Tired truckers will stay on the road under Jeff Denham’s dangerous plan

Congressman Jeff Denham: You have many times sponsored an amendment to the FAA re-authorization that would re-classify truck drivers who cross state lines under Federal Department of Transportation regulations. This puts the driving public at risk. Here’s why:

The amendment would take drivers whose home terminal is in states such as California, where the law requires all workers get a paid rest periods, and place them under federal DOT regulations that require a driver only take a 30-minute break unpaid for every 8 consecutive hours worked.

I was a truck driver who for years worked without paid breaks. I never took a break while working because I was only paid for the work I did. The quicker I worked, the more money I made. If I stopped to rest, I was not getting paid. So I did not stop.

In 2016, we settled a class-action suit against our employer to make sure we got paid breaks. The Denham amendment would force truck drivers, who cross state lines, to make a decision. Stop and rest for 10 or 15 minutes without pay, or keep going for a few extra dollars and put your safety at risk.