Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/119523
Logbook Hours rule goes to court, Congress backs delay Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), chairman of the House's Transportation Committee, and signed by U.S. Rep. Thomas Peri (R-Wis.), chairman of the highway subcommittee; U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), ranking committee member; and U.S. Pete DeFazio (D-Ore.), ranking subcommittee member. – James Jaillet (Continued on Page 78) Text INFO to 205-289-3555 or visit www.ovdinfo.com The ongoing fight between the American Trucking Associations and the Federal Carrier Motor Safety Administration over the upcoming changes to the hours of service rule continued March 15 in Washington, D.C., where both sides presented arguments to a three-judge court of appeals panel. FMCSA made the rule final in December 2011, and the changes go into effect July 1. ATA says FMCSA doesn't understand the science that went into the rulemaking, specifically the 30-minute mandatory break. It's also arguing the rule would restrict drivers from being able to manage their schedules effectively. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has intervened in the case on ATA's side. Meanwhile, Public Citizen is suing FMCSA because it says the hours regulations are not restrictive enough. The court has not said when it will release a ruling. ATA had asked FMCSA in December if it would delay the rule's implementation until at least three months after the case had been decided, but FMCSA rejected that request in February. Siding with ATA last month, four key Transportation Committee members from the House penned a letter to the agency asking that it postpone the rule's effective date until the court case is resolved. The letter sent to FMCSA was written by U.S. Rep. April 2013 | Overdrive | 19 Logbook_0413.indd 19 4/1/13 9:07 PM