News

In September, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a proposed rule that would create an economic reality test to determine whether a worker was an employee or contractor, an issue that has moved to the forefront with the rising gig economy. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) submitted formal comments to DOL, asking the…

Vision Zero, the idea of eliminating highway fatalities and serious injuries, faces an uphill battle when it comes to heavy trucks operating on America’s streets and highways. A case study conducted by VisionZero.org looked at early adopter cities such as New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco to review what safety improvements have occurred after the…

Truck drivers and brokers have lined up on opposite sides when it comes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) proposed broker transparency rule. FMCSA opened the comment period for the proposed rule after receiving petitions from the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the Small Business Transportation Coalition (SBTC). The issue at…

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) strongly supports a proposal by the U.S. Department of Labor that would clarify the definition of an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act as it relates to independent contractors. “The Department’s proposal aims to bring clarity and consistency to the determination of who’s an independent contractor under the Fair…

Two of the most influential trucking industry lobbying groups in the country, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the American Trucking Associations (ATA) are pushing Congress for a temporary suspension of two truck taxes: the Federal Excise Tax (FET) and the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) to boost the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic….

SAN FRANCISCO – Ike, a two-year-old autonomous trucking firm, signed partnerships with three major trucking firms to deploy self-driving technology, according to the company. Ink has joined with Ryder Systems, DHL, and NFI to deploy autonomous technology. “The customers we are announcing today, Ryder, DHL, and NFI, have spent decades building massive logistics networks that…

At a recent investor conference, leaders from four of the nation’s top trucking firms indicated that strong demand and a tight supply situation are pointing to truckload pricing surging in 2021. Steve Bruffett, chief financial officer at Schneider National, said the company’s current load tenders could fall by 10-15 percent and it would still have…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition led by the Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is pushing Congress to not increase motor carriers’ minimum liability insurance requirements in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. The 62-member coalition sent a July 27 letter to members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation in opposition to increases…

In a trucking industry that has weathered driver shortages and high turnover for years, motor carriers are now exploring hub-to-hub or dock-to-dock routes for drivers who don’t want to wait for unloading at docks and would prefer to sleep in their own beds more often than not. In hub-to-hub routing, a driver would drive shorter…