When you got to go you got to go.
Among labor shortages and equipment deficits lays another issue challenging the industry—restroom access for truck drivers.
How trivial, you may think. The trucking industry is in peril with supply chain woes, and this is brought up as a problem?
Well, for those in the industry, facility operators denying restroom access continues to be a burden that is in dire need of being addressed.
Operators Deny Restroom Access for Drivers
According to drivers and driver advocacy groups, denied access to restrooms at locations where drivers pick up or drop off their loads is a significant issue affecting their workplace. Michael Matousek of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) asserts that operators at these facilities will hide behind liability as a reason to not loosen restroom restrictions, per a statement released by FreightWaves.
Additionally, operators will cite a history of drivers disrespecting facility restrooms. An accusation that driver advocacy groups assert arbitrarily blames drivers for behavior that any individual can be responsible for.
Operators who do not allow restroom access to drivers will often have port-a-potties available as an alternative. That said, drivers do not see this as a solution as this alternative has no plumbing or control over temperature. Drivers also note that these port-a-potties are seldom emptied despite frequent use on any given workday.
FreightWaves also reports the failure of port-a-potties accommodating female drivers who have different needs than their male counterparts.
Government Action
Currently, there are no federal or state regulations that address the issue of restroom access for drivers. OSHA, the federal agency that regulates the workplace, cannot enforce businesses to provide amenities for drivers since they are not responsible for their employment. Ultimately, it is the discretion of private businesses to decide whether drivers can use their restrooms.
However, there has been recent legislative action. Just this January, state representative Mike Sells proposed legislation for Washington state. Believed by many as the first bill to address this issue, it will require a retail establishment to allow drivers access to facility restrooms under the pretense that they are at the location for business purposes. The bill defines “driver” as “any person who transports goods for the general public by motor vehicle for compensation”.
While the intention the bill is aimed to address this issue, critics point out that it has some major holes in its language. Notably, retail establishments call for restrooms to be built if visited by the general public. Warehouses and distribution centers, the facilities where difficulties with restroom access emerge from, are not exactly locations where the general public meets. FreightWaves notes comments from drivers that they are rarely denied access to restrooms when doing business at a more publicly accessible retail location.
Furthermore, Matousek of the OOIDA agreed the bill’s language was a limitation. He told FreightWaves that OODIA, along with the American Trucking Associations (ATA), is trying to expand “the number of places that would have to comply” in the proposed legislation.
Final Thoughts
Many in the industry acknowledge that legislative action is a step in the right direction, but also realize that substantial change will need to come from private businesses and their own cooperation with loosening restroom restrictions.
Drivers negotiating the challenges of restroom access is among just one of the issues affecting the trucking industry. Please do not hesitate to contact one of our team members if you have any further questions pertaining to domestic logistics.
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