SOUTH TULSA, Okla. — American Trucking Associations chairman Greg Hodgen and his team at Groendyke Transport welcomed congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK) to one of the company’s newest truck terminals in South Tulsa, Okla., for an in-depth discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing the trucking industry.
“Congressman Hern understands the critical role trucking plays in powering Oklahoma’s economy and keeping America’s supply chain moving,” Hodgen said. “We appreciated the opportunity to showcase the professionalism of our drivers and employees while discussing the serious challenges that lawsuit abuse and third-party litigation financing are creating for our industry. We are grateful for Congressman Hern’s leadership on these issues and his willingness to engage directly with trucking professionals on the front lines.”
Moving America’s Freight
The visit included a tour of the facility and a policy roundtable focused on protecting the trucking industry’s ability to safely and efficiently move America’s freight.
Hern met with Groendyke employees across a range of operational roles, including drivers, terminal personnel, and dispatchers, to learn more about the company’s operations in Oklahoma. During the visit, he also had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Groendyke truck to test the cutting-edge equipment and experience firsthand the skill and professionalism that define modern trucking.
Following the facility tour, Hern participated in a roundtable discussion led by Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke, along with senior members of Groendyke leadership, Oklahoma Trucking Association chairman Robert Ragan of Melton Truck Lines, and Josh McAlister of Tenstreet. The conversation focused on the mounting toll lawsuit abuse is taking on trucking companies, professional drivers and the prices consumers pay at the store.
Pro-Trucking Legislation
Roundtable participants thanked Congressman Hern for sponsoring the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act. Hern’s legislation aims to close a tax loophole that has created a perverse incentive for deep-pocketed investors to pour vast sums of money into civil litigation in the hopes of obtaining an outsized return on case outcomes. Attendees also discussed several additional legislative proposals aimed at curbing lawsuit abuse, including the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act, the FAIR Trucking Act, the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act and the Protecting Third-Party Litigation Funding from Abuse Act.
Supporting Families and Sustaining Communities
“Trucking provides nearly 100,000 good-paying jobs in Oklahoma, supporting families and sustaining communities across our state,” Hodgen said. “In order to thrive, our industry depends on a fair legal environment that rewards safety and accountability rather than encouraging excessive litigation. The policies discussed today would help reduce fraud, increase transparency, and ensure that trucking companies can continue delivering the goods Americans depend on every day.”
According to the ATA, the visit highlighted the value of bringing policymakers directly into trucking operations to hear from drivers, safety professionals, and business leaders about the real-world impact of federal policies.
“ATA and its members will continue working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance solutions that strengthen the supply chain, improve highway safety and support the millions of Americans employed throughout the trucking industry,” ATA said.
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.
