New legislation would for the first time require commercial warehouses, retailers and ports to allow truck drivers to use their restroom facilities when picking up or dropping off freight.
The Trucker Bathroom Access Act, introduced Thursday by U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), adds language to federal law to ensure such access while drivers are working.
“American truckers are this nation’s backbone, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the tremendous contributions they made during the pandemic,” said Nehls in a statement, noting that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) lobbied for the bill.
“We’ve heard from countless drivers who have been forced to ‘hold it’ because they were not allowed to access the bathroom when they were picking up or delivering freight,” said OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer in thanking Nehls for sponsoring the legislation. “The men and women of America’s trucking industry keep our supply chain moving, and it’s only reasonable that their most basic needs be accommodated while they are on the job.”
Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT, also thanked Nehls for his effort.
“As more women enter the trucking industry, the need for restroom access increases while access to facilities has decreased,” Voie said.
Houlahan commented that the bipartisan legislation “will give all truckers, and female drivers in particular, the confidence of having access to a restroom when they deliver goods to businesses and American families. Ultimately, keeping more drivers on the road means fewer supply chain delays and lower costs.”
According to the bill’s language, facilities covered under the legislation include “a place of business open to the general public for the sale of goods or services,” and “a shipper, receiver, manufacturer, warehouse, distribution center or any other business entity that is receiving or sending goods by commercial motor vehicle.”
Places not covered include rail facilities, as well as “any structure such as a filling station, service station or restaurant of 800 square feet or less that has a restroom located within such structure that is only intended for use by employees.”
Restroom access requirements at seaports for drayage truckers are outlined in a separate section of the bill. It states that marine terminal operators — and port authorities, if they directly operate the terminal — shall provide:
- Access to existing restrooms while covered drayage truck operators are on port property and when such access does not pose an obvious safety risk to such truck operators and other employees of the terminal operator in the area.
- Additional restrooms, if necessary, at locations where there is the most need.
- A place for covered drayage truck operators to park vehicles while accessing such restrooms.
Nehls’ legislation is based on similar proposals introduced in Washington state and Pennsylvania earlier this year. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in March signed into law a scaled-down version that applies only to drayage truckers and marine terminals that became effective in June. Pennsylvania’s proposal, introduced in March, has not advanced.
David Holshouser
The problem is disgusting drivers who think messing up the driver bathroom is some how going to “show those jerks” because it took so long to load. What these mental defectives seem not to realize is that the janitorial staff not the dock staff have to clean that restroom. I have dealt with shippers that put out portapots because of such upperdeck type garbage when they actually had decent facilities for drivers and the drivers didn’t respect the facilities given so all paid for a few. It is the same reason most parking lots at truck stops smell like un washed bull racks on any given muggy day in the summer. Disgusting disrespectful truck drivers who make me ashamed to call myself a driver.
Gilbert cane
It’s about time we’ve been denied just out of spite and to save on janitorial supplies
Kevin Gent
We have been enduring this issue for decades. I remember routine complaints from my counterparts in the ’90s how drivers using the warehouse bathroom left it disgusting. Then there are warehouses issues where truck drivers are delayed routinely or have a ‘trucker’ bathroom that is not maintained with the same level of quality as what the site employee get. Of course there is the issue with drivers picking up and dropping off trailers from drop yards – will bathrooms be supplied and will be a minimum facility like an overflowing porta-potty?
I do convey to my customers and colleagues: if you want to be a shipper of choice – treat drivers with dignity and appreciate their needs like bathrooms, reasonable load times (2 hours max.), remove all your load’s trash before a trailer leaves the dock, etc.
The golden rule applies to both parties.
Debra
It’s sad that we need legislation for driver’s to be able to use a basic need.
Thank you @Danny well said except for the driver lounges and massage chairs leave that to C.H. Robinson or J.B. Hunt.
Carlos…Really dude?
CarlosP
Only because the the Sexist women’s trucking agenda is this finally getting anywhere. This country is a joke 🤡🤡🤡🤡
Robert Cooper
I get why so many places deny us access. Look at how many slobs we’ve got in this industry. Pee bottles and trash scattered all over truck stops, roadside and other places. Hell, drivers peeing on the fuel island while they’re fueling! You go into a warehouse and the toilet is stopped up because nobody can flush or they use 3 truckloads of toilet paper. It’s embarrassing to those of us who give a damn about our industry image.
Would you want that in your facility to clean up after?
Danny
“American truckers are this nation’s backbone, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the tremendous contributions they made during the pandemic” so we are gonna let them use bathrooms…
No, some of these places like McLanes Syscos and UNFIs of the world who keep drivers on the docks for hours on end and only put them in the cage with Porta Potty access should be required to put in driver lounges, snack machines and massaging chairs…Enough BS
R.Forte
Using the bathroom is a none issue. More areas that allow you to reset your clock or take a break while waiting for next load.That is worthy of consideration.