A new members-only service of the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Assn. aims to rate trucking companies based on owner operators' experiences with those carriers.

OOIDA's new Motor Carrier Rating System asks members leased to a motor carrier to complete a survey about the company, whether the experience has been good, bad or indifferent. Questions on the survey cover topics such as compensation, deadhead miles, settlement sheets, forced dispatch, insurance, lumping fees, and whether owner-operators would do business with this company in the future.
"The idea behind it is to one, create a situation where information can be obtained and retained and made available in regard to motor carriers, their operating practices, customs and procedures, as an information tool for members," says OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. "Two, it's to provide some guidelines as to which carriers really are the better carriers in our industry. 100% turnover of drivers is common, and the reason it's common is because in many instances the offering, the product that's being sold to the trucker, isn't what's being delivered. Our rating system will be a way for truckers to rate good things and bad things about companies they work for, and we believe it will be a valuable tool for truckers on helping them find a good home, a good match."
Spencer notes that since the system has just been launched, it will take a while to accumulate enough input to make the rating system valuable.
In addition to driver input, the rating system will request a self-rating from the motor carrier.
Any owner-operator, not just OOIDA members, can request an MCR survey at 1-800-444-5791, ext. 154. Results, however, will be available only to members. For more information about OOIDA, visit www.ooida.com.