Don’t blame truckers for rising costs at store shelves: OOIDA

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GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. — The rising costs of food and other goods caused by diesel fuel price hikes should not be laid at the feet of independent truckers, says US-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

OOIDA wants to emphasize to consumers that often shippers pay higher amounts for shipping when fuel prices are high, but that money doesn’t always trickle down to the person actually paying for the fuel.

“It’s a stoppage in the flow of transactions creating a heart attack in the system,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice-president of OOIDA. “It’s an exploitation of shippers, truckers and, ultimately, consumers.”

OOIDA would like Congress to enact legislation mandating 100% pass through of fuel surcharges and full transparency in those transactions.

“Lawmakers need to know what’s going on in trucking, how devastating this record hike in fuel prices is for 90% of the nation’s fleet,” added Spencer.

The association says that recently a number of members have expressed their frustration with rising fuel costs and some have even suggested shutdowns. However, OOIDA has said it is not calling upon its members to participate in shutdowns or strikes because of its role as a trade association, not a union.

“We do not tell our members what to do, instead, they inform us of what they are doing and we support their decisions,” said Spencer.

The association says it does not know how many of its members will participate.

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