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The House-passed Highway Bill addresses issues that are important to WIT members and can improve operational efficiency, productivity, and safety across the industry. Proposed Transportation Bill: What Does It Mean for Women In Trucking?
that are critically important to many WIT members and have the potential to improve operational efficiency, productivity, and safety across the industry. While WIT is not a lobbying organization, we’re closely monitoring legislative developments that affect the trucking workforce and the companies that employ them. We are encouraged to see attention being given to these important issues and will continue to follow the bill’s progress as it moves through Congress. What Happens Next? While the House’s passage of the bill represents an important milestone, it’s only one step in a much larger legislative process that includes a number of variables. There is considerable work ahead as the bill moves through Congress, and several key issues affecting the trucking industry will continue to be debated and refined throughout the remainder of the year. WIT will be closely monitoring developments and their potential impact on our members and the industry. In the meantime, if you’re a for-hire carrier or company with a private fleet, continue to incorporate best practices and parking solutions into your operations to avoid consequences in safety, productivity, driver retention, and operating costs. If you’re a shipper or company with DCs or terminals within your network, assess your facility’s restroom access for inbound drivers before this becomes law. Existing facilities don’t necessarily need to be modified, access just cannot be denied. Get ahead of all the implications of this new Highway Bill before the rulemaking clock starts ticking.
past several years on the lack of truck parking availability. Restroom Access. Professional truck drivers are granted new rights to bathroom access for “covered establishments.” Section 5102 mandates that commercial motor vehicle operators must be granted access to restrooms at any covered establishment where they’re delivering goods or waiting for cargo to be loaded.
By Brian Everett Strategy Advisor Women In Trucking Association womenintrucking.org
T he surface transportation bill recently cleared its first major hurdle—and the Women In Trucking Association (WIT) continues to monitor congressional activity related to this bill. The BUILD America 250 Act passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 62-2 on May 22, 2026. Often referred to as the “Highway Bill,” this five-year authorization replaces existing surface transportation legislation that expires Sept. 30, 2026. Critical Priorities Important to Women The House legislation included important priorities for which WIT has advocated: Truck Parking. The parking section expands Jason’s Law and includes a federal survey of truck parking availability, allowing for new truck parking capacity on federal highways, as well as state and local government eligibility for truck parking grants. The Highway Bill gives the Department of Transportation authority to make grants for commercial vehicle parking to state and local governments and to private entities partnering with the government. New parking can go on federal highways, inside freight facilities, or onto existing infrastructure like weigh stations. These provisions are all considered positive given WIT’s position over the
The rule applies to shippers, receivers, manufacturers, warehouses, and DCs. Given basic human needs, truck drivers servicing shippers and receivers should not be denied access to bathroom facilities, and the language in this legislation makes sure they won’t be. Pre-Employment Screening. This provision gives new authority to potential employers (for-hire motor carriers and companies with private fleets) to access safety records for prospective and current drivers. This has been a long-standing WIT legislative priority. Several provisions included in the House-passed Highway Bill address issues
18 Inbound Logistics • August 2026
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