OOIDA thanks senators who signed hours-of-service letter

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The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) recently thanked the 30 U.S. senators who sent a letter to Raymond Martinez, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), urging the government to reform the hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers.

The current regulations do not provide enough flexibility, the letter said. There needs to be a commonsense approach for drivers, not a one size fits all model, the letter said.

The senators urged the government to examine all the options.

The OOIDA also announced its support of the Responsible and Effective Standards for Truckers Act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), that would allow drivers to take one rest break per shift, for up to three consecutive hours, which would not count toward the driver’s 14-hour, on-duty allowance.

“We thank Rep. Babin for recognizing the need to address the lack of options for truckers trying to safely operate under today’s overly rigid federal regulations,” Todd Spencer, acting OOIDA president and CEO, said. “We want to see improvements to highway safety and what we have right now isn’t going to get that done.”

The OOIDA has petitioned the FMCSA to improve hours-of-service regulations. Current regulations do not reflect the physical capabilities or limitations of individual drivers, OOIDA said.