DOT Signals Change in the Hours of Service Rules
Posted on November 19, 2009
Filed Under GENERAL, HORROR STORIES, HOURS OF SERVICE, IN THE NEWS
After defending the new hours of service rules since 2003 when they were implemented, DOT is waving the white flag, surrendering to the safety crazies. In late October, 2009, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood announced the agency was starting over in developing an hours of service rule. In exchange, Public Citizen and the safety crazies have suspended their lawsuit against the agency. Quid Pro Quo.
The DOT has said they will have a proposed rule in 9 months, and a final rule in 21 months. If they stick to this timetable, this means you will have a new set of hours of service rules to work under in 2 years. My guess is they will adhere to the timetable, since the rewrite is going to be relatively simple. I believe (and I have no inside information on this, it is merely my educated guess), the new rules will be a 10 hour rule, instead of 11, the 14 hour rule will stay the same, and we’ll lose the 34 hour restart of the 70 hour rule. That’s my guess, although it might be worse than that, since Joan Claybrook is writing the rule.
The new rule will not prevent any more accidents than the current rule. Bank on that. It will make transportation more costly and less efficient. These costs will be partially absorbed by the industry, although most of them will be passed along to the consumers. So prepare yourselves: in 2 years you will not be allowed to work as many hours as you do today.
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4 Responses to “DOT Signals Change in the Hours of Service Rules”
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I work for Sysco food company. With the law in place with 14 hours on and 10 off, Sysco has realized that it is cheeper to pay me overtime, then bring in more divers. We are a local delivery company. I drive 40 to 60 miles in a day. We unload our product. To have the hours of service lowered, will save our lives. They are over working us to the point were it is unsafe. Driving after working 12 to 13 hours feels very unsafe. Hopefully this law will pass, and me and my co-workers can have our lives back. thank you Joseph Vitulli
Thank you for your input. Funny, though, I predict they will keep the 14 hour rule, so you’re probably still going work 14 hours a day. I’m not surprised Sysco is working you OT, and not hiring anyone. I’ve heard that from other companies, and not just trucking companies. It’s expensive to hire employees, and with each new law and regulation, it gets more expensive. Then if the economy suddenly gets worse, and business dries up, you’re left holding the bag. It’s smart business to not hire anyone.
It does not matter how long we can drive or the 14 hour rule . Companys are going to schdule as much work into 14 hours as they can. With the 14 houe rule there should be 2 ,1 hour OFF DUTY breaks that do not effect the 14 hours!!!! I have been driving for 30 years (18 with my company)and i dont mind a long day if I have a break every 5 to 6 houres or so!! We make good money as truck drivers and WE DO THE WORK !! How about the DOT asking some of us about what will work and what won’t. Not one rule will work for all drivers !!
Gary, they are going to officially publish this on December 29. You will then have 60 days to comment. Here is the URL, with information on how to comment.
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos-proposed/hos-proposed.aspx
Now, as I said in my post this morning, comment away. It won’t matter, but if it will make you feel better, by all means do it. No offense, but it wouldn’t matter if George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Moses commented. DOT is going to do whatever DOT wants, and dare you to stop them. The only way to stop them, is by putting the heat on your Congressmen and Senators. They’re the ones who turned loose the unelected bureaucrats, and ultimately they’re the only ones who can stop them. Well, either that, or elect a different President in 2 years.