The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) recently thanked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for their “common sense approach” to how long truck drivers work and drive.
“Truckers have families and want to get home safely just like everyone else. They are the most knowledgeable, highway safety advocates and the agency’s proposal, overall, recognizes that fact,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said.
OOIDA officials were specifically pleased that the federal government seems to have listened to the concerns of truck drivers and that the new rules include provisions that make it easier for them to avoid heavy traffic, bad weather, and other less than ideal situations.
In recent years, truck drivers have been expected to comply with many strict regulations while still meeting the needs of shippers and receivers that are often not aware of the federal rules being enforced.
“Over the past decade, truck drivers have been more regulated than ever, and more compliant than ever, and yet crashes are going up,” Spencer said. “We have pushed for flexibility in hours of service regulations for years, long before the current Administration. We thank Administrator Ray Martinez for his commitment to the issue and for listening to those that actually drive trucks for a living.”
The newly announced proposed rules include expanding the short haul air-mile radius from 100 to 150 air miles and extending the short haul duty period from 12 to 14 hours. The rules also include modifying the 30-minute rest break to only apply after eight hours of driving and allowing the ability to stop the 14-hour clock as well as providing options for divers to split their time.
“There may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, but the proposed changes are a positive start since truckers don’t have any control over their schedules or traffic conditions. For too long and too often, they find themselves in unsafe circumstances because of current, overly restrictive rules that decrease highway safety.”