Appeals court hears arguments against hours-of-service regs
Washington – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on March 15 heard arguments against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2011 final rule (.pdf file) on hours-of-service regulations for commercial motor vehicle operators.
Advocacy group Public Citizen testified against the final rule’s allowance for an 11th hour of maximum on-duty time for property-carrying drivers, which it previously has challenged in court. According to a Public Citizen press release, the organization believes allowing an 11th hour of duty time may fatigue truck drivers and jeopardize roadway safety.
During the hearing, the Arlington, VA-based American Trucking Associations argued against provisions in the new rule that limit when drivers can “reset” their weekly maximum driving hours and mandate drivers take a 30-minute break during work shifts.
The court does not have a deadline for when it must issue a ruling, ATA said in a press release.
Unless appealed, enforcement for the final rule begins July 1.
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