Category: Trucking Regulations

The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is Now in Play: What to Know

Bob Holtzman

Beginning Monday, January 6, the federal government has begun overseeing how fleets perform background checks on prospective employees and owner-operators within the trucking industry. Under the banner of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a database of drivers who have failed or refused a drug test at some point in their job search in the industry … Continue reading “The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is Now in Play: What to Know”

New Jersey Joins California in Targeting Owner-Operators

Bob Holtzman

In recent months, news out of California has focused on new legislation around worker classification and how it’s poised to affect independent contractors, including owner-operators in the trucking industry — an industry that fuels the state’s economy. Truck drivers and trucking companies are scrambling to propose an alternative solution to the new AB 5 bill, … Continue reading “New Jersey Joins California in Targeting Owner-Operators”

California Trucking Association (CTA) Files Legal Complaint Against AB 5

Bob Holtzman

In California, the state’s governor Gavin Newsom spearheaded a complete upheaval of the labor market. Through a slew of new bills passed this fall, California is redefining what it means to be a contract worker and a full-time employee, while simultaneously changing everything from how people get benefits and find the right kind of insurance. … Continue reading “California Trucking Association (CTA) Files Legal Complaint Against AB 5”

California Truckers Protested AB 5 Last Month

Bob Holtzman

Earlier this year, the state of California set into motion a new piece of legislation aimed at redefining independent contractors, a rising professional landscape in a state where freight, trucking, and the gig economy are growing. Known as the “gig worker bill,” this puts truck drivers in a bad spot because under a new worker … Continue reading “California Truckers Protested AB 5 Last Month”

Federal Independent Contractor Model Up for Further Debate in Congress

Bob Holtzman

With the air of the recently passed AB5 hanging over California like a smog, and with executives from ride-sharing tech giants Uber and Lyft failing to appear at a Congressional hearing over lax safety oversight, lawmakers are turning their focus to independent contractor classification in the country. Debates in Congress have been spurred on by … Continue reading “Federal Independent Contractor Model Up for Further Debate in Congress”

California Courts Declare Dynamex Ruling Applies Retroactively

Bob Holtzman

In California, the state’s Court of Appeal came to the conclusion that the state’s Supreme Court Dynamex decision was to be applied retroactively. The original case from earlier in the year spun off into legislation known as the AB5 bill, which limits the use of classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees by companies … Continue reading “California Courts Declare Dynamex Ruling Applies Retroactively”

Recent Bills Create Trouble for California Truckers

Bob Holtzman

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been busy this year with deploying new state government bills surrounding truckers and other contract workers in the state. This fall, Newsom signed three bills into law that add more to the state’s hold on the trucking industry, adding more regulatory costs and compliance burdens on companies of all sizes, … Continue reading “Recent Bills Create Trouble for California Truckers”

AB-5 Signed Into Law: What That Means for Truck Drivers

Bob Holtzman

This past September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law new legislation focused on making things a little more difficult for independent owner-operators, such as truck drivers and gig economy workers, possibly even putting them out of business. The AB-5 legislation originally passed the California State Assembly back in May and was passed by the … Continue reading “AB-5 Signed Into Law: What That Means for Truck Drivers”

FMCSA Proposes New Rule to Increase Service Hours Flexibility for Drivers

Bob Holtzman

In August, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a long-awaited proposal for changes to hours of service rules that would help add more flexibility for truck drivers on the road. These hours of service rules, first adopted in 1937, specify the permitted operating hours of commercial truck drivers and have gone through multiple … Continue reading “FMCSA Proposes New Rule to Increase Service Hours Flexibility for Drivers”

Compliance Requirements for California Vehicles

Bob Holtzman

In recent years, California has seen a number of regulations change or be created in order to cut down on emissions, greenhouse gases, and traffic while boosting alternative fuels, for example. One industry affected by new rules and regulations is the freight industry, or trucking, which plays a huge role in the state’s economy. Last … Continue reading “Compliance Requirements for California Vehicles”