Port of Oakland AB5 protests expected to continue for weeks

Owner OperatorsBehind the Wheel
Written By Jennifer Joslyn

🪧 The owner-operator protests at the Port of Oakland are expected to continue for weeks.

Picket lines have lined the employee parking lots of the Oakland International Container Terminal for days, forcing the ports to make full-day closures of their truck gates to avoid the crowding. The implementation of AB5 in the trucking industry has left owner-operators fuming and protestors have signaled that they are prepared to be there as long as it takes.

Read more from Transport Dive ▶

You also might like...
Postal Service Safety Report Reveals Oversight Gaps in Trucking Contracts
Postal Service Safety Report Reveals Oversight Gaps in Trucking Contracts

A recent safety report by the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General (OIG) suggests lax oversight of contracted trucking companies, brokers, and drivers may contribute to accidents and fatalities on American highways.

California Judge Upholds AB5 in Landmark Decision
California Judge Upholds AB5 in Landmark Decision

In a significant ruling, a federal judge in California rejected a challenge against the state's independent contractor law, AB5, from the trucking industry.

Controversial Truck Speed Limiter Rule Faces Another Delay
Controversial Truck Speed Limiter Rule Faces Another Delay

The controversial truck speed limiter rule from the federal government is facing yet another delay and is now expected to be published in May.

New Federal Rule Sparks Debate Over Independent Contractor Classification
New Federal Rule Sparks Debate Over Independent Contractor Classification

In a significant move, the Biden administration has introduced a federal rule that could compel businesses to reclassify independent contractors as employees.

AB5 Impacts Small-Business Truckers, Warns OOIDA
AB5 Impacts Small-Business Truckers, Warns OOIDA

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has voiced concerns that California's Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), intended to address the misclassification of truck drivers, has actually burdened legitimate independent contractors.

Navigating the Road Ahead: Strategies to Tackle Rising Trucking Costs in 2022
Navigating the Road Ahead: Strategies to Tackle Rising Trucking Costs in 2022

Trucking costs have continued to rise, with the average cost per mile reaching $2.25 in 2022, a 21.3% increase from 2021.

Many Drivers Opt to Stay on the Road Due to Enjoyment and Financial Reasons
Many Drivers Opt to Stay on the Road Due to Enjoyment and Financial Reasons

A recent survey by Truckers News and Commercial Carrier Journal found that many truck drivers have no plans to retire.

Owner-Operator Association Opposes PRO Act, Citing Potential Disruption to Trucking Industry
Owner-Operator Association Opposes PRO Act, Citing Potential Disruption to Trucking Industry

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has expressed opposition to the PRO Act, stating that it would create confusion and jeopardize the established business model in the trucking industry.

Debbie Desiderato: A Trailblazing Trucker's Journey and Insights in the Trucking Industry
Debbie Desiderato: A Trailblazing Trucker's Journey and Insights in the Trucking Industry

June's Overdrive Online Trucker of the Month, Debbie Desiderato, shares her journey and insights in the trucking industry in an interview with Overdrive News Editor Matt Cole.

Democratic Support for the PRO Act: A Question of Duration
Democratic Support for the PRO Act: A Question of Duration

The PRO Act, a proposed legislation aiming to protect workers' rights, has raised concerns among small business owners, particularly franchisees.

OOIDA Urges President Biden to Seek New Department of Labor Nominee
OOIDA Urges President Biden to Seek New Department of Labor Nominee

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has called on President Joe Biden to find a new nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor.

OOIDA Criticizes EPA Proposal
OOIDA Criticizes EPA Proposal

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has voiced its opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 proposal, stating that it disregards the concerns of truck drivers.

The independent contractor law in California is facing strong criticism and opposition
The independent contractor law in California is facing strong criticism and opposition

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, the former California state legislator who introduced and championed the anti-independent contractor law AB 5, is facing criticism and potential damage to her reputation.

Julie Su, the nominee for Labor Secretary, remains under scrutiny regarding AB5
Julie Su, the nominee for Labor Secretary, remains under scrutiny regarding AB5

Julie Su, President Biden's nominee for Labor Secretary, faced additional scrutiny during her testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding her role in California's controversial worker classification law, AB5.

Eliminating Ineffective Safety Regulations: OOIDA's Spencer Calls for Reform
Eliminating Ineffective Safety Regulations: OOIDA's Spencer Calls for Reform

During a meeting of the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee, Todd Spencer, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), urged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to assess the effectiveness of existing safety regulations.

