Teamsters Hold LA Rally In Favor Of Local Robotaxi Regulation Bill

The Teamsters Union began their campaign in favor of a bill that would  allow city and county governments to impose limits and greater regulations on robotaxi services over state organizations on Friday, holding a rally outside of the Los Angeles City Hall.

Senate Bill 915, also known as the Autonomous Vehicle Service Deployment and Data Transparency Act, was introduced in the Senate early last month. The bill, authored by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), would empower local governments to protect the public through local governance of autonomous vehicles. Specifically, local governments would be allowed to grant self-driving vehicle permits, as well as enforce traffic laws on autonomous vehicle companies by enacting new local ordinances, as needed, in real-time. In addition, SB 915 would allow each local government to set up its own rules for self-driving vehicles based on local unique needs. Local governments will be able to govern fares on robotaxis and the number of autonomous vehicles on the road.

SB 915 was written in response to the growing number of issues with self-driving cars in California and how local governments have little recourse because of state agencies, like the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), often trumping local laws. In addition to a large number of accidents and traffic incidents, a short-lived boost in the number of robotaxis in San Francisco following an August 2023 CPUC ruling saw several accidents where people were injured because of robotaxis. While somewhat curtailed in San Francisco now, other cities have wanted to cut back on the number of robotaxis as well, such as Los Angeles.

However, state agencies have not done so, with agencies such as CPUC and the DMV continuing to be the main regulators. Bills such as AB 316, which attempted to put safety drivers in vehicles such as autonomous trucks, were rejected by Governor Newsom, leading many hoping for more local control on where to go. Unions such as the Teamsters, which were one of the main forces behind AB 316 before the veto, in particular looked for ways to limit automated driving because of both safety reasons as well as self-driving vehicles eating away a chunk of their membership rolls through their large number of driver members.

With SB 915 offering both safety for drivers and a shot at saving union driving jobs, the Teamsters immediately back the bill last month. This led to Friday, where they launched their major campaign for SB 915 and against robotaxi supporters and Gavin Newsom, the latter of whom has backed driverless vehicles for years regardless of safety incidents.

Teamsters support

“California has an opportunity to put safety first, and that starts with passing SB 915. It’s past time we give local governments a say in how this dangerous technology impacts their communities,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters International Vice President At-Large and President of Teamsters Joint Council 42, on Friday in Los Angeles. “The Teamsters applaud Sen. Cortese for introducing SB 915 and urge state lawmakers to prioritize safety over Big Tech by passing this bill into law.”

Senator Cortese, also down in LA for the day, added, “SB 915 makes sure that as we step into this new age of cars that drive themselves, we’re not taking any chances with public safety. Having served as Vice Mayor of San Jose and Board President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, I’ve seen firsthand how local governments are capable and efficient in managing traffic and safety. Local communities will quickly create governance structures that protect the public while allowing for safe deployment of autonomous vehicles.”

Locally they were both joined by a mix of unions, Republican lawmakers, and Democrat lawmakers, including were joined by L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, L.A. City Councilwoman Hugo Soto-Martinez, and representatives from the California Professional Firefighters Association, the California Labor Federation, and the Los Angeles Labor Federation.

Experts told the Globe on Friday that opponents would likely have a rough time in stopping the bill this year, due in large part to the bipartisan support in favor of the bill, as well as strong union support.

“Everyone saw just what a mess robotaxis could be in San Francisco this year. While they may happen in the future and be commonplace, it is obvious they aren’t ready for prime time just yet,” said Charles Berg, a former auto industry advisor. “People like Newsom and other AV supporters are trying to get a jump on this, but local places have shown they don’t want the state deciding for them on this matter. They don’t want to be the next San Francisco and have people being dragged by robotaxis down the street or have their firetrucks being blocked.”

“And there is an agenda behind this bill. The Teamsters are big supporters, but that’s because a lot of their jobs are at stake or will be at stake. They’re securing their future here. They care about safety, but they also care about jobs. Some others who support it, while also safety conscious, also just want to piss off Newsom and stop these AVs from exploding in growth. And right now, this bill. It looks like it is going to work.”

SB 915 is due to be heard soon in the Senate.