The Claim: California’s Cargo Backlog Linked to Statewide ‘Truck Ban’
On October 13, President Joe Biden announced that the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest in the U.S., would begin operating 24/7 to alleviate supply chain issues nationwide.
“This represents a crucial first step towards transitioning our entire freight transportation and logistics system to a 24/7 model,” Biden stated during a White House address.
The announcement coincided with a backlog of cargo on the West Coast, driven in part by increased consumer spending as pandemic restrictions lifted. The situation worsened in September, with a record number of ships waiting off the California coast.
On social media, some users have offered an alternative explanation for the backlog. One Facebook post from October 13 argued, “The news claims the California port situation is due to a driver shortage… but it is also due to a California Truck Ban requiring all trucks to be 2011 or newer, along with AB 5, which restricts Owner Operators.”
This post gained over 13,000 shares within 24 hours. Variants of the claim have also garnered significant interactions on Facebook, as per CrowdTangle, a social media insight tool.
However, experts assert that trucking regulations are not responsible for the cargo backlog. Miguel Jaller Martelo, co-director of the Sustainable Freight Research Program at UC Davis, indicated that attributing current problems to this mandate is inaccurate, suggesting that low wages and changes in shipping trends due to COVID-19 are more pivotal.
Majority of Trucks Already Compliant with Engine Regulations
The regulations mentioned in the Facebook post are legitimate, but experts clarify that they are not a factor in the supply chain delays in California. The so-called “California truck ban” mandates that all trucks must have engines from 2010 or newer by 2023, a regulation that has been in place since 2018.
According to Karen Caesar, information officer for the California Air Resources Board, about 96% of trucks serving the state’s major ports comply with this rule. “By this year, only trucks with engines older than 2005 face registration issues,” she stated via email. Hence, trucks with engines from 2007 and onward are compliant.
At the Port of Los Angeles, for instance, all trucks accessing the port in August had engines from 2007 or newer. Additionally, stricter requirements have existed for older trucks at both Los Angeles and Long Beach ports for years.
Pending Regulations Not Yet Affecting Truckers
The post also references two other legislative proposals that could impact the trucking sector, which have not yet taken effect. California Assembly Bill 5, effective January 2020, requires companies hiring independent contractors to classify them as employees. While relevant to truckers, this law has faced challenges and is not currently enforceable.
A court ruling in January 2020 indicated that the law did not pertain to independent truck drivers due to existing federal statutes. An appeals court later reversed this decision in November, but the outcome remains uncertain as the Supreme Court has not opted to hear the case.
Experts Uncertain on Single Cause of Supply Chain Issues
Additionally, another regulation mentioned in the post regarding a ban on new gas-powered trucks by 2035 is still under development, with the California Air Resources Board working on the rules required to enforce it.
Experts acknowledge it is difficult to identify a singular reason for supply chain problems nationwide, pointing instead to a blend of COVID-19-related outbreaks, rising costs in labor and logistics, and various supply and staffing shortages.
David Correll from MIT’s FreightLab remarked, “Overall, American supply chains are under significant stress right now.” He likened investigating the root causes to a Rorschach test.
Our Rating: False
Our research concludes that the claim attributing California’s cargo backlog to a statewide “truck ban” is FALSE. Experts assert that the regulations mentioned in the Facebook post have no impact on the ongoing supply chain issues at the West Coast ports. Most trucks operating at crucial California ports already meet the necessary engine requirements, while proposals affecting the trucking model are not yet enforced.
