A newly introduced bill could give truckers an undeniable right to access bathrooms across the country.
On December 15, 2022, Representatives Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican, and Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat, introduced a new bill which seeks to address an issue that has been ongoing within the transportation industry. Termed the “Trucker Bathroom Access Act,” if passed, the new bill would require retailers, warehouses, and other businesses to allow drivers to use bathrooms that are available to customers and employees.
While the bill does not require businesses to construct any new facilities or restrooms specifically designated for truckers, it does require that truckers are allowed access to any current bathrooms which are used by a business’s employees or customers.
If the legislation is passed, the bill would require that:
- Retailers, warehouses, and other businesses must give truckers bathroom access when they are on the job making deliveries or picking up cargo;
- Bathrooms accessible to a business’s customers or employees must also be accessible to truckers; and
- Operators of ports and terminals must provide bathroom access to drayage drivers.
The bill was referred to the House’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit on December 16, 2022, where it will be negotiated and further evaluated.
For more information, including what rights truckers have under the new legislation and its implications on businesses, please contact any attorney with Frost Brown Todd’s Supply Chain industry team.
