FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Julie Sauls, V.P. External Affairs
August 30, 2007 916-373-3548
CTA Takes Issue With LAANE Report
Report Released Today Full Of Unsubstantiated Claims
Today, with less than a month to go before the Ports are scheduled to vote on a program that will change the way containers are moved in and out of the ports, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) released a report that attempted to link employment status of drivers to everything from healthcare to cleaner communities.
LAANE’s economic analysis presentation today suggested that the air we breathe as well as Port drivers would benefit from employment status. A survey, commissioned by the California Trucking Association (CTA) and performed by Stonebridge Associates, was conducted in May in an effort to determine the true extent of drivers who wished to remain as independent businesspeople or become employees. Contrary to statements made today, the confidential survey found that 80 percent of the independent owner-operators preferred to maintain their businesses rather than become employees. Drivers who participated in the survey also averaged eight years of service working at the ports and 5.5 years with their current motor carrier.
The report also based their economic analysis on a number of things including general welfare programs, earned income credit, section 8 housing and reduced lunch programs for children, yet they could not substantiate the number of drivers believed to participate in these programs.
If approved, the Clean Truck Plan would displace thousands of independent owner-operators who currently operate at the ports, and force smaller trucking companies out of business. In addition, the economic analysis report does not address the elimination of thousands of additional non-driver jobs at these companies and businesses that serve the industry.
The CTA has and continues to be a partner in implementing solutions to clean our air and firmly believes that the state, rather than the ports, is the more appropriate governmental body to implement a system to reduce truck emissions. The CTA continues to work with the California Air Resources Board as it develops a parallel statewide clean truck program with necessary uniform statewide standards.
In one of today’s presenter’s concluding remarks, the listeners were told that any suggestions to address this issue were welcome. From the beginning, CTA has made numerous suggestions and provided comments on how trucks can be cleaned up and contribute to the cleaning of the air we breathe, without turning the industry upside down and without independent owner operators having to give up their piece of the American Dream.
It is important for everyone to sit around the same table and vet these policy decisions that will be affecting the lives of over 16,000 independent owner operators as well as the communities in which they work and live.
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Julie Sauls
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
California Trucking Association
3251 Beacon Boulevard
West Sacramento, CA 95691
916-373-3548 Office
916-801-8928 Cell
916-371-7346 Fax