The trucking industry is hugged by many outside factors. Be it weather, world economics or politics, the trucking world is always affected by something every single day. Recently, a surge of different laws & regulations made their way into the trucking industry. Some are bringing positive changes while others are met by protests and lawsuits. Let’s discover recent laws and regulations that are currently affecting the trucking industry at different locations. Table of contents:
AD Campaigns Proposed To Lure New Workers California’s Labor Law That Threatens Owners-Operators New Truck Restriction Program For Winter An Expensive New Toll Plan That Will Affect the Trucking Industry
AD Campaigns Proposed To Lure New Workers
As a shortage of drivers in the US continues to be a challenge, laws and regulations makers have decided to take upon themselves to try to increase the workforce in the transportation area overall.
The new proposed bill offers to launch an attempt to attract and hire new workers and improve diversity in the transportation workforce through a series of broadcast, digital and print media announcement campaigns.
Lawmakers also mentioned that both the trucking industry and the transportation sector needs to have more workers to stay competitive. Therefore this new extensive campaign could be the good news for the struggling trucking industry that is in need of new drivers badly.
California’s Labor Law That Threatens Owners-Operators
While the previous regulations might impact the industry in a more positive way, this one received a lot of controversy in the trucking industry.
It was already opposed by the California Trucking Association by filling out the federal lawsuit in efforts to stop the impending law which could threaten the thousands of truck drivers and their livelihoods.
It is believed that if the AB 5 law goes into full effect it will touch approximately 70,000 truckers and their ability to earn a living as companies that employ independent contractors will have to reclassify them as employees which will deliver an entitlement of a minimum wage and workers compensation.
New Truck Restriction Program For Winter
Winter is upon us, and some states and cities already have seen some harsh winter weather. But with it comes some new interesting proposals and tests on the road.
According to WNEP, the brand new PennDOT program will act only when the weather gets bad enough that the speed limit will be required to be lowered to 45 m.p.h and will restrict semi-trucks to the right lane.
Authorities are hoping that this new restriction will help to prevent traffic backups that occur during more extreme winter events as well as keep commerce going and provide more safety to the public.
An Expensive New Toll Plan That Will Affect the Trucking Industry
Another controversial topic in the trucking industry comes back from 2018 when the plan was initially withdrawn due to harsh criticism.
But the plan is back and is set to generate $21 billion for infrastructure improvements while using federal funding, borrowing, and tolling both passenger vehicles and commercial ones.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont presented a new transportation funding plan called CT2030 recently and according to him, around 40% of the fees would be paid by out-of-state drivers and the heavy trucks would pay the biggest rates as they tend to wear and tear the roads the most.
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