Page 19 - ATR 2 2019 digital

Small Bill, Big Difference

New legislation will protect owner-operator status and encourage implementing
safety technologies

By David Monteith

Contributing Writer

On paper it doesn’t look like much:
House Bill 1448,now Act 782, “An Act
To Amend The Law Concerning Motor
Carriers; To Clarify A Driver’s Worker
Status In Certain Situations.” Despite
being less than two pages long, the
law has the potential to significantly
increase the use of safety technologies,
like cameras or automatic braking sys-
tems, especially among carriers who use
a mix of employee drivers and indepen-
dent contractors.
Representative Danny Watson from
Hope sponsored HB 1448 which states,
Knowledge is Power “The deployment, implementation, or
use of a motor carrier improvement by,
or as required by, a motor carrier or its
related entity, including by contract,
Not All Trucking Companies Are Alike does not, in whole or in part, affect,
impact, or change the worker status of
Trucking is all we do. When you choose Great West to insure your trucking a driver.”
business, you are getting over 60 years of experience in the trucking industry. In short, it allows motor carriers
with a mix of employee drivers and
800.228.8602 Our agents work with you. Not every insurance agent can represent Great independent contractors to proceed “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS DOES IS ALLOW
with the deployment of safety technolo-
gwccnet.com West. With a keen focus on the trucking industry, our agents are knowledgeable, gies across the board, without jeopardiz- US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER SAFETY
dependable, and responsive. They understand your needs and work with you to
match the right coverage and level of service for your trucking operation. ing whether a driver is an employee or TECHNOLOGY LIKE THE CAMERAS, LIKE ANTI-
independent contractor. Issues specific
Do one thing, and do it right. Our agents can guide you through the process and to safety implementation do not change ROLLOVER, AND AUTOMATIC BRAKING — ALL THE
customize a plan to provide you the broadest protection possible. You can also feel the driver’s classification. NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT’S AVAILABLE. IF WE WANT
confident knowing that our agents’ service begins, not ends, with the issuance of TO START ASKING OUR DRIVERS TO GET THIS, THEN
your policy. STREAMLINING SAFETY
WITHOUT BURDENING DRIVERS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO.”
GREAT WEST CASUALTY COMPANY – No matter where the road takes you, you Driver safety, public safety and
will discover that at Great West, The Difference is Service . decreased liability concerns are appar- —JEFF LOGGINS, PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF LOGGINS LOGISTICS
®
ently topics on which carriers and inde-


ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 2 2019 19