Trucking

After a prolonged legal battle, new limits on truck driver hours of service are now in effect. But some industry stakeholders, labor unions and transportation safety advocates continue to disagree on whether the new regulations will increase driver safety and health and how the trucking industry will be affected.

Arlington, VA – Truck drivers and carriers can participate in a confidential survey to discuss how new hours-of-service regulations have affected their operations.

Arlington, VA – The National Sleep Foundation, which advocates research and treatment of sleep disorders, has come out against a Senate bill (S. 1537) that could prevent or delay new requirements for mandatory screening of truck and bus drivers to detect obstructive sleep apnea.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has withdrawn its 2007 proposal on entry-level training requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers and will begin a new rulemaking process.

Washington – The rates of commercial motor vehicles and drivers placed out of service during this year’s annual Roadcheck – a safety enforcement and outreach event – were slightly lower than in 2012, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Washington – Lawmakers introduced a bill on Sept. 12 to require obstructive sleep apnea screening requirements for truck and bus drivers to be established through formal rulemaking.

Washington – A group of 51 Congress members recently criticized the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for allowing new hours-of-service regulations to go into effect before the agency completed a field study on the rule’s effectiveness.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has updated the software it uses to calculate civil penalties for safety violations.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has begun testing whether off-site safety audits are as effective as onsite safety audits at determining a new truck carrier’s safety performance.

Washington – A federal transportation safety advisory committee and a medical review board are scheduled to host a joint public meeting Sept. 9-10 in Alexandria, VA, to discuss several ongoing transportation safety topics.