Teamsters Sue California Regulators to Block Autonomous Semi-Truck Rollout

SAN FRANCISCO — The California Teamsters union has filed a lawsuit against state agencies to block new regulations permitting autonomous heavy-duty trucks on California highways, escalating a high-stakes conflict over automation in the nation’s largest freight market.

The lawsuit, which names the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Finance, the State Transportation Agency, and the Office of Administrative Law, asks a state court to void regulatory changes adopted in April. The rules established a framework for testing and eventual commercial deployment of driverless light- and heavy-duty trucks, reversing California’s long-standing prohibition on large autonomous vehicles.

According to the court filing, the DMV failed to complete a legally mandated economic impact study and relied on an expedited administrative process to bypass public scrutiny. The union requested a court order instructing the DMV to rescind the amended regulations immediately.

“The DMV irresponsibly, carelessly, and unlawfully kept the public in the dark about the true economic and human costs of the amended Autonomous Vehicle regulations,” said Julie Gutman Dickinson, an attorney representing the Teamsters.

The union described the regulatory rollout as an “existential threat” to commercial drivers, warning the rules could eliminate more than 200,000 payroll semi-truck jobs and affect an equivalent number of independent owner-operators. California currently employs more commercial truck drivers than any other U.S. state, serving as a primary corridor for goods distribution nationwide.

Industry forecasts estimate the U.S. autonomous trucking market will expand to $18 billion by 2030, with technology developers targeting California as a key territory for long-haul freight operations.

The legal action comes after Governor Gavin Newsom twice vetoed labor-sponsored bills that would have prohibited driverless heavy trucks without a human operator present. Organized labor is seeking to delay the regulatory implementation until a new administration takes office next year. Xavier Becerra, a prospective candidate for governor, previously signaled support for human drivers following union outreach.

Spokespersons for the DMV, the Department of Finance, and Governor Newsom’s office declined to comment on the litigation.