The California Trucking Association has asked a federal judge to issue a new preliminary injunction in an attempt to continue its legal battle to block enforcement of California’s AB 5 law that CTA maintains will force owner-operators to become motor carrier employees.

For decades, the trucking industry’s use of independent owner-operators has been a delicate, but successful, dance between the business and personal needs of motor carriers and contractors. Now, the contractor model’s future is in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.

California lawmakers have passed a bill that codifies into law a 2018 state Supreme Court decision that makes it easier for independent contractors to become reclassified as employees of motor carriers.

In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 15 limited the ability under federal law for motor carriers to force disputes with owner-operators to be resolved in arbitration, a ruling that could cause an increase in future class-action lawsuits by truck drivers.

Legal observers said the outcome of a case before the U.S. Supreme Court could have major implications for the trucking industry.