U.S. Stays With Controversial Trucker Rule

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - Truck drivers can stay behind the wheel for 11 consecutive hours without taking a rest — leaving intact a rule that truckers and safety advocates alike say is unsafe.

The Bush administration on Friday announced that it had slightly revised a rule governing how long truckers can drive and how long they must be off duty. A federal court threw out the rule more than a year ago.
....
There was one slight change to the rule: drivers using a sleeper berth must spend at least 8 consecutive hours in it, and should be allowed two hours off duty. Before, they could split 10 hours of time off duty and in the sleeper berth into two parts.

The government also announced a new set of rules for truck drivers who travel less than 150 miles in a day. Those rules would allow them to work two 16-hour days a week.

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[sam sarrha]

1. Before that rule we drove 4 on and 4 off..FOR EVER.. watch out..!!

Talk about sleep deprivation.. that system after a week will give anyone the same driving impairment.. as a blood alcohol of 2.. we had 18 drivers killed by October.. 68 roll overs and 114 rear-enders.

it is a bitch to get to a site and have to wait half your allotted time cause some asshole and his weird power trip or incompetence.. when the wheels are not turning you aren't make'n money..

dont fall for the truck driving schools $36,000 a year.. wont happen.. and only 1 in 8 drive a year. and they got a loan.

[Tempest]

2. In California, accidents involving truckers is way up

Especially on I5 through the Grapevine area (central valley).

There were three just last week with two fatalities.

[Burried News]

3. Boy does the MSM need to cover this.

I have never even seen stats on the number of accidents. In two fairly recent ones on US 40 the trucks went right accross the median, thru steel cables dividers and hit traffic coming the other way. There was no evidence the brakes were ever applied. In the Atlanta area - every night there seems to be a trucking accident on their interstate interchanges (20,75,85, 285) where cars are routinely going 75+ miles per hour.

I had an acquaintance years back. Took the family to Disney World. Pulled off HWY to check map. Rear ended by tractor trailer. Mom survived, husband and 3 children killed. Devastated the community for a year.

When I use the term oil cartel I include truck manufacturers, tire companies and trucking industry. They are untouchable.

Does anyone else look at the concrete barriers and see how many times they show an impact. And the roads to see heavy skid marks. And the tonnage indicators on shipping containers. Freightening.

We won't be seeing this on the 630 news? What ever happened to truck bumpers having to match with car bumpers in height - defeated. Even Ralph Mader doesn't go near this issue.