Washington – Today, the American Trucking Associations commended U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) for introducing the Trucker Bathroom Access Act, which would ensure truck drivers have access to bathroom facilities while they deliver or pick up cargo at establishments across the United States.
The bipartisan bill is scheduled to be voted on by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation next week. The House companion bill was previously introduced by Congressman Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and was approved by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee in May as part of the Build America 250 Act.
“Truckers are the heartbeat of our economy and critical to supply chain continuity,” said Henry Hanscom, Chief Advocacy & Public Affairs Officer of the American Trucking Associations. “When drivers stop to make pickups or deliveries—which can take hours on end while waiting to be loaded or unloaded—they should be able to use restroom facilities. Access to such basic accommodations is about more than common courtesy; it is about ensuring the dignity of the men and women who do the heavy lifting to provide for everyone in this country. This legislation can also help reduce a major barrier to retaining and recruiting more truck drivers, particularly women. ATA appreciates Senator Blunt Rochester and Senator Fischer’s leadership in addressing this persistent challenge and supporting professional truck drivers.”
Bathroom access is a top concern for professional truck drivers, particularly women, who consistently rank it among the most significant challenges they face on the road, according to research by the American Transportation Research Institute. ATA’s Women In Motion Council has been a leading advocate for breaking down this barrier, making passage of the Trucker Bathroom Access Act a key legislative priority and taking that message directly to lawmakers during WIM’s annual Call on Washington. The bill’s bipartisan introduction in the Senate marks important progress in WIM’s ongoing effort to improve working conditions and make trucking a more welcoming and sustainable career for women.
The Trucker Bathroom Access Act:
- Ensures that truck drivers have access to the restroom while they do their jobs, which is especially important with more female drivers on the road.
- Does not require businesses to construct new restroom facilities. It does require that truckers have the same restroom access as a business’ customers or employees.
The full bill text is available here.