks to OOIDA’s successful lobbying, the committee rejected several contentious policies that our members vigorously oppose, including unnecessary increases to minimum liability insurance, the mandated use of Unique Electronic Identifiers or ‘trackers on truckers,’ and unsafe increases to national truck size and weight limits, which decrease highway safety and jeopardize the viability of small trucking businesses,” OOIDA said. “OOIDA strongly supports the BUILD America 250 Act as proposed. The Committee has done a remarkable job prioritizing the complex needs of the nation’s truckers and listening to those who make their living behind-the-wheel.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
