Independent review criticizes FMCSA, proposed HOS rule

Arlington, VA – An independent review (.pdf file) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service “Regulatory Impact Analyses” concluded the agency overstated the proposal’s benefits, according to findings released Feb. 16 by the American Trucking Associations.

The review, conducted by the Washington-based consulting firm Edgeworth Economics, was released prior to FMCSA’s Feb. 17 public listening session on proposed changes to HOS. ATA, which funded the review, reported that researchers concluded FMCSA used questionable logic, inadequate data and sloppy math in attempting to justify its proposed changes to HOS rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers.

ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said the findings support his organization’s stance that as proposed, the new HOS rules would impose significant costs on the trucking industry without improving safety.