Why are truckers banned from restrooms at buildings and places of business? Why are we treated so inhumane?
The issue really came up in recent years in two different ways. First was the most well known reason, the COVID pandemic lockdowns. No one wanted a trucker who travels across the country, through multiple cities and states, bringing in the plague.
Another, but lesser known reason was accident liability, most often occuring at heavy industrial complexes such as paper mills and processing plants. These locations restrict drivers to a painted pathway from their truck cab to the receiving window and not an inch further.
And if we do get restroom access, it’s about 50/50 on if the facilities are clean and proper or something cheap and ransacked. Have you tried using the bathroom in freezing weather in a porta-potty?
Trucker Bathroom Access Act to give drivers some humanity back
To help alleviate the issue, and restore some humanity to the trucking industry, The Trucker Bathroom Access Act was introduced Thursday, Dec. 15, by U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls and Chrissy Houlahan.
It would make it federal law to ensure access to a proper restroom to drivers while they are working. While it would not require businesses to construct new restrooms, it would require that if a business has a bathroom available to their customers or employees, truckers have the same access.
This law would cover all truckers, including the port drayage drivers often cut out and segregated from regulations due to how the government treats port authorities. It would force port operators to also provide restrooms to the drivers on the property.
OOIDA and the Women In Trucking Association partnered with the Representatives on the legislation. Both groups leaders, Todd Spencer, President and CEO of OOIDA and Ellen Voie, president and CEO of the Women In Trucking Association made statements in the press release posted by Rep. Nehls’ office.
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