Federal Trucking Rules Effective October 1
The Bush Administration is pushing forward with new trucking rules, even though the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found a similar set of rules "arbitrary and capricious" and "a threat to driver's health" just last year. The rules come into effect October 1, 2005.
Here is a summary of the "highlights" of the new rules, as prepared by Lawyers Weekly U.S.A. :
*Increase the limit for consecutive driving for long-haul truckers to 11 hours, up from the 10-hour limit that had been in effect until 2003. However, they also shorten the total workday (including non-driving time) to 14 hours, down from 15.
* Allow up to 60 hours of interstate driving over a seven-day period and 70 hours over an eight-day period. But the rules also allow a driver to restart a seven- or eight-day work week after 34 hours off-duty. That means that a driver could actually drive 77 hours in a seven-day period if he took 34 hours off before the close of the weekly limits, the D.C. Circuit noted in its decision.
* Eliminate a requirement that short-haul drivers log the number of hours a day that they work.
Public Citizen and several other groups had successfully challenged a prior substantially similar version of the rules but has not indicated whether it will challenge these.
Read the entire article here.
Is OK Friday is my last day anyway! Had enough. Do yuou believe that? One day Mr. Day, I will send you a log showing you what the Govt has just done to trucking! Take care:)
Hi Mr. Day. Dont worry, I'm not gonna moan and groan and bellyache about the way things are in trucking this time.
I got to thinking about what you said about the special interests groups and all and I have decided I will start my own special interest group. I'm gonna call it GDAMM (Good Drivers Against Mad Mothers). Our motto will be "Somebody restrain her before she has a stroke".
It will give me instant knowledge and authority over many things that I know nothing at all about and will make the lawmakers stand up and take notice before they pass a law that might offend my group.
Who knows? Someday when I get tired of influencing the lawmakers against the madd mothers, maybe I'll join the groups and become their president? Have a good weekend.