Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

1 OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO  64029
Web Site: www.www.ooida.com
Facebook: OOIDA Facebook

Contact: Norita Taylor, norita_taylor@ooida.com
Headquarters: (816) 229-5791

For Immediate Release

OOIDA thanks Rep. Babin for speaking out on truck driver coercion, highlighting flaws with NCCDB

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association thanks U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, for calling out federal regulators and their inaction regarding truck driver coercion. Rep. Babin sent a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration expressing alarm that the agency’s programs that are supposed to address reports of unsafe or coercive behavior by some businesses within the trucking industry are wholly ineffective.

“The very agency that oversees highway safety among commercial vehicles should be a far better example of protecting the hard-working men and women expected to comply with its safety regulations,” said OOIDA President, Todd Spencer. “Instead, the programs intended to prevent or stop coercing drivers into violating safety regulations are not being implemented as intended.”

The letter points out the troubling practice of some motor carriers, shippers, receivers and transportation intermediaries to threaten or punish drivers that refuse to operate in violation of federal safety regulations and the dangers this creates.

“Congress recognized the importance of protecting America’s truckers from coercion when it required FMCSA to establish a process to investigate carriers, shippers, and receivers that push drivers to violate safety rules,” said Rep. Babin. “While the agency has established this system, I’ve heard from too many truckers that it has not been effective or reliable. It is time to make sure that FMCSA is holding up its end of the bargain and properly addressing claims brought forward by drivers.”

The Association looks forward to working with Congress and the agency in making sure the problems in those programs are resolved and commercial drivers can confidently report incidences of coercion and ultimately improve highway safety.

Related Press Releases:
Truckers thank U.S. Senators for supporting flexibility in hours of service regulations
OOIDA looks forward to hours-of-service improvements
OOIDA thanks Rep. Brian Babin for supporting small business truckers

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