White House Reviews FMCSA Rule to Prevent Driver Coercion

A proposed rule that would prohibit carriers, shippers and brokers from coercing truck drivers to violate safety regulations was forwarded Jan. 10 to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review.

The proposal was issued in response to a requirement contained in the current transportation law, known as MAP-21, to "ensure ... an operator of a commercial motor vehicle is not coerced by a motor carrier, shipper, receiver, or transportation intermediary to operate a commercial vehicle in violation of a regulation…,” according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The congressional mandate requires that FMCSA weigh whether coercion of drivers is a concern when developing a new rule.

FMCSA said the proposed rule is scheduled to be issued in late April.

FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro has said that coercion includes pressure, “either by threat of economic damages or threat of physical harm, to violate a core safety rule, whether it’s hours of service or something else.”