Every few years, the highway bill shapes how the trucking world operates—from where you park to the rules that govern your time on the road. With the next version in early planning stages, drivers have a rare window to speak up before the policies are set in stone.
The U.S. Department of Transportation opened the door for feedback this week. In a notice published Monday, July 21, in the Federal Register, the DOT called on the public—especially those who keep America moving—to weigh in on what should take priority in the next surface transportation bill.
“The Request for Information is intended to gather feedback, ideas and recommendations to help inform legislative priorities and ensure future infrastructure programs focus on delivering safe and efficient surface transportation, without attaching unnecessary requirements,” the DOT stated in the notice.
“The reauthorization effort will focus on modernizing America’s infrastructure by improving safety, streamlining federal processes, promoting economic growth and strengthening partnerships.”
The current highway bill will expire on September 30, 2026, but lawmakers are already laying the groundwork. That’s why now is the time for truck drivers to share what matters most.
Back in March, Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of OOIDA, addressed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to outline truckers’ top concerns. He’ll take those same priorities to the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation on Tuesday, July 22.
At the March hearing, Pugh emphasized several key issues for drivers across the country:
- More safe and accessible truck parking
- Guaranteed restroom access
- Smarter, more effective driver training
- Broker transparency
- Realistic hours-of-service rules
OOIDA also reiterated its opposition to changes that could make life harder for drivers—such as increases to truck size and weight limits, raising minimum insurance requirements, lowering the CDL age for interstate driving, or adding more one-size-fits-all mandates.
How Drivers Can Share Their Feedback
If you’re a trucker with opinions on any of these topics—or others that impact your job—you can have your say.
Submit your comments by going to Regulations.gov and entering Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468 in the search bar. The public comment window closes on August 20, 2025.
Source: Land Line
