New law requiring restroom access for truck drivers goes into effect in Washington in July

Truck drivers in Washington state will soon have increased access to bathroom facilities thanks to new legislation.

On May 4, 2023, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law HB 1457.

The law requires that a shipper or consignee “must allow a motor carrier delivering goods to or picking goods up from a shipper or consignee to use that restroom during normal business hours if:

(a) The restroom is located in an area where providing access would not create an obvious health or safety risk to the motor carrier; and

(b) Allowing the motor carrier to access the restroom does not pose an obvious security, health, or safety risk to the shipper, consignee, or its employees.“

The law also states that the shipper or consignee is not required to make any physical changes to the restroom facility and that they may require that an employee accompany the truck driver to the restroom.

The law defines a consignee as “a person or business who takes delivery of property, cargo, or materials transported in interstate or intrastate commerce from a motor carrier.”

The law will go into effect on July 23, 2023.

Last year, Washington state lawmakers passed a bill to provide more restroom access for drayage truck drivers at terminals.