The long-awaited federal trial that could change the face of port trucking around the nation began last week in Los Angeles with each side staking out its territory. At issue is whether or not a local agency - in this case the Port of Los Angeles - has the authority to regulate trucking for vehicles servicing its facilities, including a ban on independent contract drivers.
The main issue in the case is the port's Clean Truck Program requirement that all drivers from trucking companies that service the ports be employees - a mandate being pushed by the Teamsters Union, which hopes to organize the port trucking industry.

Most drivers currently working in the port are owner-operators, who get paid by the load. As independent business owners, the contract drivers legally cannot be union members.

 - The Cunningham Report