President’s Message

A few weeks ago, the 2022 Legislative session adjourned and despite another valiant effort to get our lawsuit abuse legislation passed, we came up empty handed. This kind of loss two years in a row weighs heavy for me personally because I know the gravity of this issue for IMTA members.

I hear the frustration in the voices of company owners as they talk about the staggering increases in their insurance costs while getting less coverage. I have seen the worry in the eyes of a member as he walked me through the negotiations and the expense of defending himself for an accident where his driver wasn’t even at fault. And sadly, I am regularly hearing from members who are seriously considering throwing in the towel and getting out of the industry completely because of the litigious environment. Trucking company owners are fearful they are merely one accident away from turning over the keys to the company because of the growing number of unfounded lawsuits that are targeted at trucking companies.

These examples were becoming far too common in my conversations with members and that was the motivating factor for IMTA to take on a fight that we knew would be extremely difficult and challenging. Sparring with the trial bar is not for the weak at heart, they are well organized, well-spoken, and highly motivated because we are hitting them where it hurts – their payouts.

But given the magnitude of this issue and the increasing number of cases against trucking (yes there are nuclear settlements happening in Iowa regularly) we didn’t have a choice, something needs to change, so we took our fight to the Capitol.

For the last two sessions, our lawsuit abuse legislation has been our top priority. Our goal is simple, we must restore fairness. When a commercial vehicle acts wrongfully and causes a crash, injury or sadly a fatality, by all means we should be held accountable. There isn’t a trucking company in this state that does not accept that responsibility.

But the onset of creative and frankly, unfair litigation tactics are now common practice in Iowa and across the nation. These unfounded lawsuits are wreaking havoc on the industry. The tort system is destabilized, and commercial vehicle accidents have become a profit center for the plaintiff attorneys. Through our legislative initiatives we are merely trying to level the playing field and bring common sense back into trucking litigation. And our fight will continue.

Throughout the upcoming weeks and months, we will be active and relentless in identifying the candidates that have the courage to stand up and support this legislation. We will only support the folks that support us. And with the upcoming primaries and general elections this fall, we are very optimistic that there will be some new legislators at the Capitol, many of which will be able to support our legislation.

Additionally, we will soon be launching a website and statewide campaign entitled “Keep Iowa Trucking”. Through this grassroots effort we will be securing support beyond the IMTA membership. With almost 125,000 commercial vehicles in this state, our voice must become louder, stronger, and more far-reaching. We must get the agricultural segment involved and engaged. Educating and informing a wider audience on the importance of this legislative effort is our top priority. While IMTA is taking lead on this issue, it is not our issue alone.

Once we get this website completed, we will be asking every IMTA member to allow us to display their logo in support of this effort. Additionally, we will be asking our members to help us recruit every farmer, cooperative elevator, delivery service and anyone else that has commercial vehicle to join this important campaign. The IMTA membership represents approximately 40,000 of the commercial vehicles in the State of Iowa, so there is a large number of folks that will be reaping the benefits of this legislation well beyond the membership of IMTA and it is high time that they join in this fight.

Despite my disappointment and frustration with the outcome of this past legislative session, it only fuels the fire to be even more relentless in this fight to do what is right for Iowa’s trucking industry. BRENDA NEVILLE IMTA President & CEO