Another Midnight Reg.: New Bush Rule Raises Limits On Truck Drivers' Hours

[babylonsister]

Another Midnight Reg: Keep Truckin’ (For Longer Hours)

by Jesse Nankin, ProPublica - December 12, 2008 12:45 pm EST


Just how many hours truckers can drive before they become a safety risk has been a running battle under President Bush’s watch. Now in its waning days, the administration has tried to settle the issue one last time by finalizing the same rule the courts have already rejected twice.

Will the third time be the charm?

The rule, drafted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, allows truckers to work up to 14 consecutive hours a day, including 11 behind the wheel. It also would limit total work hours in a week.

Critics say the administration’s rule falls short of what’s needed to protect the public. Large-truck accidents killed 4,808 people last year, and most of the victims—about 80 percent—were not in the trucks.

“There are plenty of good studies that show crash risk increases after 8 to 10 hours of driving,“ said Anne McCartt, senior vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

more...

http://www.propublica.org/article/another-midnight-reg-keep-truckin-for-longer-hours-1212#When:12:45:04Z

[sarcasmo]

1. Being a former truck driver under the old rules, I would not want to run under these new rules.

The only way to make money in trucking is to have the wheels in motion. The new rule was a real screw job to the solo driver.

[Kermitt Gribble]

2. I was a truck driver for 10 years.

I believe the max was 10 hours when I started, then increased to 12, which I thought was too much. 14 is absolutely ridiculous. They must be trying to help the caffeine pill industry .:shrug:

[babylonsister]

3. I can see the amount of highway accidents going way up from

people falling asleep at the wheel. Didn't they even wonder why this was not approved, twice?