The current surface transportation authorization bill, more commonly referred to as the highway bill, is set to expire on September 30, 2026. Although that deadline is still more than a year away, the legislative groundwork is already underway. In July, the DOT invited the public to weigh in, and on August 29, OOIDA submitted a detailed 14-page response.

In its comments, signed by OOIDA President Todd Spencer, the Association praised recent steps by the DOT but stressed the importance of Congress following through.

“OOIDA applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent actions improving working conditions for professional truckers and enhancing highway safety in a commonsense, cost-effective manner,” Spencer wrote. “Truckers now need lawmakers to embrace the new approach taken by the White House with as much energy and resolve. We believe this can be done in a bipartisan manner that promotes highway safety, improves driver recruitment and retention, and increases supply chain efficiency. Congress can make the next highway bill the most pro-trucker in history, but only if lawmakers commit to prioritizing their needs.”

What Truckers Want in the Highway Bill

Solving the Truck Parking Shortage

The shortage of safe truck parking has been a pressing issue for decades. OOIDA made clear that it will not support any highway bill that ignores this crisis. The Association is pushing for the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which allocates $755 million to create new parking spaces nationwide.

“If the next surface transportation reauthorization fails to provide dedicated funding for truck parking, but authorizes even a single penny of funding for new initiatives, OOIDA will use every tool it has to ensure the legislation is defeated,” the Association wrote.

Restroom Access for Drivers

OOIDA also wants lawmakers to include the Trucker Bathroom Access Act, ensuring drivers can use restrooms at shipper and receiver facilities.

“Having access to a restroom is one of the most basic needs for truckers,” the Association explained. “Most Americans take this need for granted and never worry about being denied restroom access where they work. Truckers, who make their living on the road, often depend on restrooms at facilities where they pick up or deliver freight. Unbelievably, professional drivers are frequently denied restroom access at these locations. While this problem affects all truckers, it is particularly burdensome for female drivers.”

Additional Measures Supported by OOIDA

Beyond parking and restrooms, OOIDA is backing several other policies, including:

• The DRIVE Act to block FMCSA from requiring speed limiters
• Stronger broker transparency rules
• The Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act to fight freight fraud
• Enforcing existing English-proficiency requirements
• Suspending the non-domiciled CDL program
• Raising entry-level driver training standards
• More flexibility in hours-of-service rules
• Ending self-certification for ELD providers
• DataQ reform for fairer enforcement records
• Improvements to the National Consumer Complaint Database
• Cracking down on predatory lease-purchase programs
• Repealing the Unified Carrier Registration system

What Truckers Oppose

OOIDA also detailed several measures that would harm small-business truckers if included in the bill. Chief among them are proposals to increase truck size and weight limits beyond the current 80,000 pounds.

“OOIDA opposes controversial proposals to increase the size and weight of CMVs, which would reduce safety and adversely impact small trucking businesses,” the Association wrote. “In fact, allowing bigger and heavier trucks on our roads would only benefit shippers and a handful of large corporate motor carriers.”

Other policies OOIDA opposes include:

• Lowering the interstate driving age
• Raising minimum liability insurance requirements
• Requiring electronic identifiers or tracking devices on trucks
• Mandating side underride guards
• Truck-only VMT (vehicle miles traveled) fees
• Mandatory hair testing
• Worker classification rules tied to speed limiter mandates
• The AMERICA DRIVES Act

How to Weigh In

The Department of Transportation is still accepting comments through Monday, September 8. Anyone interested can submit feedback through Regulations.gov by entering the Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468. As of September 2, nearly 2,500 comments had already been filed.

Source: Land Line Media

Image Source: Jared Murray (Unsplash)

The post OOIDA Pushes for Trucker Priorities in Next Highway Bill appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

The current surface transportation authorization, often referred to as the highway bill, is set to expire on September 30, 2026. This legislation plays a major role in determining how transportation funding is distributed and what policies will shape the trucking industry.

