As usual, James Jallet has a great piece over at Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) where he writes about creating a provision in the work-in-progress FAA bill that would prevent states from creating their own laws regarding driver pay and if/how drivers take breaks. This would have the effect of normalizing truckers’ pay and break provisions.
We talked in another post about how California can over-regulate. The problem isn’t with drivers’ pay or with their need and/or ability to take breaks, the issue is that in our industry crossing state lines isn’t the exception, it’s the rule. How do drivers and trucking companies know that when they cross into California, or Iowa, or whichever state that their drivers will all-of-a-sudden be subject to a whole new set of worker pay and rest laws?
I am a big proponent that in government less is more. I think the government was created to protect the populous and do a few other things. But despite that, I like this bill. In this industry, we need one standard, not 50.
Thanks for reading.