The Teamsters Union on Thursday urged Congress to pass the "TRUCC Act," which would lower fuel costs for non-union truck drivers.
The "Truthful Reliable Understanding of Consumer Costs Act" would guarantee that truckers who pay for fuel will be reimbursed the full amount of any surcharge levied by shippers.
The bill was sponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.
"Non-union owner-operator truck drivers are going broke because of fuel prices," Hoffa said. "Since they're the ones paying for diesel, they're the ones who should be reimbursed for the entire amount of any fuel surcharge."
For most non-union truckers who haul containers from US ports or over the road, their broker or trucking company refuses to pay for fuel, maintenance and operating expenses.
To defray the rising cost of fuel, many trucking customers pay a fuel surcharge. Many non-union trucking companies pocket some or all of the surcharges instead of passing them along to their drivers.
"This bill won't affect our members because their employers pay for fuel directly," Hoffa said. "Still, we stand in solidarity with truck drivers struggling to make ends meet because they have to bear the entire financial burden of owning and operating their vehicles.
"The TRUCC Act will provide some short-term relief for non-union truck drivers," he said.
