CHILLICOTHE — U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor sat down with Ohio trucking industry leaders Tuesday at the Kenworth truck plant in Chillicothe for a roundtable on the state of the industry, a visit his office says underscores trucking’s role in Ohio’s economy.
Taylor, who represents Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District, serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and founded the bipartisan Congressional Trucking Caucus. At the roundtable, he met with members of the Ohio Trucking Association and local company leaders to talk through the pressures carriers are facing — from workforce challenges to the cost of keeping fleets on the road.
“America’s trucking industry moves 11 billion tons of goods more than 300 billion miles each year, and serves as the backbone of our economy,” Taylor said in a statement after the event.
Taylor said his priorities include supporting Ohio truck drivers, upholding strong safety standards for commercial driver’s licenses, and making sure trucks and family vehicles can share the road safely. The visit was announced through an official House press release and covered by the Scioto Post on Wednesday.
The roundtable took place at a Kenworth facility that is itself a story of growth: the PACCAR-owned plant in Chillicothe is expanding to accommodate production of up to 200 trucks per day. For a region where manufacturing and logistics are major employers, the expansion is welcome news.
Taylor’s office framed the discussion as the start of an ongoing conversation with the industry, not a one-off visit. With freight demand and driver recruitment both pressing issues nationally, the congressman said he wants Ohio’s voice at the table as transportation policy takes shape in Washington.
