Washington Senate committee discusses truck driver access to port restrooms

Work continues at the Washington statehouse to address the concern of professional truck drivers about access to restroom facilities.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and the Washington Trucking Associations support the pursuit.

The Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee met Monday to consider a House-approved bill to give truck drivers operating at ports around the state assurances for access to restroom facilities.

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, the bill would require terminal operators to provide “a sufficient number of restrooms” for use by drayage truckers in areas of the terminal to which operators typically have access. Areas covered in the bill, HB1706, include inside the gate and truck queuing lots.

Restrooms could include fixed bathrooms or portable toilets.

Terminal operators would be in compliance with the rule when a policy is in place to allow drayage truckers to leave their vehicles at “reasonable times and locations” for purposes of access to restrooms.

Facilities must be in areas where access would not pose an “obvious health or safety risk” to the user.

Drayage truck operators accessing the terminal for the purpose of loading, unloading, or transporting cargo would be covered by the rule.

A basic human need

OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh provided video testimony Monday to the committee.

Pugh explained to lawmakers that the bill covers a daily dilemma for truck drivers, and taking action is an opportunity for the Legislature to address “a basic human need.”

He asked the committee to add language to HB1706 to include shippers and receivers in the requirement for providing restroom access.

“I can’t tell you how many shippers and receivers I’ve been at over the years that had no place for truck drivers to use the restroom,” Pugh said. “Let me rephrase that – most places had restrooms, many just didn’t let me use them.”

He added that taking action in the Washington statehouse would not go unnoticed by truck drivers.

“Washington state would be recognized as a national leader on an issue that is so basic, yet so challenging, and hopefully it would spur other states to follow your lead.”

The Senate Labor Committee held the bill for further consideration as early as this week.

Information on additional Washington state bills supported by OOIDA is available. LL