Historical ruling on truckers’ Fourth Amendment rights; Judge rules Minnesota fatigue program violated truckers rights

From the OOIDA Press Release:

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) says a recent ruling by a federal judge is a major historical victory for truckers’ rights.

U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank ruled that the Minnesota State Patrol’s inspections to determine fatigue violated truckers’ Fourth Amendment rights. The court held that the fatigue inspections are beyond the scope of CVSA’s (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) Level III inspections.

OOIDA, which represents small-business truckers and professional truckers, and its member plaintiff Stephen K. House, filed the lawsuit against the Minnesota State Patrol and individual officers in May 2009. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of truck drivers placed out of service after patrol officers consulted a checklist and arrived at the conclusion the drivers were “fatigued.”