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Truckers hail 29-1 Senate committee vote to stay hours-of-service rule

THE American Trucking Associations (ATA) applauded the Senate Appropriations Committee 29-1 vote to have year's delay in the imposition of the contentious hours-of-service rules regarded by truckers as "unscientific".

"The ATA has maintained they are unsupported by science and since they were implemented in 2013 and the industry and economy have experienced negative effects," said ATA president and CEO Bill Graves.

Mr Graves thanked Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins for what has become known as the Collins Amendment, that would suspend for a year the new restart rules that push more trucks onto the road during daytime.

Said Todd Spencer, vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association: "Truckers have long pointed out the negative impacts of the 2013 changes on their ability to get rest, stay out of busy city traffic, spend time at home, and make a family-supporting income."

"We thank Senator Collins and the members of the committee for this important amendment," said Mr Spencer, reported American Shipper.

Senator Collins is seeking to suspend the rule that truckers can't drive 1 - 5am for two consecutive nights. She also wants to defer 34-hour restart rule to just once a week.

This is a consequence, it is claimed, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration failed to fully analyse from a safety standpoint.

"America expects its freight to be moved, and these new rules prevent drivers from taking a restart over the weekend," said ATA chairman Phil Byrd, president of Bulldog Hiway Express of Charleston, South Carolina.

"As a result, they need to take their restart midweek leading to shipping delays and costs.

"This regulation dumps concentrated amounts of trucks on the highways at 5am on Monday when America is heading to work and school," Mr Byrd said.