Al Jessep v. Jacobson Trans. ( 2003 )


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  •                      United States Court of Appeals
    FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
    ___________
    No. 03-2005
    ___________
    Al Jessep,                              *
    *
    Appellant,                 *
    * Appeal from the United States
    v.                                * District Court for the
    * Southern District of Iowa.
    Jacobson Transportation                 *
    Company, Inc.; Shelley                  *
    Capehart, in her official               *
    and individual capacity,                *
    *
    Appellees.                 *
    ___________
    Submitted: November 3, 2003
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    ___________
    Before RILEY, McMILLIAN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.
    ___________
    RILEY, Circuit Judge.
    Al Jessep (Jessep) appeals the district court’s1 adverse grant of summary
    judgment in his action alleging breach of contract and violation of 
    49 U.S.C. § 14103
    .
    We affirm.
    1
    The Honorable Robert W. Pratt, United States District Judge for the Southern
    District of Iowa.
    Jessep, an owner-operator of a semi tractor-trailer, entered into an
    “Independent Contractor Standard Agreement” (lease) with Jacobson Transportation
    Company (Jacobson), a carrier of goods and freight. Jessep agreed to lease his
    vehicle to Jacobson and to provide transportation services in exchange for payment
    according to a compensation schedule. Paragraphs 3 and 6E of the lease expressly
    provide that the qualified driver/contractor will load, transport, deliver, unload, or
    assist in unloading accepted freight. Pursuant to paragraph 6L of the lease, Jessep
    agreed to abide by Jacobson’s Policy and Procedure Manual (manual), which
    provides that if a driver rejects a load offer, the offer will be rescinded, the driver will
    be moved to the bottom of the dispatch board, and the driver will not be paid for
    bounce miles–miles driven in an empty truck between loads. The manual also
    provides that a driver who rejects a load offer is subject to possible disciplinary action
    or lease cancellation.
    On September 17, 2001, Jacobson assigned Jessep a “driver assist” load to be
    picked up in Fort Worth, Texas, and delivered to Michaels Stores, Inc., in Little Rock,
    Arkansas. Jessep told Jacobson’s dispatcher, Shelley Capehart (Capehart), he would
    not assist in unloading the freight, although he was not refusing the load. Capehart
    responded that “refusing to unload is the same thing as refusing the load.” She
    informed Jessep that, if he refused the load, he would go to the bottom of the dispatch
    list and would not be paid for bounce miles to his next load. Jessup did not accept
    the “driver assist” load. Later that morning, Capehart dispatched another load to
    Jessep, which he accepted, but Jacobson did not pay Jessep for his bounce miles.
    Jessep filed the instant action in December 2001, and Jacobson terminated its
    lease with Jessep on April 29, 2002. In his third amended complaint, which added
    Capehart as a defendant, Jessep alleged Jacobson and Capehart had breached the
    lease and had coerced or attempted to coerce him to unload freight in violation of 
    49 U.S.C. § 14103
    (b), which states:
    -2-
    b. Coercion prohibited.–It shall be unlawful to coerce or attempt to
    coerce any person providing transportation of property by motor vehicle
    for compensation in interstate commerce . . . 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 . . .
    Norris-LaGuardia Act.
    Jessep sought declaratory and injunctive relief. The district court granted summary
    judgment in favor of the defendants, and this appeal followed.
    We review de novo the district court’s grant of summary judgment, as well as
    the district court’s interpretation of a contract, see ABC Elec., Inc. v. Neb. Beef, Ltd.,
    
    249 F.3d 762
    , 766 (8th Cir. 2001), and a federal statute; see Norwest Bank of N.D.
    v. Doth, 
    159 F.3d 328
    , 332 (8th Cir. 1998).
    We agree with the district court that there was no breach of contract. The lease
    unambiguously provides that a contractor is responsible for unloading freight. The
    manual clearly dictates that an owner-operator who refuses a load is not entitled to
    payment for bounce miles. Therefore, Jessep suffered only the consequences he
    contracted for when he refused the “driver assist” load.
    We also find no violation of 
    49 U.S.C. § 14103
    (b). The plain language of the
    statute does not prohibit all unloading of motor vehicles by drivers, only coerced
    unloading. Related statutes clarify that carriers and drivers are expected to enter into
    contractual agreements as to who will be responsible for unloading freight. See 
    49 U.S.C. § 14102
    (b) (“any arrangement, between a motor carrier . . . and any other
    person, under which such other person is to provide any portion of such
    transportation by a motor vehicle not owned by the carrier shall specify, in writing,
    who is responsible for loading and unloading the property onto and from the motor
    vehicle”); 
    49 U.S.C. § 14103
    (a) (whenever shipper or receiver requires owner or
    -3-
    operator be assisted in loading or unloading vehicle, “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” assistants); 
    49 C.F.R. § 376.12
    (e) (2002) (“The lease shall clearly specify who is responsible for loading
    and unloading the property onto and from the motor vehicle, and the compensation,
    if any, to be paid for this service.”). Additionally, the legislative history indicates
    section 14103 was meant to prohibit coercive and extortionate practices. See H.R.
    Rep. No. 96-1069, at 30-31 (1980) (“Where owner-operator is leased to a regulated
    carrier, the Committee expects the lease to specify the responsibility of the carrier and
    owner-operator regarding loading and unloading, including compensation.”).
    Jessep’s remaining arguments are either meritless or are not properly before us,
    because they are raised for the first time in Jessup’s reply brief.
    Accordingly, we affirm.
    ______________________________
    -4-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 03-2005

Filed Date: 12/2/2003

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/13/2015