The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is creating a special task force to examine truck lease agreements. The group will look at lease and lease-purchase agreements among motor carriers, leasing companies, owner-operators, and drayage drivers.

The Infrastructure Bill, passed in late 2021, granted FMCSA authority to create the Truck Leasing Task Force. The 10-member TLTF will examine many areas related to truck leasing arrangements, including:

  • Exploring predatory truck leasing arrangements in conjunction with the Department of Labor 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 motor vehicle drivers in reviewing the financial impacts of leasing agreements

FMCSA is seeking task force participants from labor organizations, motor carriers, consumer protection groups, legal professionals, owner-operators, and trucking-related businesses.

“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 FMCSA Acting Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “We ask those who are interested in joining to reach out so we can better support CMV [commercial motor vehicle] drivers together.”

In particular, FMCSA is encouraging participation from “diverse, non-traditional” representatives, including women and people of color. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the White House Office of Management and Budget is promoting diversity in federal regulatory agencies.

FMCSA previously called for participation in the Women of Trucking Advisory Board, which was also created by the Infrastructure Bill.

The TLTF and the WOTAB charters each run through Feb. 11, 2024. At that time, the TLTF will submit a report to Congress, the Department of Transportation, including FMCSA, and to the Department of Labor.