WASHINGTON — The Teamsters are applauding the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for its announcement that it will consider petitions for waivers from the agency’s prior determinations that California and Washington meal and rest break rules for commercial drivers were preempted by federal hours-of-service regulations.
“FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson is taking steps in the right direction by accepting applications for waiver petitions,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “States should have the freedom to protect motorists and workers by implementing stronger meal and rest break requirements for professional drivers. This prevents tragedy – not just for commercial vehicle operators, but for everyone who uses our highways.”
In 2018, the FMCSA ruled that California’s MRBs for commercial motor vehicle drivers were preempted by federal hours-of-service regulations. The agency made the same determination in 2020 with regard to Washington state’s MRBs.
Both states’ rules are stricter than federal regulations.
Under the United States Code, states are prohibited from enforcing a law or regulation on commercial motor vehicle (CMV) safety that the Secretary of Transportation has determined to be preempted.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
