It’s fair to say that truckers aren’t particularly greedy people.
If you question the reason for that statement, just look at some of their longtime demands for regulators and lawmakers.
Truckers would like a safe place to park their truck and sleep at night. They want to be treated fairly by motor carriers, brokers and law enforcement.
These are all extremely reasonable requests. But the most basic ask of truck drivers is access to a restroom while they are waiting at a shipping or receiving facility.
If you think about it, it’s crazy that this is something that truckers need to ask for. What’s even crazier is that it hasn’t been an easy get.
Truckers being denied restroom access has been a long-standing problem, but the issue became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act in 2022.
Amazed to learn that this was even a problem, Nehls was confident that his colleagues would quickly sign on to the commonsense bill that did not require businesses to construct new restrooms. Simply, the bill mandates that businesses that already have restrooms available to employees and customers also grant access to truckers working at the facility.
“I don’t believe I’m going to have a problem getting enough support to get this through the House of Representatives,” Nehls told Land Line in 2022. “Again, this isn’t throwing another unfunded mandate on businesses. There’s really no cost to this thing. It’s actually just a courtesy these businesses are going to provide to the truckers – the men and women who are delivering cargo to that business … I think this is very simple. This should be something that should have a great deal of support in the House of Representatives and then it should slide right through the Senate and get signed.”
But the task was more difficult than he imagined.
Nehls continued to introduce the standalone bill for each congressional session, but it never gained any real traction. During a House hearing in 2023, Nehls called out lobbyists who were trying to kill the bill.
“I just want to put on the record to all the lobbyists and trade associations that are trying to sink this bill, ‘I really don’t care what you think on this issue,’” Nehls said. “Just imagine if Congress banned lobbyists from using restrooms as you wait outside these committee rooms or offices. Imagine if you were told – all you lobbyists – ‘Go outside and find a tree. Hell, go find a fire hydrant. Go outside and relieve yourself, because we’re not going to let you do it in here.’ How long do you think that would last? What do we want to do, treat our truckers like cats and dogs?”
Nehls’ passion is understandable. How can lawmakers call truckers heroes for their service during the pandemic but then look the other way when they’re denied such a simple request?
The good news is that nearly four years after Nehls first introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act, there is reason for real optimism.
Last month, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a highway bill that includes several provisions that would finally provide truckers with many of these basic needs.
The BUILD America 250 Act, or HR8870, includes $750 million of funding for truck parking, a prohibition of predatory lease-purchase agreements, a fairer and more transparent DataQ system and much more. There are so many wins for truck drivers that OOIDA has called it the “most pro-trucker highway bill in recent memory.”
And, of course, restroom access is among the provisions. Nehls’ Trucker Bathroom Access Act is essentially rolled into the highway bill, which awaits a vote from the full House of Representatives.
Having the provision included in the highway bill is a great start, but there’s still more work to be done.
OOIDA is asking truck drivers to go to its Fighting For Truckers website and send a message to their lawmakers in support of the BUILD America 250 Act and restroom access for truckers. LL
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