Halfway Through the FMCSA Hearings on Hours of Service Regulations
Posted by Karen Thomas on Sun, Jan 24, 2010 @ 07:52 PM
Halfway through it Hours of Service (HOS) hearings, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has heard an earful. The most recent hearing occurred Friday, January 22nd at the Hyatt Regency at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. Representatives from the American Trucking Association (ATA) as well as several special interest groups were able to present their opinions on the effectiveness of the FMCSA's current, HOS regulations. Friday's meeting was the second of four being held throughout the country.
To clarify the issues at hand, here's background information on the current HOS regulations:
The Hours-of-Service regulations (49 CFR Part 395) put limits in place for when and how long commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers may drive. These regulations are based on an exhaustive scientific review and are designed to ensure truck drivers get the necessary rest to perform safe operations. FMCSA also reviewed existing fatigue research and worked with organizations like the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and the National Institute for Occupational Safety in setting these HOS rules.
The hearings are an open opportunity for industry professionals and special interest groups to share what they believe works - and doesn't'- in regards to sleeper berth usage time, rest time, and how the current HOS regulations affect driver responsibilities.
Among those organizations who believe the current HOS regulations have room for improvement are the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and its affiliates. The message at Friday's meeting was that the current HOS rules do in fact work, but could work even better with added flexibility in regards to sleeper berth usage.
Special interest groups and companies representing the ATA encouraged the FMSCA to reassess its HOS regulations and requested to accommodate differing views on fatigue including sleep disorder awareness while increasing the utilization of Fatigue Risk Management Programs.
The next hearing will be held in Los Angeles on January 25th.