Yesterday Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) and Congressman Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) joined together along with Congressman Brad Ellsworth (D-Indiana) to introduce a new version of the TRUCC Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

Their legislation (H.R. 5977) is essentially the same bill that was introduced earlier in the Senate (S. 2910) by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

H.R.5977 and S.2910 will require that 100 percent of fuel surcharges levied on shippers be passed through to whoever actually pays for the fuel to haul a shipper's goods, obviously in most cases that's truckers.

Both bills share the same title - "Trust in Reliable Understanding of Consumer Costs Act" or "TRUCC Act" and will ensure that middlemen will no longer be able to skim or pocket fuel surcharges that should be going to truckers. Click here to view the bills.

Please call the offices of both of your Senators and your Congressman to ask them to support the TRUCC Act.  Ask your elected representatives to commit their support for the TRUCC Act by signing on as cosponsors of the bill.

Not that you probably need any more motivation, but yesterday at a House Transportation Committee the president of the organization that represents big brokers testified that brokers ALWAYS pass along fuel surcharges to truckers.  Believe it or not, he also went so far as to say that brokers regularly pay truckers more in fuel surcharges than they collect from shippers.

To contact your 2 Senators and your Representative in the House, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, provide the operator with your home zip code. The operator will connect you with the offices of your elected representatives.

You are also welcome to call OOIDA at (800) 444-5791. Association staff will be happy to help put you in touch with your elected officials in Washington.

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HOUSE - SAMPLE MESSAGE:

"I am from              and I strongly support the TRUCC Act.  As my elected representative, I ask that the Congressman/Congresswoman commit to cosponsoring HR5977. "

SENATE - SAMPLE MESSAGE:

"I am from              and I strongly support the TRUCC Act.  As my elected representative, I ask that the Congressman/Congresswoman commit to cosponsoring S2910. "
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Remember, taking a few minutes out of your day to make a few phone calls to your elected representatives can make a major difference in how those individuals understand and view issues affecting you and your livelihood.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call the Association at 1-800-444-5791.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR TRUCKERS THROUGHOUT AMERICA