WASHINGTON -- A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court involving a case of overtime pay for truck drivers is being seen as possibly having major long-term implications for all commercial vehicle operators.

The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a Washington Supreme Court ruling declaring that truck drivers are entitled to overtime pay beyond 40 hours of work regardless of how much of their driving took place within the state.

The effect of the high court action is to end legal challenges to the overtime ruling by the trucking company involved, Food Express, which had been joined in its fight by the American Trucking Associations and the Washington Trucking Association. (See Nov. 15 Bus & Motorcoach News.)

The decision also raises the possibility other drivers could file similar suits and force trucking and other companies to re-examine driver compensation.

The Washington Supreme Court awarded nearly $10,000 in unpaid overtime to trucker Larie Bostain of Vancouver, Wash., who had filed suit against Food Express, which is based in Arcadia, Calif.

The minimum-wage law in Washington state "unambiguously requires that overtime be paid to a Washington employee based on all hours worked," Washington Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen wrote for the majority in the March 1 decision.

Phillip Talmadge, a Seattle lawyer who handled the U.S. Supreme Court appeal and represented the American Trucking Associations, said the ruling could lead to confusion between state and federal wage and commerce laws, especially in the trucking industry, and in communities near the Washington state border, such as Portland, Ore.

The case grew from Bostain's 10-year employment as a driver for Food Express, a company that moves bakery flour, corn starch and other commodities.

Bostain, who now drives for a different employer, was fired May 28, 2002. The firing triggered an audit of his driver logs, which revealed he had been violating hours-of-service rules.

It also showed he averaged 48 working hours a week but wasnt paid overtime. Bostain filed suit later that year.

Food Express argued that because Bostain never worked more than 40 hours a week when driving in Washington, the state minimum-wage law pertained only to hours worked in Washington.

A state court rejected the company argument and agreed with Bostain, awarding him $9,846.64 in unpaid overtime, $3,236.21 in prejudgment interest and $15,000 in attorney fees. An appellate ruling overturned that finding, but the Washington Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, reinstated the lower courts original decision. The state high court also asked that attorney fees be recalculated to cover the appeals.

The ATA and WTA filed an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Food Express appeal. The associations argued that the Washington state ruling, which overturned almost 20 years of state administrative precedent, would inject Washingtons overtime regulatory system into other states in violation of the U.S. Constitution commerce clause and preemption of state interference in carrier rates, routes and services.