I recently read an article in Land Line magazine entitled “A Trucking Ticking Time Bomb HOS”. The article continuously stated how truck drivers need to speak up so they are heard. In November, OOIDA filed an exemption request asking the FMCSA to allow small trucking carriers that do not have an “unsatisfactory” safety rating and can document a proven history of safety performance without attributable at-fault crashes to be allowed to continue to use paper logs rather than ELDs. This request received support from 25 lawmakers, with Brian Babin-Texas, Greg Gianforte-Mont., and Steve King-IA leading the cause. The FMCSA has not responded to OOIDA’s exemption request; however, they have granted exemptions to four segments in the industry. Thus, leading us to believe it is not as solid as they believed.
A formal petition submitted on February 13th by OOIDA along U.S. Dep. Of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin. Deputy Administrator Cathy Gautreaux states the following: “Trucking is heavily regulated, and many of the regulations are strictly enforced. Yet, highway safety is getting worse, not better. Perhaps it’s time for new approach, one that involves more input from truckers with millions of miles of safe driving experience and less input from those with little to no experience behind the wheel of a truck.”
According to Jones (2018), “Both the petition and bill request ask for truckers to have the option to pause the 14-hour clock one a day, for up to three hours, for needed rest breaks during the day. Both also seek the elimination of the mandatory 30- minute rest break.”(p. 21).
OOIDA’s Director of Government Affairs Miek Matousek encourages drivers to call their lawmakers . Miek stated “Lawmakers are busy campaigning for midterms. Let them know what you expect of them and that you’re more than prepared to vote accordingly if they don’t act.”
Jones, Jami. “A Trucking Ticking Time bomb.” Land Line, June 2018, 20-21.
