Arlington, VA – The American Trucking Associations filed an opening brief (.pdf file) on July 24 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in its lawsuit against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service final rule (.pdf file). ATA claimed that FMCSA’s assertions that the regulatory changes in the rule will increase safety are “irrational assumptions” and only would provide minimal safety benefits that do not justify restricting commercial motor vehicle operators.
The association requested that the court discard the final rule’s provisions to restrict drivers from using a 34-hour continuous rest restart provision to only once per week and with two periods between 1 and 5 a.m. and a requirement that certain drivers take a 30-minute break each shift, including short-haul drivers.
The HOS final rule is scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2013, unless appealed.
