Why the Nation's Largest Independent Trucking Group Is Incensed Over This GOP Bill

Matt Vespa | August 10, 2023 12:50 PM

There are times when Republican Senators manage to anger their side. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have done it multiple times. Why do you think giving him the gavel last January took numerous rounds? No one bats a thousand, but it’s also best not to anger what’s becoming a significant part of the Republican base: working-class voters.

Specifically, we’re talking about independent truckers who are incensed over a bill proposed by Republicans in the Senate that aims to undercut them via regulation. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) are pushing the Motor Carrier Safety Selection Standard Act.

Its goal: to “establish a Safety Fitness Determination test for shippers and brokers to ensure trucking companies are licensed, registered and insured.”

Mike Boston, president of the National Owner Operators Association, is pushing his allies to lobby against the legislation.

“We’ve had major accidents involving truckers in Texas and South Carolina. Their senators have been silent…We welcome their attention and their overall care, but we won’t hold our breath,” Boston said in a statement. He is, however, pushing for Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act:

“Most truckers have to sacrifice time, safety or money to compete with large freight groups. We have independent owner-operators at risk of losing their livelihoods because of government overregulation,” said Boston. The Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to remove the overtime wages exemption for certain employees.
“Having GOTA would not only be a revitalization effort to our industry, it would be a step forward in having lawmakers take our vital supply chain issues more seriously,” said Boston.

We've seen what happens when the nation's supply chain breaks down and overloads. And with the collapse of Surge Transportation and Yellow, two of the largest freight companies in the country, Mr. Boston hopes that more significant reforms can be made to cut more red tape and grow independent shipping.