Hours of Service Under Review Again

The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) reported that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will review driver hours of service rules and issue a new notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) within nine months.

In return for the FMCSA review, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen and other safety advocates agreed to put their court challenge of current rules on hold.

The advocacy groups had challenged the hours-of-service rules in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, objecting to the provision which extended the hours that commercial truckers may drive from 10 hours to 11 hours, while shortening the total hours drivers may work per day from 15 to 14 hours. Included in their challenge was the restart period that allows drivers to get back on the road 34 hours after completing a full week of driving time.

“We are pleased that the government has decided to take seriously its responsibility to protect truck drivers and the public from unsafe driving conditions instead of bending to the interests of the trucking industry,” said Greg Beck, the Public Citizen lawyer handling the case.

Current Hours of Service Rules