Washington state law gives truckers access to restrooms

Olympia, WA — Truck drivers in Washington state will have access to restrooms at establishments where they’re picking up or delivering goods, under a new law.

Signed May 4 by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) after earning unanimous consent in the state House and Senate, H.B. 1457 dictates that shippers and consignees provide restroom access to drivers if the restroom is located in an area where providing access wouldn’t create an obvious health or safety risk to the motor carrier, and allowing the driver to access the restroom doesn’t pose an obvious security, health or safety risk to the shipper, consignee or its employees.

The bill expands on a 2022 law mandating restroom access for truck drivers in port terminals.

Washington Trucking Associations President and CEO Sheri Call, who testified in favor of  H.B. 1457 before the legislature, told Safety+Health that “the bill is about access, not enforcement.”

Call added: “We hope businesses that rely on trucks will extend basic services to drivers who are out there on the roads ensuring we have all that we need to keep our economy and ourselves healthy.”

American Trucking Associations spokesperson Sean McNally shared that sentiment.

“ATA believes that access to safe and available truck parking — and other facilities — is critical to the ability of truck drivers to do their jobs,” McNally told S+H. “We support efforts that would increase the amount of parking available to drivers and those that would open up more hygiene facilities to drivers.”

The law is set to go into effect July 23.

Federal legislation introduced in the House near the end of the previous Congress sought to require businesses provide restroom access to truckers loading or delivering cargo. Introduced Dec. 15 by Reps. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), the Trucker Bathroom Access Act (H.R. 9592) didn’t advance after its introduction.