OOIDA opposes size and weight increases

by Truck News

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), along with a coalition of other organizations, has penned a letter to U.S. Congress opposing increases to commercial vehicle sizes and weights.

“Heavier trucks put additional stress on our already deteriorating highways and bridges as well as endanger highway users,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA president. “We think proposals to increase sizes and weights should be rejected, as has been done over and over by both lawmakers and policymakers in the past.”

A total of 14 organizations signed the letter. They argued increasing size and weight limits on federal highways would have negative consequences for local roads, putting more pressure on state and local governments to raise money to repair those routes.

“And, it’s likely trucks would be disproportionately targeted to generate the additional revenue,” added Spencer.


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  • The weights of loads hauled already needs to be looked at.
    This has not helped the independent owner operator. It has become the pay for one get 2 hauled for free motto of the American Steel mills. Owner operators are forced to haul more for less or they won’t haul at all.
    Rates are lower that they were in the 70, 80 and 90’s on some lanes while the cost to operate have sky rocketed. The big trucking companies purchase trucks, trailers , tires and everything else in bulk at discounted rates. They hire anyone the can get additional funding form the government for hiring to offset the cost of the cheap rates they submit to monopolize the market. OOIDA you need to step up your game the owner operators are being put out of business with little help. I have to even touched on the so called safety issues at hand. With the rates as cheap as they are you can’t afford to maintain your equipment at the level you would like to. A large portion of the company drivers have little experience and are hauling commodities they are not qualified to haul .
    I could go on and on .