For Immediate Release

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO
E-mail:ooida@ooida.com
Web site: www.ooida.com

Phone: (816) 229-5791 Fax: (816) 427-4468

OOIDA Supports FMCSA Administrator Nomination

May 17, 2006, Grain Valley, MO --The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has come out in support of the nomination of John Hill as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The White House announced the nomination by President Bush in a news release today.

OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston, who endorsed Hill in a letter last month to Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, says he is pleased with the decision.

"Over the last several years, the staff of OOIDA has had the opportunity to work with John Hill in various respects through conferences and summits," Johnston said. "In his time with the Indiana State Police and while serving as the Chief Safety Officer and Assistant Administrator of FMCSA, Mr. Hill has demonstrated that he understands that heavy-handed enforcement is not the sole answer for highway safety."

"He has also shown a willingness to listen to all sides of a story and has a solid appreciation for experienced, safety-conscious professional truck drivers. I believe that John Hill is an individual who will guide FMCSA in a logical and efficient manner toward increasing safety in the trucking industry."

Founded in 1973, OOIDA is the largest organization of professional truckers in the country, comprised of more than 140,000 owner-operators, professional drivers and small business truckers from all 50 states and Canada.

Contact: John Liebnitz, Public Relations Coordinator (816) 229-5791