The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking for industry representatives to serve on the new Truck Leasing Task Force, created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to evaluate the impacts of commercial motor vehicle lease agreements.
“The Truck Leasing Task Force represents one of the important actions the administration is taking to improve the trucking industry,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “America’s truck drivers need and deserve fair leasing agreements, and this work will help ensure that leasing is above board.”
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Working with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Department of Labor, the task force also is part of the White House’s long-term Trucking Action Plan, which wants the government to discuss best practices for future commercial vehicle lease agreements. The agency wants the group to include up to 10 people representing labor organizations, motor carriers, consumer protection groups, legal professionals, owner-operators, and other relevant businesses.
FMCSA said it encourages “diverse, nontraditional representatives, especially women and people of color, to apply to serve on the task force.” More details on qualifications and how to apply can be found here. The application period is open through May 6.
“The Task Force will be instrumental in expanding our understanding of the financial impacts of truck leasing and will reinforce our commitment to quality of life and safety for professional truck drivers,” said Robin Hutcheson, FMCSA’s acting administrator, who was nominated April 6 to be the agency's permanent chief. “We ask those who are interested in joining to reach out so we can better support CMV drivers together."
According to FMCSA, the Truck Leasing Task Force will cover various areas related to truck leasing arrangements, including:
- Exploring predatory truck leasing arrangements in coordination with the Labor Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- Evaluating common truck lease agreements and their terms, identifying and reviewing those that are potentially inequitable in the motor carrier industry.
- Reviewing agreements available to drayage drivers at ports.
- Studying the impact of truck leasing agreements on the net compensation of commercial motor vehicle drivers.
- Examining truck leasing arrangements and financing arrangements among motor carriers, entry-level drivers, driver training providers, and others involved in the industry.
- Assessing resources that assist commercial drivers in reviewing the financial impacts of leasing agreements.
After reviewing these issues, the task force will submit a report to FMCSA and the Labor Department. Its charter runs through February 11, 2024.
