
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), representing over 150,000 small-business truckers and professional drivers, took center stage at FreightWaves’ Future of Freight Festival (F3) to debunk the long-standing myth of a truck driver shortage. The “debate” quickly became a discussion highlighting driver retention as the trucking industry’s real challenge.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents professional and small-business truckers, issued a response to the constant claims of a truck driver shortage as the U.S. struggles to resolve supply chain issues.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is leading a coalition of dozens of influential trade associations to oppose four burdensome, costly, and unsafe trucking mandates. Today the coalition sent a letter to Congress urging them to reject those proposals as they work on the next surface transportation reauthorization.

Recent research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics supports what the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has been saying for years, that there is not a shortage of truck drivers.“We have often said that the notion of a driver shortage is a myth,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA President. “Our greatest concern about the perpetuation of the myth is that the misinformation is used to push agendas that are harmful to the industry and highway safety.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to members of Congress opposing the DRIVE-Safe Act (H.R. 1374 and S. 569). The bills propose lowering age requirements to get an interstate commercial driver’s license from 21 to 18.OOIDA said in the letter that many of the same entities pushing for a change in the current minimum age requirement would simply use it to take advantage of a new pool of drivers who would be subjected to poor working conditions, predatory lease-to-own schemes and woefully inadequate compensation.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s research foundation published two new documents debunking the myth of a driver shortage.A fact sheet explains how the industry isn’t afflicted with a shortage of drivers, but is actually plagued with overcapacity and driver retention. A second, accompanying document talks about how wages have decreased for truck drivers at large carriers and many have moved toward smaller fleets.

Among the many issues raised today at a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, two caught the attention of small-business truckers. One was connected directly to infrastructure and one was not, but both are closely related to highway safety.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association introduced a video dispelling the myth that there is a shortage of truck drivers in the United States. “We created this video because we are concerned that messaging in mainstream media is missing the mark on the issue of high turnover,” said Norita Taylor, director of public relations at OOIDA. “The real problem is driver churn caused by low pay and poor working conditions.”

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a national association that represents small-business truckers, says that concerns about a driver shortage are largely myth and actually more about high turnover in one sector of the industry.They have signed a letter along with other industry stakeholders in opposition to proposals to lower the age requirement for obtaining an interstate commercial drivers license. OOIDA also points to these statistics to support the fact there are plenty of drivers for any future supply needed.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has signed a letter along with other industry stakeholders in opposition to proposals to lower the age requirement for obtaining an interstate commercial drivers license.The letter was sent to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and was also signed by a long list of diverse groups.