GRAIN VALLEY, Mo – January 28, 2009 – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which represents the interests of small business truckers, believes recommendations made under the guise of environmental sustainability at a hearing before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are meant to eliminate competition, not emissions.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) presented arguments in favor of longer/heavier truck and trailer combinations as well as government mandates for speed limiters on truck engines at this morning’s hearing.

“Upping truck weights and mandating speed limiters in the name of sustainability is irresponsible and ridiculous,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President, Todd Spencer. “Those things have nothing to do with making trucking more ‘green’ and everything to do with adding more ‘green’ to the pockets of large corporations.”

The Association contends effective environmental solutions begin with addressing inefficiencies in the supply chain such as time and fuel wasted by truckers waiting to be loaded or unloaded and the amount of empty miles truckers must drive.  Those two inefficiencies alone cost trucking and consumers a combined $5.7 billion dollars annually. Addressing those problems would go a long way toward reducing fuel burned as well as emissions.

“We support efforts to clean up our environment, but not at the expense of highway safety or crippling competition.  Those factors more than offset any theoretical productivity or environmental gains.” said Spencer. “The air isn’t made cleaner by fouling it with the smoke of powerful economic interests.”

EDITORS NOTE:  For further explanation on the dangers and drawbacks of speed limiters and increased weights and lengths, please review these documents.

Weights & Lengths Testimony

Speed Limiter Facts

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo. area. The Association currently has more than 160,000 members from all 50 states and Canada.