If you rely on third-party haulers to keep your infrastructure projects moving, recent developments in trucking laws may soon impact how your hauling partners operate – and who they can keep on the road.
We’ll unpack the news here…
A bill moving through Congress would change how the federal government defines independent contractors.
While that sounds technical, the consequences could be very real for any contractor who depends on a trucking firm that uses a mix of company drivers and long-term leased owner-operators.
Trucking Laws and Independent Drivers: What’s Changing?
The proposed legislation focuses on when a driver can be treated as a contractor rather than a direct employee.
One clause in particular could give large carriers more freedom to impose safety and operational requirements on leased drivers – without officially employing them.
There are mixed reactions to this.
The requirements could include things like in-cab cameras, stricter monitoring tools, or mandatory retraining.
These may be purely safety measures, but critics worry they’ll reduce drivers’ independence and open the door to micromanagement.
Some driver associations have also raised concerns that this could drive away (sorry!) experienced owner-operators. Yet owner-operators are the very drivers many hauling firms rely on to meet contractor demands for fast, flexible load movements!
A trusted source in the industry lays out the potential impact of the bill here.
Why Contractors Should Pay Attention to Trucking Laws
If new trucking laws change how independent drivers are treated, it may not be obvious at first, of course.
But it could affect both the availability of drivers and the cost of hauling materials to your site. There is not necessarily a driver shortage as such, but this new law would mean the service you’re used to could shift, especially on time-sensitive jobs or during peak periods.
Many infrastructure contractors in Texas depend on local trucking partners who mix company-owned rigs with experienced leased operators.
If those drivers are pressured to comply with new conditions they see as intrusive or unnecessary, they may walk. Or hauling firms may face added costs to retain them.
For you, that could translate into delays, fewer available trucks, or rising rates – especially if the competition for drivers tightens.
It’s not actually about politics, despite where the proposed law is coming from.
For you, as contractors, it’s about planning ahead for changes that affect your ability to deliver on project commitments to your clients.
Cowboy Trucking Adheres to Trucking Laws to Get Your Job Done
At Cowboy Trucking, we’ve built long-term relationships with our drivers. Some are part of our family. Others have hauled with us for years.
Our reputation as a premier Dallas trucking service rests on year-round dependability and decades of experience moving materials when, and to where, you need them.
In whatever way the rules change, we’ll keep delivering reliably. Call us to discuss your needs.
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