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ATA counters what it calls HOS ‘myths’

ARLINGTON, Va. — Trucks on the nation’s highways are safer now, while operating under federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that debuted in 2004, than they have ever been, the American Trucking Associations said in a “review of myths and facts” on its Web site in response to a lawsuit filed on Monday. (See related article by clicking here. )

“The rates of truck-involved fatal crashes and injuries have declined every year since the current HOS regulations went into effect,” stated ATA, adding that “ignoring these facts, the Teamsters and three so-called safety groups filed suit against the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday for the third time over these HOS rules.

“These rules reduced the maximum length of the truck driver’s work day by at least one hour and increased the daily required number of hours of rest by two hours. The work day was shortened from a previous maximum of 15 hours (which could be extended by breaks) to no more than 14 consecutive hours. Drivers are required to rest at least 10 hours between shifts, with at least eight of those hours in the sleeper berth if it is used while on the road. Within the shorter work day, the rules allow 11 hours of driving instead of the previous10.”

ATA’s response went on to say that the groups contend the 34-hour restart allows significantly longer driving and on-duty times in a week than the pre-2004 rules. However, it noted, “FMCSA found that longer hypothetical hours in driving and duty schedules envisioned by critics requires an imaginary world with nearly perfect logistics. In the real world, drivers have found that the 34-hour restart gives them more rest and time off, not less.”

In January 2009, the FMCSA responded to these same allegations when it rejected Public Citizen’s petition to reconsider the HOS rules, ATA continued.

“FMCSA’s response details how the HOS regulations have stood up to rigorous tests in the real world,” said ATA, adding that “the 11-hour driving rule and 34-hour restart have now been in effect since January 2004. During this five-year period — representing billions of commercial motor vehicle driver hours and hundreds of billions of miles traveled — the significant increase in truck crashes and fatalities that one would have anticipated, based on [the] petitioners’ criticism, has simply failed to occur. Indeed, the overall large truck fatality rate is at its lowest level since records have been kept.”

ATA noted that Monday, these groups also sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood asking him to open a new HOS rulemaking.  However, no new arguments or evidence was included in the letter.

ATA pointed to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ reported rate of occupational injuries and illnesses in the trucking industry, which decreased by nearly 18 percent between 2004 and 2007.

Barb Kampbell of The Trucker staff may be reached to comment on this article at [email protected].