FIRST ON FOX: Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will be unveiling his trucking policy next week at Iowa 80, famously dubbed the "World's Largest Truckstop."
"Truckers are a crucial link in the American supply chain that power America’s economy. They’re not just haulers of goods — they're the guardians of freedom on our highways. Last year, we watched as the ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada unmasked the perils of government overreach – speech was censored, peaceful protesters were arrested, and big banks froze personal funds," Ramaswamy said in a press release first obtained by Fox News Digital. "Those Canadian truckers taught the world a valuable lesson about the power of civil protest against an out-of-control totalitarian government."
"On Thursday, Dec. 21, join me at Iowa 80, the World’s Largest Truckstop, where I will lay out my detailed plan for how we support our truckers and ensure freedom for all," he said.
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Ramaswamy will be joined by officials from CDL (commercial driver's license) Drivers Unlimited, the group representing roughly 4.7 million CDL drivers in the U.S., according to the campaign.
In an outline of his trucking policy, Ramaswamy says he will direct his Department of Transportation (DOT) and its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to focus on "promoting driver retention" rather than driver recruitment for "economic efficency," citing a 2019 study showing a whopping 91% turnover rate among CDL drivers including changes between carriers.
Ramaswamy vows his administration will "promote driver safety through comprehensive mental health policies, truck parking safety, and common-sense hours of service regulation." He also intends to combat efforts on a state level to "limit the freedom of CDL drivers as independent contractors and use investigatory power to crack down on broker fraud."
Ramaswamy is hoping to defy expectations at the Iowa Caucus next month as he vies for the GOP nomination.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls shows the biotech entrepreneur trailing at 5.3% behind former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 15.7%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 19.7% and former President Trump, who continues to dominate the field with a whopping 50% support among primary voters.
