Hours Delay to Help Parties Draw Up Alternatives

By all accounts, Congress’ decision to prevent the Department of Transportation from issuing a final hours-of-service rule represents a major victory for the American Trucking Associations.

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But even those who objected to Congress’ plans to outlaw the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s final rulemaking said the delay will give them a chance to work toward a better rule.

Congress passed an appropriations bill that gives more than $269 million to FMCSA out of a total DOT budget of $59 billion. As a condition of allocating that money, FMCSA is not permitted to issue a final hours of service rule before Oct. 1, 2001.

ATA President Walter B. McCormick Jr. hailed Congress’ decision as “good news for the American motoring public, our motor carriers and their professional truck drivers.” He added that the proposal would have “forced at least 100,000 more trucks on the nations highways.”

For the full story, see the Oct. 9 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.