As autonomous trucking regulations gain momentum, California lawmakers and labor unions, led by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, continue to push for a bill reining in its acceleration.
Authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Assembly Bill 2286 would require a human to be behind the wheel of self-driving trucks that weigh over 10,000 pounds for testing purposes, transporting goods, or transporting passengers.
A rally was held Monday outside the State Capitol in Sacramento to support the bill, attended by Teamster leadership and lawmakers, including Assemblymembers Tom Lackey (R-Boron) and Laura Friedman (D-Glendale).
“As autonomous vehicle companies try to push their new, untested technology onto our roads, we need to prioritize legislation that will protect our streets and good-paying driving jobs, and that starts with AB 2286,” said Peter Finn, Teamsters International Western Region Vice President, President of Teamsters Joint Council 7.
The bill is a copy of last year’s AB 316, also co-authored by Aguiar-Curry, that aimed to promote safety and job opportunities. While it received support in the legislature, with more than 90% in favor of the legislation, the bill was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom last September.
Since then, supporters of AB 2286 pointed to high profile accidents, such as when a Cruise robotaxi caused accidents and injured people in San Francisco, raising safety concerns and calls for better regulations.
