Truck Leasing Task Force meeting announced

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has officially announced that the Truck Leasing Task Force (TLTF) will meet on Thursday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST.

TLTF agenda

This TLTF meeting will use the time to address consideration of Task 24-2.

This task covers the impact of truck leasing agreements on the net compensation of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, including:

• Port drayage drivers, and
• The specific agreements available to drayage drivers at ports relating to the Clean Truck Program or similar programs to decrease emissions from port operations.

The meeting will include a visit from FMCSA Chief Counsel Brain Stansbury and a public comment period to allow drivers and CMV lessees two minutes to recount personal experiences with leases. Commenters may also present any supporting information to help the Task Force come to final agreements.

How to attend

The TLTF meeting will be held both remotely and in person. For those attending in person, the meeting will be held at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. Remote attendees may register online at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/tltf by March 14.

Background context

The most recent TLTF meeting, held earlier this year on January 18, covered the following topics (and more):

• Challenges drivers face for regular maintenance,
• Concerns that drivers may not earn enough to afford regular preventive maintenance,
• Concerns that drivers lack predictable income flow to cover repairs,
• The amount of control the carrier has over maintenance costs at the driver’s expense, and
• The way escrow funds are used and specified in lease agreements.

These and many other topics are likely to be continued topics of discussion at the upcoming Task Force meeting this March.