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Feds Retains Truck Driver Hours of Service Rules

Federal transportation safety officials last week announced new rules governing truck driver hours of service rules.  Los Angeles truck accident lawyers were disappointed to see that the current 11-hour rule will continue to stand.

However, the Department of Transportation has made some compromises, by capping the number of hours that drivers can work in a week. San Diego  truck accident lawyers had been hoping for a reduction of the work rules from the current 11 hours to 10 hours.  Those proposals have been strongly supported by trucking safety groups as well as families of victims of accidents.  Fatigue has been a major safety issue over the past couple of years, while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been reviewing the Hours of Service rules.  The trucking industry has been strongly opposed to any reduction of the work rules, and not surprisingly so.

Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the new rules.  According to the new rules, the number of hours that a trucker can drive in a week has been restricted to 70 per week.  Under the old rules, truck drivers were allowed to drive up to 82 hours per week.  That is one minor victory for trucking safety groups and Los Angeles truck accident lawyers.  However, the number of consecutive hours that the truck driver can drive in a day has been retained at the current 11 hours, and has not been reduced to 10 hours as trucking safety groups had been demanding.

Some safety groups that had been pushing for the 10-hour rule have already criticized the new rule, saying that it will contribute to truck driver fatigue and increase the number of accidents involving driver fatigue.  They say that the rule does not come close to addressing the problem of fatigue in the industry, and Los Angeles truck accident lawyers have to agree with that.  However, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood says that the new rule will help prevent truck accidents caused by fatigue, and will save lives in such accidents every year.  For instance, the 72-hour work week may seem like a victory of sorts considering that as part of the earlier rule, drivers were allowed to drive 82 hours a week.  However, when you consider that those 72 hours are spent controlling a massive 80,000 pound machine, you understand the risk in it.

Another concession that was made in the name of safety was the provision that drivers would get at least 2 weekly rest periods between 1 am and 5 am.  Trucking industry groups have strongly opposed this particular inclusion in the rules.  They believe that this new rule will ensure that trucks flood the roads in large numbers during peak hours in the morning.  Both the trucking industry as well as trucking safety groups are considering going to court to challenge the rules.

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One response to “Feds Retains Truck Driver Hours of Service Rules”

1. leland writes:
   

   Unsafe driving is a problem. I have a transportation company and reported unsafe driving several times. Fatigue is a problem, but lawyers and some of the groups trying to change these laws are window dressers. The last hours of service change is admitted by DOT officers to have an adverse affect. More flex in the driving hours are needed. Once a driver has started he can’t stop with out cutting his time. Do you really thing this is helpful. The driver is going to drive when he would rather rest. Your new laws work aginst the very thing every one wants (safe drivers). Your claim to victory is miss guided.

   There are so many areas that can be improved to really make a differance but lawyers a groups trying to put more regulation on the drivers can’t see the trees for the forest. Stop pushing the rope and make some real helpful changes that helps the drivers not put more problems in their day.

   Here is one change you can start with, make drivers of cars take a review of the laws every year or two. This works with pilot license. Many of the wrecks you complain about are the end results of cars forcing trucks to react. It is unbelivable how cars operate around trucks. The car is gone and you find the driver has a slight vilation and pin the problem on him just becasue the court can, but the real problem drove off but the money is in the truck insurance. Help the industry and work with solutions that make not make headlines but save life.

   @ January 6th, 2012 at 20:34