ATA’s Graves Urges Veto of N.J. Classification Bill

American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves has written a letter to the governor of New Jersey, urging him to veto a bill that would reclassify most drayage and parcel truck owner-operators as employees.

“By purportedly attempting to address alleged misclassification in the drayage trucking industry, organized labor and the Democrat proponents of the bill hope to invalidate the free choice made by thousands of individual entrepreneurs,” Graves wrote in his letter to Gov. Chris Christie (R).

New Jersey’s Senate passed the bill May 30, 10 days after the General Assembly signed it. A Christie spokesman declined to comment on the measure or whether the governor would sign it.

Gail Toth, executive director of the New Jersey Motor Truck Association, said the bill would virtually eliminate the owner-operator model in drayage and parcel trucking. It would affect at least 20,000 owner-operators, she said.