2018 Advocacy Victory

FMCSA Grants SC&RA’s Petition to Preempt State Law on Trucker Meals/Rest Breaks

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted a petition determining that the State of California's laws requiring minimum that meal and rest breaks for truckers operating in the State of California are preempted by federal hours-of-service laws (49 U.S.C. § 31141).

FMCSA’s determination came in response to widespread apprehension from drivers, concerned citizens and industry stakeholders – heavily weighted within FMCSA and on Capitol Hill. In particular, SC&RA's argument on federal primacy over motor carrier safety was viewed within FMCSA as “key and essential” in granting this much-needed exemption. The ruling sets precedence and helps ensure much greater uniformity between federal and state regulations, helping members who had become unnecessarily burdened by the state of California.