TEAMSTERS-BACKED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HUMAN OPERATOR BILL HEADS TO NEWSOM

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Aug 30, 2024, 10:13 ET

Two AV Safety Bills in California are Critical to Protecting Good Trucking Jobs, Keeping Streets Safe

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Two autonomous vehicle (AV) safety bills strongly supported by the Teamsters Union were overwhelmingly passed by the California Assembly on August 29 as bipartisan legislators took a critical step to protect union trucking jobs and keep streets safe statewide.

Assembly Bill 2286 (AB 2286) and Assembly Bill 3061 (AB 3016) now go to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for signature. The bills, collectively known as the California Automotive Regulatory Standards (CARS) Package, would put human operators in AVs and establish better reporting and collection measures for AV roadway violations and other accidents.

"The human operator bill passed with over 90 percent support among elected officials on both sides of the aisle, just like it did last time." said Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and President of Teamsters Joint Council 7 in San Francisco. "AB 3061 passed by a similar margin. The CARS Package is critical to protecting thousands of good trucking jobs that Californians rely on and to keeping our streets secure. The Teamsters applaud California elected officials on both sides of the aisle who supported this legislation and call on Gov. Newsom to immediately sign these bills into law."

With strong Teamsters support, autonomous vehicle safety legislation Assembly Bill 2286 (AB 2286) and Assembly Bill 3061 (AB 3061) overwhelmingly passed the California Assembly with concurrence, with votes of 31-3 and 30-7 respectively. The bills - collectively known as the California Automotive Regulatory Standards (CARS) Package - are critical to protecting good trucking jobs and keeping California streets safe. Both now head to Governor Newsom's desk.

AB 2286, formerly Assembly Bill 316, was first introduced by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-4) in January 2023. The bill would require a trained human operator behind the wheel of self-driving trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds, preserving hundreds of thousands of good-paying union jobs and keeping California roads safe. It passed by a vote of 31-3.

AB 3061, introduced by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-17), requires AV companies in California to publicly report any vehicle collisions, traffic violations, disengagements, assaults, or harassment involving their vehicles to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The legislation is critical to ensuring public transparency and accountability, especially as AV companies fail to publicly report major incidents on California roads. It passed by a vote of 30-7.

"Whether we're talking about robotaxi companies like Waymo and Cruise or trucking companies like Aurora, it's clear we cannot trust these profit-hungry businesses to prioritize safety and good jobs. AB 2286 and AB 3061 are vital to the accountability we need," said Chris Griswold, Teamsters International Vice President At-Large and President of Teamsters Joint Council 42 in Pomona. "Our elected leaders in California have once again spoken up in favor of AV regulation. It's time Gov. Newsom do the same, to put Californians before Big Tech, and to sign AB 2286 and AB 3061 into law."

Teamsters-supported AV safety legislation continues to gain support amid a backdrop of widespread incidents, including robotaxis nearly hitting school crossing guards in San Francisco, and no significant safety measures implemented by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the DMV. In spite of the lack of safety protocols, Waymo recently started testing driverless robotaxis on San Francisco freeways. Uber announced it will partner with Cruise next year to launch driverless transportation through its ride-hailing services.

"For the last two years, the DMV and Public Utilities Commission have allowed for the rapid expansion of driverless vehicles on our roads with little to no oversight. In turn, Californians have experienced horrific safety accidents," said Lindsay Dougherty, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 399 in Hollywood. "Gov. Newsom needs to do right by the people who are responsible for his professional success. Those people are working-class Californians who voted for him—not venture capitalists. He can finally do right by signing these bills into law."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Matt McQuaid, 202.624.6877
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Zoe PiSierra, (603) 339.0042
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters