OOIDA tries to quell talk of a widespread truckers’ strike

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (May 18) — As talk continues to grow, especially on the Internet, about a possible truck shutdown on July 5, the country’s largest organization of owner-operators and truck drivers has spoken out against the action.

The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association last week released its official position on the proposed July 5 strike, organized by Idaho truckers Randy and Roy Powell. The brothers put together an organization calling itself Truckers Against Discrimination.

The Powell brothers’ demands are removal of split speed limits in all states, removal of lane restrictions in all states, and equal fines for traffic violations for all vehicles. They are asking drivers to shut down starting July 5 at noon, central time, and are asking supporters to tie a royal blue ribbon to each of their truck’s mirrors.

OOIDA’s board of directors voted unanimously not to support the strike. “We feel that the two individuals who called for the action were extremely irresponsible and could in fact have cause more hard than good,” the group said, noting that governments “do not respond well to threats.

The board said OOIDA was best positioned to address the types of issues outlined by the shutdown organizers without resorting to threats which “create an unfair and unjustified burden on hard working truckers who in reality are by far the safest operators on the road.” The 40,000-member organization has lobbied, effectively in many instances, on the state and federal level for changes on these issues, particularly split speed limits.

“In fact, in several states where uniform speed limits are presently being considered, he have had to overcome an adverse reaction by some legislators who were tempted to vote against uniform speed limits, just to show that they will not succumb to threats.”