Legislation Would Protect Middle Class Jobs, Motorist Safety

(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) – Members of Teamsters Locals 570, 639, and 922 testified before the Maryland House of Delegates to call for the passage of House Bill 1447 (HB 1447), legislation that would require a human operator in large commercial vehicles. Similar legislation has been introduced in California, Iowa, Indiana, and New York this year.

“HB 1447 is critical to protecting our streets,” said Rudy Gardner, President of Teamsters Joint Council 55. “In other states, driverless vehicles have obstructed first responders, caused traffic jams, collided with people, and even killed animals. Autonomous vehicle companies are not transparent about their safety records, which is the bare minimum of what they should be doing if they want to operate on public roads. It is imperative that our state delegates pass this bill into law.”

“Autonomous vehicles pose a grave threat to hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in Maryland,” said Sean Cedenio, President of Teamsters Joint Council 62. “One in 14 jobs statewide are in trucking, with countless more in the postal service, transit, and other sectors. Workers are the backbone of our supply chain. They pay taxes, patronize small businesses, and support local charities and civic organizations across the state. By passing HB 1447, we can protect Maryland’s families, communities, and economy.”

“Professional drivers like me have been watching the rollout of autonomous vehicles in other states, and what we have seen so far is disturbing,” said Lawrence White, a 25-year driver at Ruan Transportation and a member of Teamsters Local 639. “The reality of these vehicles is alarming; they cannot make critical decisions in life-or-death situations or assist others following accidents. We need to pass HB 1447 because if these vehicles are jammed on our roadways without human operators, the results will be catastrophic.” 

“As professional drivers, we operate in the real world where problems can arise at any moment. We don’t have the luxury of operating on a closed track without consequences. We have dedicated years to mastering the safe operation of our vehicles, not just for our protection, but also for the safety of other motorists and pedestrians who use Maryland’s roadways,” said Al York, a 25-year driver for Giant Foods and member of Teamsters Local 639. “There should always be a well-trained and properly licensed person in the front seat of a vehicle who can respond to these real-world situations. That’s why I urge you to pass HB 1447.”

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.

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