Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/466315
20 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2015 JOURNAL NEWS ber of inspections conducted during the October 2011-October 2014 pilot program yielded enough information for the agency to decide to allow all Mexican carriers to apply for U.S. operating authority. FMCSA spokesperson Marissa Padilla said the agency gleaned a "robust set of data" from the pro- gram, pointing to the more than 5,500 inspections conducted as evidence. Also in the same three-year timespan, the agency gathered inspection data from 952 Mexican-owned carriers, Padilla said – data also used in the determination to open DOT's applica- tion process to Mexican-based carriers. The low number of participants wasn't an issue, Padilla said, as the number of inspections was the primary goal. FMCSA originally projected it would need 46 carriers participating in the pilot program to produce the 4,100 inspections. As noted by OIG, however, 80 per- cent of the inspections conducted during the program were performed on two carriers that accounted for 90 percent of the border crossings. But Padilla said 351 of the 952 Mexican carriers studied in con- junction with the program received authority during the three-year period – part of the data used by the agency to make its determination but not studied by OIG, Padilla said. Carrier and owner-driver groups were split on the agency's decision. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said the lack of participation by Mexican carriers in the pilot program showed that Mexican carriers do not want to abide by U.S. safety regulations. – James Jaillet >05;,9á- CRITICAL LOAD -YVTá-[V á-PUNWO 66% reduction in PM emissions 29% reduction in CO Fuel savings of .84 gph on every start* Full equipment readiness in the coldest climates D5 Espar Heaters: They Just Make Sense www.espar.com (800) 387- 4800 * PRE-HEAT 0+3,-9,, ;96<)3,-9,, áF áF -PLSK;LZ[+H[H-HPYIHURZ(SHZRH-LIY\HY`/`KYVUPJ+/LH[LY9\UUPUN;PTL7YL/LH[TPU\[LZ TPU\[LZ;LZ[ZJVUK\J[LKI`(1,UNPULLYPUN*VYW,UNPUL!;YV`403J\PU )HZLKVUHNHSSVU U.S.–Mexico | Continued from page 11 The agency also has set up an email address that stakeholders can email for more information about the study: driver_restart_stud@dot.gov. The study follows Congress' passage of a bill in December that halted enforcement of two provisions of the 2013 hours-of- service rule changes: The requirement that a driver's 34-hour restart include two 1-5 a.m. periods and the once-per-week limit on the restart's use. The stay of enforcement will be in place at least until Sept. 30. For the provisions to go back into effect, FMCSA's report must conclude that the post-2013 restart rules reduce driver fatigue and increase alertness and safety. – James Jaillet HOS restart study | continued from page 11