H.R.2514 - Trucker Bathroom Access Act

I’m not advocating against anything pal, simply pointing out the fact that any time it’s a regulation the industry doesn’t like (ELD’s, speed limiters, etc) we hear “the government needs to stay out of the industry and leave us alone”. But then the industry turns around and wants big brother’s help for other things (bathrooms, brokers). I’m only suggesting that truckers can’t have it both ways, it’s either none or accept all. Either they’re out of it or they’re in it.

I don’t care what happens. I sold my truck in April and I’m out of the cesspool that is OTR trucking. I hope you guys get your bathrooms and I hope you don’t complain when speed limiters come, that’s all.

 

No it’s not wrong, too any many don’t get how this all works in the country, you can not mandate a lot of things onto private businesses that are outside the powers of the government.

so if they do pass the law, the courts will get involved because this is a lot of money involved to meet the demands of the bill. When the courts see what and whys of the issue, they will overturn it based on past precedents.

The same goes for a law saying there is a detention pay paid for by the receiver, sorry but that’s the same thing, you can’t have the government regulate a none regulated private business just to make some overpaid driver happy. It would get tossed out very fast.

 

A freight warehouse doesn't present itself as A Public Facility, like a Walmart, restaurant, retail store, hospital. Public Accommodation facilities like those are not able to prevent groups covered by the civil rights laws, as a group, from entering or using that store, restaurant, hospital, etc. They can establish "reasonable" rules and other govt departments may dictate some of those rules like "no shoes, no shirt, no service".

Freight warehouses are not "open to the public" anymore than you receiving a UPS delivery at home means you are required to provide a bathroom for the UPS driver. You might choose to allow that because you are generous or whatever. The UPS driver has no right to use your home's bathroom. Property owner can control access to his property.

 

That's why law school is 3 years AFTER college and not a 2 hour YouTube video. Law is murky and it depends on what laws say and what 26 judges have ruled in numerous legal battles as each word in that law is defined and refined and "understood" over time. Prior to the Public Accommodation laws in the 1960s property owners of public venues, like a restaurant or theater, could pick and choose customers at their will. After those Public Accommodation laws were passed those property owners cannot pick and choose their customers. Warehouses are NOT like those types of businesses. Each and every word and each and every particular circumstance can be the difference between the law allowing something and the law prohibiting it. If it was simple there wouldn't be lawyers ABLE to argue both sides of every case, it would clearly be Yes or No and a checklist could be consulted instead of a lawyer and judges.

 

You can WISH for anything you want, even a pony for your birthday. Just wanting something doesn't mean it's required for others to provide it.
Truck drivers are not employees of the customer. Do not confuse what would be nice or convenient or humane or friendly for what is REQUIRED by govt force. Would you accept the Govt forcing what the govt thinks is a healthy diet on you simply because you visit the US Post Office or drive on roads paid for by govt? This "customers must provide you a bathroom" isn't the last item the govt would force on private citizens or private businesses. In fact, it's one reason why there are so many stupid rules and requirements on many things in life. Have you bought a plastic fuel can in the last 10 years? Nobody thinks beyond the 1 item they want and assumes nobody else will make you do things THEY want, like govt requiring driver cams, activity monitors, fatigue-detector brain implants, speed-limiters, singing the national anthem to start your day, or lots of bad ideas. "I want it, therefore the govt should make a law." Should the govt require YOU personally clean the customer's truck driver bathroom to the satisfaction of the customer with a customer provided toothbrush?" NOBODY is arguing bathrooms at customers are not needed. NOBODY is arguing truck drivers don't use the bathroom.

 

Truck drivers are NOT customer employees.
The laws doesn't say vendors on the property for a certain time are to be given a bathroom.
Law doesn't say bathrooms for vendors use are to be the bathrooms for employee use.
What's inside all of those lawbooks, your opinions, your preferences, your guesses?

 

Can the govt mandate YOU only eat only what the govt allows, from govt facilities, as decided by govt doctors, and cooked by govt employees according to your idea?. Or is this where you say "No, but that's different"?

 

Animals are not animals because the had no other options. They prefer the animal life.

 

The thing that makes me sad is when I left local work and started running OTR in 2004 there was restroom access pretty much everywhere. And slowly the actions of the trashy minority of drivers ruined it for the majority. Heck, one of the salt plants in Utah had a couple showers that drivers had access to so you could clean up after throwing your tarps. We list access to that after a driver took a dump in a shower stall.

Like it or not, businesses not allowing access to facilities inside their building is the result of how drivers have acted in the past and probably somewhat also a result of just general uncleanliness that seems to be the norm the last decade or so.

 

Reading through this thread a couple of things come to mind,,
Didn’t really have this problem back when truck drivers were considered professionals and acted like professionals.
Don’t believe me, look around. Some of the biggest slobs and arrogant people I’ve seen are truck drivers today, it’s an embarrassment.
Another thing is, Im reminded why I went to tankers both chemical and fuel is that 99 percent of the places I go to both to load and unload you are usually treated pretty good. Never had a problem needing to use a restroom or even a break room.