AB5 California law forced Dee Sova - an independent contractor instantly to move her trucking business to Missouri - Z Transportation Blog

One of the most challenging jobs you can do at the moment is owning your own business. This is a way to become successful in your job field. For this woman, entering the trucking industry was a real mission – a lifeline to a brighter future for myself and my daughters, said Dee Sova.

She dropped her nursing studies and started her journey as a commercial driver. As a woman, she handled well working in a male-dominated field and the fears soon become rewards and opportunities in her carrier. As a single mother of four daughters, Sova needed both, flexibility and the opportunity to provide for her family. This gave her motivation and in 2015 she became a proud partner with Prime Inc.

Being an independent truck driver empowered me to run my truck as my own small business. I loved traveling on the job, the freedom to be my own boss, and the option to take my children with me on long hauls when I could.

Making good money while seeing the country, I built a wonderful life back in California – a place I was proud to call home. I was living my version of the American Dream. But lawmakers in Sacramento soon had a very different plan for me, stated Sova.

What does California law AB5 actually mean?

She felt jeopardized the first time she heard the state legislature debating Assembly Bill 5. AB5 is a law that effectively bans independent contractors in trucking. This law demoted all small business owners to company employees. This change affects employees’ hours, benefits, and flexibility.

She couldn’t afford to lose her business so in 2020 she moved to Springfield, Missouri, and continue working as an independent contractor with Prime Inc.

She said that she moved to a more business-friendly state. Since AB5 thousands of independent truckers in California have been thrust into legal limbo.

Those like us who choose to own our business should be supported as we pursue our dreams. It’s unfortunate California lawmakers see fit to tell us we only belong as company employees. Despite those obstacles, I can still take to the road and pursue my dreams elsewhere, said Sova.

If you want to find more information regarding AB5 visit American Trucking Associations.