Court Delays Truckers' Hours Rules
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal court has delayed until Dec. 27 a requirement that would reduce by one hour the time truckers can drive continuously.
The court ordered the 90-day stay on Friday.
Last month government regulators and the trucking industry's trade group requested the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issue longer stays of its decision that the daily driving limit be cut to 10 hours for long-haul truckers.
The court-ordered rule would change that standard to 10 hours behind the wheel followed by eight hours of rest. Under the 11-hour driving limit, truckers are required to then rest for 10 hours.
Consumer advocates applauded the court's initial ruling because they say the industry is putting the public at risk by allowing truckers to drive too many hours.
But the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had requested a 12-month stay, backing industry assertions that reducing the limit would be expensive and require it to retrain drivers and operating personnel, reprint logs, reengineer routes and make other changes. The American Trucking Associations had asked for an 8-month delay.
Washington-based consumer watchdog Public Citizen opposed any stays, arguing that federal regulators used the same tactic two years ago to maintain the old requirements, but said the court's decision added pressure for the regulators and industry to comply.
``Ninety days really puts them to the test,'' Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, said Monday.
The ATA, whose members include United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx Corp., JB Hunt Transport Services Inc. and YRC Worldwide, welcomed the court's decision and said it provided regulators sufficient time to issue an interim rule retaining the 11-hour driving limit.
FMCSA said it was ``carefully evaluating our options in light of the court's ruling.''
The court ordered the 90-day stay on Friday.
Last month government regulators and the trucking industry's trade group requested the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issue longer stays of its decision that the daily driving limit be cut to 10 hours for long-haul truckers.
The court-ordered rule would change that standard to 10 hours behind the wheel followed by eight hours of rest. Under the 11-hour driving limit, truckers are required to then rest for 10 hours.
Consumer advocates applauded the court's initial ruling because they say the industry is putting the public at risk by allowing truckers to drive too many hours.
But the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had requested a 12-month stay, backing industry assertions that reducing the limit would be expensive and require it to retrain drivers and operating personnel, reprint logs, reengineer routes and make other changes. The American Trucking Associations had asked for an 8-month delay.
Washington-based consumer watchdog Public Citizen opposed any stays, arguing that federal regulators used the same tactic two years ago to maintain the old requirements, but said the court's decision added pressure for the regulators and industry to comply.
``Ninety days really puts them to the test,'' Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, said Monday.
The ATA, whose members include United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx Corp., JB Hunt Transport Services Inc. and YRC Worldwide, welcomed the court's decision and said it provided regulators sufficient time to issue an interim rule retaining the 11-hour driving limit.
FMCSA said it was ``carefully evaluating our options in light of the court's ruling.''
posted by Chuck Demastus at
9:14 PM
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