Since highway bills typically cover five years, the decisions made now will have lasting effects on drivers, fleets, and the nation’s infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has invited the public to share what they believe should be prioritized.

As of Wednesday, August 13, more than 300 comments had been posted to Regulations.gov, with many coming from truck drivers. The top requests include better road conditions, expanded truck parking, more flexibility in hours-of-service rules, and improved access to restrooms.

Jeremy Overfield, a professional driver, expressed frustration over the condition of U.S. highways and bridges despite the significant contributions truckers make to the Highway Trust Fund.

“As one of the millions of truck drivers out here, I depend on my health and the longevity of my equipment to keep goods moving and to support my family,” he wrote. “… As much tax money that we shell out, there’s absolutely no reason for our infrastructure to be in the shape (it is) in.”

Overfield also pointed to the ongoing shortage of truck parking, calling it “a huge issue and seriously needs to be addressed.”

Another driver, Alan Obando, urged the DOT to reconsider the current electronic logging device (ELD) mandate and voiced concerns over rigid hours-of-service regulations, noting that drivers, often paid by the mile, are left focusing on maximizing miles instead of prioritizing safety.

“Since the clock is always ticking down, instead of having flexibility, drivers are more focused on maximizing their mileage covered for the day, not the safety and comfort of the motoring public,” Obando wrote.

John Koglman, a board member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), echoed calls for more parking and restroom access.

OOIDA has long pushed for both the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act and the Trucker Bathroom Access Act to be part of the upcoming highway bill. The first would allocate $755 million to expand truck parking nationwide, while the second would ensure shippers and receivers cannot deny drivers access to restrooms already on site.

During a House hearing earlier this year, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh outlined several priorities for drivers: more parking, restroom access, stronger driver training programs, broker transparency, and greater hours-of-service flexibility. He also said truckers oppose increases in truck size and weight limits, higher minimum liability insurance requirements, lowering the interstate CDL age, and other burdensome mandates.

How to Submit a Comment

The DOT is accepting public input on highway bill priorities until August 20. To participate, visit Regulations.gov and search for Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468.

Image Source: Freightwave
Source: Land Line Media

The post Truckers Share Their Priorities for the Next Highway Bill appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

Last week, Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., joined as a co-sponsor of the Trucker Bathroom Access Act (HR3869), originally introduced by Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas. This bill mandates that shipper and receiver facilities with accessible restrooms for customers and employees extend the same access to truck drivers during deliveries or pickups, without necessitating new restroom construction.

Pappas’ endorsement brings the total co-sponsors to six, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Despite shared agreement on the issue, securing co-sponsors has been a gradual process. Nehls initially introduced the bill in the previous Congressional session and reintroduced it last June.

Instances of truck drivers being denied restroom access surged at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, with many facilities maintaining restrictions since then. Nehls has labeled the act a “no-brainer” due to its zero cost to businesses. However, he noted during a House hearing last year that certain lobbyists had attempted to thwart the bill’s progress.

“I just want to put on the record to all the lobbyists and trade associations that are trying to sink this bill, ‘I really don’t care what you think on this issue,’” Nehls said. “Just imagine if Congress banned lobbyists from using restrooms as you wait outside these committee rooms or offices. Imagine if you were told – all you lobbyists – ‘Go outside and find a tree.  Go find a fire hydrant. Go outside and relieve yourself, because we’re not going to let you do it in here.’ How long do you think that would last? What do we want to do, treat our truckers like cats and dogs?”

Several trucking organizations, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Women in Trucking Association, and the American Trucking Associations, endorse the Trucker Bathroom Access Act.

“If a business provides restroom access to customers or employees, they should provide the same access to truck drivers who are loading or unloading cargo at the business,” OOIDA wrote.

Truckers are urged to visit OOIDA’s Fighting For Truckers website to rally support from their lawmakers.

Source: Land Line

The post Sponsors, Support Given to Trucker Bathroom Access Act appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.