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Owner-operators are a vital part of logistics in the United States. While the majority of truck drivers do work for a company, there are 350,000 to 400,000 owner-operators in the U.S. and Canada — an integral number. 

There are both advantages and disadvantages in driving for a specific company and being independent. But for owner-operators, who is there to protect them? 

Well, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s purpose is to do just that. It says its goal is to “represent the interests of independent owner-operators and professional drivers on all issues that affect truckers.” One hundred and sixty thousand drivers are part of the group within the U.S. and Canada, all working toward a common goal to create an equal and fair driving industry. And with the tumultuous nature of the industry today and threats of strikes throughout numerous industries, this is a polarizing topic right now. 

Today, OOIDA fights for fair pay and equal insurance benefits and against “bad regulations,” but how did it start? 

OOIDA was created in 1973 and its ambition was not much different than it is today. 

A global issue in the 1970s brought individual drivers together to fight for help for the trucking industry. In October 1973, the United States showed its support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War, which started when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during the Jewish holy day. 

According to Britannica, when Israel began gaining ground in the war into Egypt and Syrian territory, Arab members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries banned the sale of oil to the U.S. and other Western countries. The hope was to force the West to put pressure on Israel to retreat. 

The embargo caused serious issues in the U.S., especially for the trucking industry. Fuel prices skyrocketed and an energy crisis across the world took hold. Once it nearly shut down the country, a group of go-getter truck drivers formed and took a trip to Washington, D.C. 

They presented a list of issues plaguing drivers to lawmakers, with fuel availability and pricing reportedly at the top of the list. The group spent weeks in Washington and left feeling “very frustrated but nonetheless enlightened on what would need to be done.” The group decided it needed to be strongly unified, informed and funded. The newly formed OOIDA elected Jim Johnston as president in 1975. He remained in the role until he died in 2018. 

OOIDA created its first headquarters along Interstate 70 in the parking lot of a truck stop in Missouri. The building was simply a trailer chained to a light post. Today, the association has a much more impressive building in Grain Valley, Missouri but still fights for important issues facing drivers. The group maintains its original spirit with every director and officer being a current or past driver. The board consists of 21 members, and OOIDA also has a fully staffed government affairs office in Washington to lobby on drivers’ behalf. 

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter!

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