American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves asked federation members on Dec. 8 to tell their elected representatives to approve a provision that suspends parts of an hours-of-service rule when Congress considers a large funding bill this week.
The federation backs a bipartisan provision that would suspend for a year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s requirement that drivers take off two consecutive periods of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. during a 34-hour restart.
“While many of you heeded the call earlier this summer to push your delegation to support the hours-of-service language, and then again took action when Congress returned in early November urging passage of the omnibus appropriations bill, we need your help again,” Graves wrote ATA members. “As we have all experienced, these rules are ineffective and costly to not only our companies but to our professionals that safely deliver our nation's freight.”
The suspension, offered by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), also would require FMCSA to provide Congress with a new study of the rule. On Dec. 8, Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to remove Collins’ provision from the omnibus package. The two senators sought to undo Collins’ efforts earlier this year.
“We are extremely disappointed that despite our grave concerns, this matter is moving forward through the appropriations process, rather than with extensive study and debate,” the senators wrote. “This issue is far too important to have been altered outside of the committee of jurisdiction and without debate by the Senate."
Congressional leaders are expected to unveil the omnibus before a current law keeping the federal government funded through Dec. 11 expires. If Congress does not approve an omnibus package by that date, lawmakers would need to advance a short-term funding bill to avoid a shutdown of government agencies. Several senior congressional aides told Transport Topics they are waiting for funding leaders to unveil the omnibus package to see if the Collins provision has been included.
On Dec. 8, Jackie Gillan, president of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, led a press conference on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to oppose Collins’ efforts. That’s a position that the U.S. Department of Transportation shares.
“Now, there are efforts in Congress to suspend the update to the restart provision through a rider that could be included in the final appropriations bill for the year. I have voiced my strong objection to that rider. This rider will have the effect of once again allowing a segment of the trucking industry to operate an average of as many as 82 hours per week. The best science tells us that’s unsafe and will put lives at risk. Our responsibility to the traveling public requires us to warn Congress of these risks and urge reconsideration,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a blog post on Dec. 8.
