The Los Angeles Harbor Commission broke ranks with the city of Long Beach by approving a plan in which 17,000 truck drivers entering the Port of Los Angeles will be required to become employees of licensed motor carriers. That means independent truckers will be phased out over the next five years. The plan now goes to the City Council for final consideration. Opponents say the new employee mandate will violate free trade laws by banning independent owner-operator truck drivers from the port. The commission's decision "will undermine efforts to implement a workable clean truck program for the L.A.-Long Beach port complex," said Curtis Whalen of the American Trucking Association. (Daily Breeze, LABJ)
More by Mark Lacter:
American-US Air settlement with DOJ includes small tweak at LAXSocal housing market going nowhere fast
Amazon keeps pushing for faster L.A. delivery
Another rugged quarter for Tribune Co. papers
How does Stanford compete with the big boys?
Those awful infographics that promise to explain and only distort
Best to low-ball today's employment report
Further fallout from airport shootings
Crazy opening for Twitter*
Should Twitter be valued at $18 billion?
Recent stories:
Letter from Down Under: Welcome to the HomogenoceneOne last Florida photo
Signs of Saturday: No refund
'I Am Woman,' hear them roar
Bobcat crossing
New at LA Observed
On the Politics Page
Go to Politics
Sign up for daily email from LA Observed