Message from CTA's CEO: Important Update Regarding CTA Litigation Efforts

Dear CTA Members,

We’ve been informed that the Western States Trucking Association (WSTA) has voluntarily dropped its appeal before the Ninth Circuit of its lawsuit challenging the Dynamex decision, in favor of concentrating its efforts on a legislative fix for the independent contractor issue. Our team has been in contact with WSTA’s Executive Director Lee Brown, their lobbyists and counsel to coordinate efforts in the past months since the Dynamex decision was issued and Assembly Bill 5 was introduced. CTA’s lawsuit challenging Dynamex is presently before the U.S. Southern District Court and had been stayed (paused), pending the outcome of WSTA’s Ninth Circuit appeal.

Let me first say that we fully support WSTA’s strategic decision to voluntarily dismiss its appeal. Rest assured that both CTA and WSTA believe in and will defend small business truckers. For decades, trucking has represented economic opportunity for that person with a single truck, willing to work hard, and pursue the American Dream. In light of WSTA’s decision to voluntarily dismiss its appeal, our attorneys will ask the U.S. District Court to move forward on the CTA litigation, likely to consider the totality of both the Dynamex decision and Assembly Bill 5. We will continue to send updates on legal developments as they occur both in our lawsuit and other lawsuits related to the Dynamex decision and Assembly Bill 5. 

We also share WSTA’s concern that recently included narrow provisions related to construction trucking in Assembly Bill 5 are inadequate and limit opportunities for independent truckers in the construction space, while forcing tens of thousands of other owner-operators out of business. We are lockstep in pursuing a holistic fix for trucking. 

We are appreciative of WSTA for its defense of owner-operators both in the courts and in the legislature and CTA will continue to coordinate with them and other key business stakeholders on this fight.  

Shawn Yadon | CEO California Trucking Association 4148 East Commerce Way Sacramento, CA 95834 T: (916)-373-3535 | E: syadon@caltrux.org W: www.caltrux.org