Californians Overwhelmingly Support Human Operators in Autonomous Trucks

(ARCADIA, Calif.) – Today, Teamsters rallied with California elected officials, labor allies, and public safety leaders to demand Gov. Gavin Newsom sign California Assembly Bill 316 (AB 316) into law. The Teamster-backed bill, which sailed through the California legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, would require a trained human operator in autonomous vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds. Gov. Newsom has until October 14 to sign the bill into law 

A recording of Monday’s rally can be viewed here. 

At the rally in Los Angeles, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President Lindsay Dougherty and Teamsters International Vice President At-Large Chris Griswold called on Gov. Newsom to prioritize safety and put hundreds of thousands of jobs before the interests of Big Tech.

“Gov. Newsom has got to stand up for working people and do the right thing here. If Gov. Newsom fails in the simplest of tasks and does not sign AB 316 into law, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will never let him forget it,” Dougherty said. 

“The bill has sailed through the California legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support. Not only that, but a new public poll shows that more than three-quarters of California voters support AB 316. So with all this support, why isn’t Gov. Newsom signing AB 316?” said Griswold. “Gov. Newsom still has an opportunity to sign AB 316 into law and keep our roads safe. He can still show Californians that he’s willing to stand up to Big Tech and protect our jobs.” 

“We’ve all seen how these small driverless vehicles are causing havoc in San Francisco, right? Accidents. Collisions. Blocking public safety personnel from doing their jobs. They have even run over dogs,” Jared Hamil, a member of Teamsters Local 396, told the crowd. “So we are urging Gov. Newsom: listen to us. Protect California jobs. Protect California streets. Sign AB 316 into law immediately.”

Following the rally, a caravan of Teamster truck drivers will begin their drive to Sacramento. On September 19, Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien will join the caravan for a rally and march at the State Capitol to directly call on Gov. Newsom to sign AB 3136 into law.

“We are one community. We need to remind Gov. Newsom that we are the voters, we are the taxpayers. We urge you [Newsom] because we care about California. We care about safety. We care about the good paying jobs that Teamsters provide every single day out there for our communities,” said Gloria Alvarado, Executive Director of the Orange County Labor Federation. “We need you to stand by our side and sign AB 316.”

AB 316 was first introduced in January by Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), and Ash Kalra (D-San Jose).

“I’ve supported this bill from the very beginning, and I am very proud to do so. I want you all to know that I am a retired California highway patrol member, and I understand public safety. I value public safety,” said Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale). “Let’s make sure that Gavin Newsom doesn’t let money overshadow public safety. Our people deserve to be supported.”

AB 316 has received widespread, bipartisan support from California elected officials and voters. Recent public polling shows that nearly three-fourths of Californians across party lines, gender, geography, and all other demographics support AB 316. The poll also highlights that an overwhelming number of Californians are uncomfortable being on the road alongside driverless vehicles. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development recently voiced opposition to AB 316 via an agency letter, indicating that top officials in the Newsom administration aren’t listening to the concerns of California voters.

Collisions and accidents with self-driving vehicles continue to occur throughout San Francisco. Last month, the California Public Utilities Commission approved the permits for autonomous vehicle companies Waymo and Cruise to expand driverless operations in San Francisco, even amid public outcry from local leaders and public safety officials. However, it only took a matter of days before havoc hit San Francisco, including a fatal accident where two Cruise taxis stopped on a one-way street and reportedly blocked an ambulance with a dying patient.  

“As a bus driver, the fear of automation is very real. The fear of AI replacing my job, which has allowed me to live a middle-class life, and the fear of these autonomous vehicles causing chaos on our streets,” said Kimberly Roberson, a member of Teamsters Local 952. “Gov. Newsom, we hope you’re paying attention to us because we are certainly paying attention to you. It’s time to stand up for what’s right and put people over profit, put safety first, and sign AB 316 into law.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 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.

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