OOIDA Call to Action - Texas Members
March 15, 2005

Attention: Texas truckers! It is important you contact members of the state House Law Enforcement Committee about a bill in committee that would hold suppliers of intermodal chassis responsible for their roadworthiness before they leave port.

HB1989, sponsored by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, would require marine terminals in Texas that load and unload oceangoing vessels to check such items as brakes, suspension, tires and wheels, connecting devices, lights, and electrical system for every intermodal chassis - in essence to make sure the intermodal equipment is roadworthy when it's made available to drivers.

A similar effort in the House failed to pass from committee during the 2003 session.

OOIDA, which represents 11,500 Texas-based professional drivers, is hopeful the renewed effort has greater success this time around.

"Poorly maintained container chassis have long been a major problem for container haulers," said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. "It serves no worthwhile safety purpose to place penalties on drivers for poorly maintained container chassis. Drivers don't even lay eyes on this equipment until long after they are dispatched and in the container yard to load."

For committee members' contact information, click here. You can also call the OOIDA Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they'll look it up.