Want to Improve Highway Safety? Listen to the Real Highway Safety Experts!

OOIDA Executive VP Lewie Pugh takes message to FMCSA Safety Summit

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association will have representation at the FMCSA Trucking Safety Summit. OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh will be a panelist during the first session of the day.

The purpose of the summit is to gather feedback from trucking industry representatives on improving highway safety. The virtual meeting will include stakeholders from motor carriers, drivers, safety technology developers and users, federal and state partners and safety advocacy groups.

Those interested in viewing any of the eight sessions, which take place 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT on August 5, can go to this link for information on registering. Each session requires a separate registration.

“You can’t really have a truck safety summit without OOIDA at the table,” said Pugh. “We represent 160,000 drivers. Their point of view is obviously important when it comes to highway safety and we’ll continue to make sure their voices are heard.  If policymakers in DC were as good at listening as they are at talking, the trucking industry and highway safety would be in a much better place.” 

OOIDA has long advocated that regulations be based upon sound science and credible data, and that they result in measureable, positive impacts. The Association also has concerns that small-business truckers, which make up most of the industry, receive less consideration compared to the agendas of bigger players when policies are formulated.

“If you are not crashing, you are not the problem,” says Pugh. “A certain regulation might sound like it makes sense when talked about, but when you have to live it, you find it makes no sense at all.”

OOIDA recommends more focus on common sense reforms like removing bad actors, compensating drivers for all time worked and a system that rewards professionalism.

“More resources should be put toward encouraging the best people to pursue trucking as a lifelong goal and career,” said Pugh. “That would have a better chance of improving safety and reducing driver churn than repeating the decades-old myth about a driver shortage.”
 
Viewers from the public have an opportunity to speak or provide written comments. This link has a submission form for the comment forum during the live sessions. Longer written comments with data or analysis on safety can be submitted here.

Category: Driver Stuff, Featured, General Update, Management, News, Safety