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Testimony for House Bill 566 — State Representative Jack Daniels, District 32 (November 13th, 2024)

Summary

Testimony on House Bill 566 by State Representative Jack Daniels to the House Commerce and Labor Committee, dated November 13th, 2024. Daniels says the bill makes three changes to Ohio’s point system for commercial driver’s licenses, including reducing from two years to one year how long points remain on a CDL holder’s license and allowing a remedial driving course once per year. The testimony says current law lets drivers take these classes every three years and that a completed course results in a two-point reduction. It cites an American Trucking Association estimate of a shortage of around 60,000 drivers.

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“Testimony for House Bill 566 — State Representative Jack Daniels, District 32 (November 13th, 2024).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-11-19-commerce-labor-testimony-testimony-14262-61cf440ff0/, SHA-256 712386d69511139b2fa3a950a659380a5481ebec45c9dbfd146337ea4a1f3273.

Full text

                               Testimony for House Bill 566

                     State Representative Jack Daniels, District 32

                        House Commerce and Labor Committee



                                    November 13th, 2024

       Chairman Johnson, Vice Chair Manchester, Ranking Member McNally, and members of

the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify with my joint-sponsor, Representative

Mohamed, on House Bill 566.

       House Bill 566 makes three common-sense changes to Ohio’s point system for

commercial driver’s licenses. It reduces the duration that points remain on a CDL holder’s

license from two years to one year. Similarly, the bill reduces the timeframe in which a CDL

holder can accumulate 12 or more points to trigger a suspension from two years to one year. The

bill also allows CDL holders to complete a remedial driving course once per year. Completion of

this course results in a two-point reduction of the drivers record. Under current law, drivers are

only able to take these classes every three years. This bill addresses the many of the unique

challenges faced by trucking companies and commercial drivers.

       The country has been facing a shortage of commercial drivers for quite some time now.

The American Trucking Association currently estimates a shortage of around 60,000 drivers.
Regions such as the Midwest and Northeast have reported particularly high demand for truck

drivers compared to available supply. This is a pressing issue for the industry; according to a

survey conducted by the ATA, 80% of carriers consider the shortage of qualified drivers as their

top concerns. The shortage directly impacts their ability to meet shipping demands. We must do

everything in our power as a legislature to support and strengthen our industries, including

addressing these major labor shortages.

       Commercial drivers tend to be ticketed at higher rates than civilians. This makes sense as

they spend far more time on the road, compared to the average citizen. The average citizen drives

10,000 miles per year while the average commercial driver drives 125,000 miles per year; that’s

a 115,000 mile difference. This enormous difference exposes them to more traffic incidents. The

FMCSA, the organization responsible for tracking violations and enforcement actions against

commercial drivers, indicates frequent enforcement of minor violations such as 1-5 mile over

speeding, improper lane changes, or time-of-service violations. The impact of these tickets is far

greater for commercial vehicles, as points add up much quicker for a CDL than a standard

license. Drivers are not able to work despite only having minor infractions, contributing to the

labor shortage. House Bill 566 is a step in solving this issue.

       Chairman Johnson and all members of the committee, please join me in supporting our

commercial drivers. House Bill 566 represents a positive step forward for Ohio’s trucking

industry. This bill is not just making simple regulatory adjustments, rather, it is about supporting

the backbone of our economy- the hardworking men and women who drive our trucks day and

night. Thank you for your consideration of House Bill 566. I am happy to answer any questions

the committee may have.

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