Trucker Bathroom Access Act adds co-sponsor

An effort to ensure that truck drivers are provided a place to use the restroom has bipartisan support but still has a long way to go in order to be passed into law.

Last week, Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., co-sponsored the Trucker Bathroom Access Act. HR3869, which was originally introduced by Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, simply requires shipper and receiver facilities that have restrooms accessible to their customers and employees to make those same restrooms available for truck drivers who are delivering or receiving a load. The legislation would not require businesses to construct new restrooms.

“When you look at the number of truckers out there – the goods and services that American truckers deliver each and every day … It’s about time they have the basic right to use a restroom while working,” Nehls told Land Line Now in 2022.

New co-sponsor

Pappas’ support brings the bill’s number of co-sponsors to six – three Republicans and three Democrats. Despite the common ground on the issue, the addition of co-sponsors has been gradual.

Nehls first introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act in the previous Congressional session and then reintroduced the bill last June.

Reports of truck drivers being denied restroom access surged at the start of the pandemic in 2020, and many of those facilities have maintained restrictions.

Nehls called the act a “no-brainer,” considering it presents no cost to businesses. However, the congressman said during a House hearing last year that some lobbyists had been trying to kill the bill.

“I just want to put on the record to all the lobbyists and trade associations that are trying to sink this bill, ‘I really don’t care what you think on this issue,’” Nehls said. “Just imagine if Congress banned lobbyists from using restrooms as you wait outside these committee rooms or offices. Imagine if you were told – all you lobbyists – ‘Go outside and find a tree. Hell, go find a fire hydrant. Go outside and relieve yourself, because we’re not going to let you do it in here.’ How long do you think that would last? What do we want to do, treat our truckers like cats and dogs?”

 Support from trucking organizations

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Women in Trucking Association and the American Trucking Associations support the Trucker Bathroom Access Act.

“If a business provides restroom access to customers or employees, they should provide the same access to truck drivers who are loading or unloading cargo at the business,” OOIDA wrote.

Truckers are encouraged to go to OOIDA’s Fighting For Truckers website to encourage their lawmakers to support HR3869. LL