USA : Teamsters and ATA comment on new HOS rule
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Teamsters and ATA comment on new HOS rule
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The FMCSA’s newly issued Hours-of-Service rule is a threat to highway safety, says the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, although the American Trucking Associations say the rules have been a factor in improved highway safety. (8/22/2005)
ATA president & CEO, Bill Graves, commented that, according to the ATA’s research, the current HOS rules have been measurably effective in improving safety on US highways. “However, we need to closely examine the impact of the new ‘sleeper berth’ rule on trucking companies and their drivers, particularly team drivers that are so critical to our just-in-time economy,” he said. “In the meantime we feel confident that the trucking industry will continue its positive progress in safety and productivity under these rules.”
The Teamsters union, however, has opposed the new HOS rule for truck drivers, saying it is a major setback for highway safety, increasing the potential for deadly accidents by forcing drivers to log even more hours on the road. [Refer FMCSA issues new HOS rule]
According to a Teamsters’ statement, the new regulation is a repackaged version of the old rule that was struck down last year by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit because the government failed to consider the health of drivers in crafting the rule. The new proposal has once again ignored the health of drivers and the safety of the driving public, increasing the number of hours that drivers can stay behind the wheel without a rest break, says Teamsters.
“This proposed rule is yet another outrageous power grab by ruthless companies,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president. “Some greedy employers are trying to squeeze drivers to enrich their bottom line at the expense of public safety on America's highways.”
Two years ago, the Bush administration overhauled the HOS rule, raising drivers' time on the road for the first time in six decades. The appeals court said the changes were ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and struck down the rule that raised driving time without rest from ten hours to eleven hours. The newly proposed rule would still force drivers to stay behind the wheel for eleven hours.
Teamsters points out that, under the rules, truck drivers not required to have a commercial licence who travel within a radius of 150 miles, would now be allowed to work two 16-hour days a week. Wal-Mart and other retailers pushed unsuccessfully for the change in Congress earlier this year.
“Since Congress couldn't do Wal-Mart's bidding, it appears the Transportation Department will,” said Hoffa. “What reasonable person who has travelld our nation's roads and highways thinks that forcing tired truck drivers to stay behind the wheel even longer is good public policy?”
Truckers who use sleeper berths will be required to rest for eight hours and take another two hours off duty before resetting their daily driving schedule.
“It's ludicrous,” said Tyson Johnson, Teamsters’ national freight director. “This requires a driver to drive ten hours every 20 to 22 hours, which will significantly increase fatigue.”
Vois aussi :
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos/hos-2005.htm#tables
Teamsters and ATA comment on new HOS rule
_____________________________________________
The FMCSA’s newly issued Hours-of-Service rule is a threat to highway safety, says the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, although the American Trucking Associations say the rules have been a factor in improved highway safety. (8/22/2005)
ATA president & CEO, Bill Graves, commented that, according to the ATA’s research, the current HOS rules have been measurably effective in improving safety on US highways. “However, we need to closely examine the impact of the new ‘sleeper berth’ rule on trucking companies and their drivers, particularly team drivers that are so critical to our just-in-time economy,” he said. “In the meantime we feel confident that the trucking industry will continue its positive progress in safety and productivity under these rules.”
The Teamsters union, however, has opposed the new HOS rule for truck drivers, saying it is a major setback for highway safety, increasing the potential for deadly accidents by forcing drivers to log even more hours on the road. [Refer FMCSA issues new HOS rule]
According to a Teamsters’ statement, the new regulation is a repackaged version of the old rule that was struck down last year by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit because the government failed to consider the health of drivers in crafting the rule. The new proposal has once again ignored the health of drivers and the safety of the driving public, increasing the number of hours that drivers can stay behind the wheel without a rest break, says Teamsters.
“This proposed rule is yet another outrageous power grab by ruthless companies,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president. “Some greedy employers are trying to squeeze drivers to enrich their bottom line at the expense of public safety on America's highways.”
Two years ago, the Bush administration overhauled the HOS rule, raising drivers' time on the road for the first time in six decades. The appeals court said the changes were ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and struck down the rule that raised driving time without rest from ten hours to eleven hours. The newly proposed rule would still force drivers to stay behind the wheel for eleven hours.
Teamsters points out that, under the rules, truck drivers not required to have a commercial licence who travel within a radius of 150 miles, would now be allowed to work two 16-hour days a week. Wal-Mart and other retailers pushed unsuccessfully for the change in Congress earlier this year.
“Since Congress couldn't do Wal-Mart's bidding, it appears the Transportation Department will,” said Hoffa. “What reasonable person who has travelld our nation's roads and highways thinks that forcing tired truck drivers to stay behind the wheel even longer is good public policy?”
Truckers who use sleeper berths will be required to rest for eight hours and take another two hours off duty before resetting their daily driving schedule.
“It's ludicrous,” said Tyson Johnson, Teamsters’ national freight director. “This requires a driver to drive ten hours every 20 to 22 hours, which will significantly increase fatigue.”
Vois aussi :
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos/hos-2005.htm#tables