Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

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

Contact: press@ooida.com
Headquarters: (816) 229-5791

For Immediate Release

Industry Coalition Tells Blue Dogs, Problem Solvers, to reject unnecessary
insurance increases

Policy that is more than 99 percent effective needs no “improvement”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, along with a coalition of more than 60 organizations, representing the trucking, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, materials and towing industries, sent letters to members of the U.S. House
of Representatives’ Blue Dog Coalition and Problem Solvers Caucus. The coalition implored them to reject any unnecessary, harmful and contentious proposal to increase motor carriers’ minimum liability insurance requirements.

The letters are in response to efforts by trial lawyers and their supporters in Congress to increase insurance requirements for businesses engaged in the interstate transportation of property via truck from $1.25 million to as much as $4 million.

The coalition explains, “An increase in insurance requirements is wholly unnecessary, would do nothing to improve highway safety and would have a severe negative impact on our members by significantly increasing their operational costs.”

Federal research indicates the current minimum insurance requirement of $750,000 covers damages in 99.4 percent of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. When considering the industry norm of carrying $1 million in coverage, the percentage of crashes covered increases to 99.97 percent.

The coalition contends these figures illustrate today’s requirements are not only adequate, but extremely effective.

“It is difficult to think of any other policy that addresses over 99 percent of cases and would be considered a failure in need of fixing,” the letters explain.

The coalition is encouraging lawmakers to ensure no increase is included in the next highway bill or any infrastructure package, and hopes opposition from members of the Blue Dog Coalition and Problem Solvers Caucus will help prevent any provision that would destroy blue-collar jobs and threaten countless small businesses.

“Rejecting calls for increases in insurance coverage will help protect American jobs and businesses, including countless small businesses, from an unnecessary and excessive policy designed to further line the pockets of trial lawyers at the expense of truckers, farmers, construction firms, manufacturers and more,” the letter concludes.

Blue Dog Coalition: The Blue Dog Coalition is an official caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives comprised of 19 fiscally-responsible Democrats, who are leading the way to find commonsense solutions. They are pragmatic Democrats, appealing to the mainstream values of the American public.

Problem Solvers Caucus: Beginning in 2017, the Problem Solvers Caucus became an independent member-driven group in Congress, comprised of representatives from across the country – equally divided between Democrats and Republicans
– committed to finding common ground on many of the key issues facing the nation. Co-Chaired by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), the Caucus’ aim is to create a durable bloc that champions ideas that appeal to a broad spectrum of the American people. It is a group united in the idea that there are commonsense solutions to many of the country’s toughest challenges.

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