IST Statement on Truck Driver Appreciation Week

As we continue to endure the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, with many of us confined to our home, truck drivers have continued to deliver freight, packages, and supplies to every corner of the country. The Institute for Safer Trucking appreciates the hard-working folks who ensure freight flows freely through this great nation and hopes the public will join us in acknowledging all the safe truck drivers on our roads this Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

As part of supporting truck drivers, IST supports these improvements for truck drivers:

Reform away from a pay-per-mile system. Moving to a salaried or per-hour pay system can help ensure that truck drivers are paid for all work that they do, not just driving. This can also help combat against unpaid detention time.

Repeal the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime exemption, which was enacted in the late 1930’s. This precludes hard-working truck drivers from earning overtime compensation.

These actions will improve truck driver pay and treatment. This, in turn, will improve safety for truck drivers and for all of us who share the roads with them.