Truckers Lane: U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Plea from Trucking Companies

By Robin Peterson

Questions Surround California’s AB5 Law

I was tasked with looking for evidence of supply chain disruptions through the eyes of a trucker, so I ran across this situation with potential to be a huge disrupter.

Corey asked me to introduce myself, so I will say that I’ve been driving tractor-trailers over the road since 1996. I am constantly listening to interviews, commentary, audiobooks and podcasts, learning as I drive. I’m running all across the USA, gathering information to share, and the buzz in trucking right now is with California Assembly Bill 5; also referred to as AB5.

Brief History

The 2019 law reclassified many self-employed workers as employees, targeting companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Door Dash. It went after FedEx and other trucking companies who have been able to make contractor arrangements that keep drivers off their payrolls. The truckers that haul containers out of the ports have been a target of the unions for a long time. The AB5 law forces more drivers to be classified as employees, subject to California’s labor laws.

So, to make a long story short, Uber, Lyft and Door Dash funded a 2020 ballot question, Proposition 22, which won them exemption from AB5. This is now tied up in court, so we will put this group aside for our discussion about the truckers. Also, another bill was passed in 2020,Read More