The U.S. Supreme Court this week turned aside J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.’s appeal of a court ruling allowing the class-action suit to move ahead, leaving in place the lower court’s decision that federal transportation law doesn’t preempt California from setting its own rules on how truck drivers are paid and when they must take meal and rest breaks. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and groups representing trucking companies and shipping customers had filed briefs calling on the Supreme Court to overturn the California ruling, which came in a suit that was first filed in 2007. J.B. Hunt, along with industry groups, said the state rules are preempted by a 1994 federal law that bars states from setting laws affecting the price, routes and services of trucking companies. Newsletter Sign-upJ.B. Hunt said in its petition to have the Supreme Court review the Ninth Circuit ruling that the state rules would make the trucker’s operations less efficient and more costly. J.B. Hunt and its attorneys did not return phone calls for comment.

Source: Wall Street Journal June 08, 2018 20:03 UTC