As truckers and supply chain distribution have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, things began to change for the better in 2021 with more fleets beginning to re-launch their operations. More truckers were coming back to work and long-haul drivers were more refreshed and ready for lengthy hours on the road.
Every state in the US has begun to pick up again without many negatively impacting obstructions. However, in late June 2022, a US Supreme Court decision that could force California’s 70,000 truck owner-operators to stop driving is set to generate another massive disruption in fleet operations (California-based) – potentially taking many drivers out of a job (temporarily). This law was showcasing the difference between an employee who is entitled to job benefits and an independent contractor who isn’t.
“Gasoline has been poured on the fire that is our ongoing supply-chain crisis”, the California Trucking Associate (CTA) said in a statement following the Supreme Court’s decision to deny a judicial review of a decision of a lower court (“certiorari”).
In another quote the CTA said: “In addition to the direct impact on California’s 70,000 owner-operators who have seven days to cease long-standing independent businesses, the impact of taking tens of thousands of truck drivers off the road will have devastating repercussions on an already fragile supply chain, increasing costs and worsening runaway inflation”.
We Are Hiring!
$7,000 Sign On Bonus!!!
The CTA asked the Supreme Court for a fast-tracked review of a case challenging California’s Assembly which fell under Bill 5; a law that sets out three tests to determine whether a worker is an employee entitled to job benefits or an independent contractor who isn’t.
The CTA also stated: “We are disappointed the court does not recognize the irrevocable damage eliminating independent truckers will have on interstate commerce and communities across the state”. Thus, interfering with trucker benefits who fall under the independent contractor category.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in April 2021 that truckers would no longer be exempt from the state’s AB 5 worker classification law, forcing many to become employees rather than independent contractors.
California Accelerates Green Transport With $122.9 Million Federal Grant for Zero-Emission Infrastructure
California has secured a substantial $122.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to enhance its zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, significantly bolstering the state’s capacity
Trucking Activity Dips, Reflecting Ongoing Freight Market Volatility
Trucking activity experienced a decline in November following a rise in October, indicating ongoing volatility in the freight sector, according to the American Trucking Associations
Trucking Industry Edges Toward Balance as Supply-Demand Dynamics Shift
The trucking industry is showing signs of stabilizing as the imbalance between freight demand and capacity begins to normalize, according to industry analysts. The COVID-19
