Hours-of-Service Revision Slows FMCSA

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he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s work to revise the embattled driver hours-of-service rules has delayed other parts of the agency’s regulatory agenda, a Department of Transportation report and an agency spokesman said.

DOT’s “Significant Rulemakings Report” said FMCSA had 21 rules currently on its agenda, including some that have been delayed for a variety of reasons.

“Ensuring that effective and enforceable [hours-of-service] rules are in place by Sept. 30, 2005 is FMCSA’s No. 1 priority,” agency spokesman Dave Longo told Transport Topics.

Among the rules the report said had been delayed are a unified registration system, intermodal container chassis safety, a linking of medical certification to the commercial licensing process, a biometric identifier for commercial driver license holders, cargo securement, the new entrants program, driver eyesight requirements and several rules relating to opening the border to Mexican trucks.

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