FMCSA to Delay New Hours Rule

No new hours-of-service proposals will be issued for at least a year while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration awaits the results of an independent cost-benefit analysis, according to an FMCSA spokesman.

But industry officials have expressed concern that the analysis will not adequately cover the full range of possible approaches that could be taken in regulating the number of hours truck drivers are permitted to drive.

Kevin Williams, chief executive officer of the Distribution and LTL Carriers Association, said, “This is a secret back-door approach” by FMCSA “to try to validate all or part of their own proposal without public knowledge and without evaluating any other proposals put forth by us or any other organizations that have an interest.”

FMCSA spokesman David Longo said the cost study would take at least a year to complete from the time the contractor is selected. He said the contractor would be selected “soon” without providing a deadline.

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