Levin Introduces Bipartisan Act Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers

Statement

Today, Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI-09), member of the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Labor Caucus, introduced the Guaranteeing Overtime for (GOT) Truckers Act. This bill addresses a major flaw in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by repealing the "motor carrier exemption," which excludes many truck drivers from the overtime protections enjoyed by other workers.

"While fixing the discrepancy in existing law is long overdue in its own right to bring us one step closer to truly "fair' labor standards for truckers, my bill also highlights that we are at a crucial moment for the industry writ large. In a report released last month, the Department of Transportation suggests that repeal of the motor carrier exemption can help address our nation's supply chain vulnerabilities and solutions." said Congressman Levin. "Truck drivers across the country face brutal working conditions marked by inadequate pay and long hours. Despite their tireless work, truck drivers do not receive overtime pay for overtime hours. As a result, the trucking industry faces an extremely high turnover rate as truckers cannot keep up with the thankless demands of their work. We all stand to benefit when truckers are paid what they're owed."

"Truckers have carried us through the COVID-19 pandemic, yet poor pay and conditions continue to make it hard to maintain a steady workforce," said Congressman Van Drew. "Guaranteeing overtime pay for these hard workers will encourage people to join the industry, alleviate our supply chain woes, and incentivize others in the industry to improve their processes to keep up with this rejuvenation of the trucking industry."

"We know that for too long, too many people throughout the supply chain have placed little or no value on a driver's time. This is partly because of the FLSA overtime exemption," said Todd Spencer, President and CEO of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. "Shippers, receivers and carriers have never been forced to account for all the hours that they keep drivers waiting, since it costs them nothing to do so. By repealing the FLSA exemption, this bill would help make sure that drivers are compensated for all the hours they work. We thank Reps. Levin and Van Drew for finally standing up for truckers on this issue."

"Truckers are essential workers that kept America moving during the pandemic," said Sean M. O'Brien, Teamsters General President. "But they haven't been treated with the respect they deserve. Rep. Levin's bill would make sure they get the proper pay they've earned."

"Every second Congress allows the FLSA Motor Carrier Exemption to exist, lives are recklessly and needlessly put at risk. I know firsthand the ultimate price that is paid by the failure to fairly compensate truck drivers for their time. We thank Congressman Levin for taking action to eliminate this lethal loophole. The GOT Truckers Act will undoubtedly save lives and substantially reduce truck crash deaths and injuries," said Dawn King, TSC President & Board Member, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH).

"It is clear that repealing the overtime exemption will help improve pay and fairness for our nation's truck drivers, but we hope the public understands that this change will improve safety for everyone on our roads," said Harry Adler, Principal at the Institute for Safer Trucking. "With almost every other industry requiring overtime pay, we welcome the news that the same could soon be true in trucking. Guaranteeing overtime pay will help retain experienced truck drivers, who are safer and much less likely to be involved in a collision. The Institute for Safer Trucking supports this long overdue safety solution."

The GOT Truckers Act is endorsed by Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH), Institute for Safer Trucking, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT), Truck Safety Coalition, and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

This bill is cosponsored by Representatives Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ-02), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA-04), Mondaire Jones (D-NY-17), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13).

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