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HOURS OF SERVICE / FATIGUE

Truck Safety Coalition Issues Travelers alert!

The Truck Safety Coalition
Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways - Parents Against Tired Truckers
1606 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036

On October 1, a new and dangerous trucking hours-of-service rule went into effect, placing in harm’s way all drivers and passengers on the highways. This rule is very similar to its previous harmful version, which allowed truck drivers to work for more hours than other workers. Even worse, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is delaying enforcement of these rules because it says truck drivers need time to adjust.

For the past year, the FMCSA regulations have allowed truck drivers to drive 11 hours per shift, which is already too long. But now, no one will be holding the drivers accountable if they violate the rule, even though the rule has not changed substantially.

From October 1 until October 24, FMCSA says it is not enforcing the new trucking hours-of-service regulations at all. “FMCSA personnel will not cite or document non-compliance with any provision of the new HOS rule discovered during a compliance review, safety audit or roadside inspection.” This means that trucking companies and shippers can exploit their drivers even more than they do now. Even if a truck driver has driven for well over the 11-hour driving limit or works beyond the 14-hour work day, that driver and the trucking company will not receive any punishment from law enforcement.

From October 25 through December 31, FMCSA is allowing its enforcement personnel and state personnel to choose not to enforce the rules. It’s Enforcement Lite.

More than 5,000 deaths and 100,000 injuries in large truck crashes occur each year. The failure to enforce HOS rules is irresponsible and puts you and your family in serious danger.