OOIDA Helpful or Not?

A wide variety of opinions is available in the OODIA thread above with Unions.

 

Unfortunately allot of people on this board have some how got into their heads they are owed free legal council, and advice for the $40 a year membership dues they have paid. That is NOT what they are about.

What they are about is helping truckers as a whole, and the trucking industry as a whole. A recent example of what OOIDA does would be the Illinois split speed has been removed. IL now has one speed limit for truck and cars. OOIDA was instrumental in getting that removed.

 

You're close . OOIDA won't help individuals with legal advice but let there be cause for a class action suit and they'll job on it . As far as the Illinois speed limit goes that was due to the state getting a sensible governor . If the same governor was in power OOIDA would have been as ineffective as ever on that issue .

 

I think the split speed limit had more to do with the Feds threatening to withdraw highway funding than any of the above mentioned reasons!

 

In MHO...OOIDA hasn't been much use to the "drivers" for a long, long time...for years they have been in the pocket of the ATA and other trucking groups....i.e. the owners of the companies...not much goes to the benefit of the drivers over the "needs" of the companies.

 

OOIDA doesn't have "company driver vs company" in its name...

 

I'm weird, I guess. Had them read over a lease, and they advised me. They've also answered a few other questions I've had - over the years. I never thought of them as my own personal attorney. They have, I believe, tried to keep a few of the company lease programs somewhat legal. That's my take on them.......Results may vary.............

 

True...but they advertise for "all drivers" to become members and pay dues!

In any case...most all companies have the O/O or Lease Operator program, yet none of them truely qaulify as an "Independant Contractor" since when leased onto said company, you can't pull anyone elses freight, rather you don't have autonomy to select your own freight, unless you are running under your own authority.

Check the IRS definition of "Independant Contractor"....gonna be some hurting companies when the IRS goes after unpaid deductions from these companies from income claimed to be "contracted independantly" by the driver leased onto the company.

 

Sorry but OOIDA does have a pre paid legal just like those $30 an month places you see in the truck stops or who come into your company on safety day. The only difference is by the time you might need them you haven't paid all of those $30-50 a monte charges! I got a discount off of my last lawyer fees and it was WAY less than payinf those pre paid legal fees!