Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§14103 Loading and unloading motor vehicles

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › Part PART B— - MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS › Chapter CHAPTER 141— - OPERATIONS OF CARRIERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS › § 14103

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a shipper or receiver asks for help loading or unloading a truck that moves goods between states, that shipper or receiver must provide the help or pay the truck owner or driver for all costs of arranging and paying the helpers — even if the trip is not covered by another federal trucking rule. It is illegal to force or try to force a paid interstate truck driver to load or unload cargo, or to force them to hire or pay people to do that, except as allowed under the National Labor Relations Act or the Act of March 23, 1932 (Norris‑LaGuardia Act, 47 Stat. 70; 29 U.S.C. 101 et seq.).

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §14103

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whenever a shipper or receiver of property requires that any person who owns or operates a motor vehicle transporting property in interstate commerce (whether or not such transportation is subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 135) be assisted in the loading or unloading of such vehicle, the shipper or receiver shall be responsible for providing such assistance or shall compensate the owner or operator for all costs associated with securing and compensating the person or persons providing such assistance.
(b)It shall be unlawful to coerce or attempt to coerce any person providing transportation of property by motor vehicle for compensation in interstate commerce (whether or not such transportation is subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 135) to load or unload any part of such property onto or from such vehicle or to employ or pay one or more persons to load or unload any part of such property onto or from such vehicle; except that this subsection shall not be construed as making unlawful any activity which is not unlawful under the National Labor Relations Act or the Act of March 23, 1932 (47 Stat. 70; 29 U.S.C. 101 et seq.), commonly known as the Norris-LaGuardia Act.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Labor Relations Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act
July 5, 1935, ch. 372, 49 Stat. 449, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 151 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 167 of Title 29 and Tables. Act of
March 23, 1932, commonly known as the Norris-LaGuardia Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Mar. 23, 1932, ch. 90, 47 Stat. 70, which is classified generally to chapter 6 (§ 101 et seq.) of Title 29. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 101 of Title 29 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 11109 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title. Collection of Data on Delays in Goods Movement Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title V, § 5501(b), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1550, provided that: “Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 4, 2015], the Secretary [of Transportation] shall establish by regulation a process to collect data on delays experienced by operators of commercial motor vehicles before the loading and unloading of such vehicles and at other points in the pick-up and delivery process.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 14103

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73