Truck Parking Shortage: A Critical Issue Requiring Action
Truck Parking Shortage: A Critical Issue Requiring Action

Truck parking scarcity remains a major concern in the transportation industry, with insufficient parking spaces available for drivers to comply with mandatory rest breaks.

Schools in Georgia and Wyoming to Increase Training for Truck Drivers
Schools in Georgia and Wyoming to Increase Training for Truck Drivers

Georgia and Wyoming colleges are expanding their commercial driver's license (CDL) programs to address the shortage of truck drivers.

Outrage ignited by viral video exposing predatory towing charging $6,000 for 16-mile tow
Outrage ignited by viral video exposing predatory towing charging $6,000 for 16-mile tow

A viral video has sparked outrage over predatory towing practices after a small fleet owner and an Instagram page admin were presented with a $6,000 bill for a 16-mile tow and impound.

The Feasibility of Gig Workers' Livelihoods: Can They Truly Make a Living?
The Feasibility of Gig Workers' Livelihoods: Can They Truly Make a Living?

Troubles from the 2022 travel season continue to haunt Americans as they prepare for the upcoming summer travel period.

Multiple states join California in ongoing legal battle over AB5
Multiple states join California in ongoing legal battle over AB5

States join legal battle over AB5, highlighting the political divide on independent contractor status.

Most Americans don’t know the trouble that truckers face trying to find parking spaces
Most Americans don’t know the trouble that truckers face trying to find parking spaces

The issue of truck parking shortages is not widely discussed in the media or public discourse, so many Americans simply may not be aware of it.

Biden’s DOL chief pick faces opposition from 150k truckers in OOIDA
Biden’s DOL chief pick faces opposition from 150k truckers in OOIDA

President Joe Biden has nominated Julie Su for the Department of Labor Secretary, but she is facing massive push-back from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), a group representing 150,000 truckers.

Daylight Savings Time can bring out drowsy driving in truckers
Daylight Savings Time can bring out drowsy driving in truckers

Truckers, like many people, can suffer from drowsy driving during daylight savings time due to the shift in time, which can disrupt their sleep schedule and circadian rhythm.

📸 Driver-focused cameras in Kentucky under fire for delayed citations
📸 Driver-focused cameras in Kentucky under fire for delayed citations

In September 2022, Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet announced its installation of driver-focused cameras at weigh stations along Interstate 75.

Volatile spot market is forcing owner-operators to struggle
Volatile spot market is forcing owner-operators to struggle

Overall, small fleets and owner-operators may struggle to live off of the current spot market due to market volatility, competition, capacity imbalances, lack of bargaining power, and economic uncertainty.

U.S.-imposed vaccine mandate continues to block unvaccinated truck drivers from crossing the Canada-U.S. border
U.S.-imposed vaccine mandate continues to block unvaccinated truck drivers from crossing the Canada-U.S. border

Despite the formal public health emergency in the U.S. scheduled to end May 11th, the vaccine mandate remains tightly in place at the 49th parallel.

Trucking owner-operators facing new challenges in 2023
Trucking owner-operators facing new challenges in 2023

Trucking fleets will likely be facing a litany of issues over the course of the year, as an aging workforce begins to take their leave and the owner-operator model faces sweeping federal regulations.

OOIDA Foundation criticizes the pay-by-the-mile system for drivers
OOIDA Foundation criticizes the pay-by-the-mile system for drivers

Tom Weakley of the OOIDA Foundation is speaking out against a pay-by-the-mile system for drivers, which he claims encourages safety violations and takes money out of their pockets.

OOIDA is taking another stand against California’s AB5
OOIDA is taking another stand against California’s AB5

The controversial AB5 bill in California is facing more contention as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) files a preliminary injunction request against the law.

Effective Jan. 1st, Canadian truckers must comply with new ELD enforcement
Effective Jan. 1st, Canadian truckers must comply with new ELD enforcement

While the new ELD mandate doesn’t modify any of the underlying rules in place for hours-of-service (HOS) requirements, Canadian provinces and territories now have the authority to monitor vehicles and issue citations based on ELD data.

Jennifer Joslyn
Previous

Companies on Earth are looking to send commercial vehicles into space
Next

Truck parking bill clears House committee