The Department of Energy has requested an exemption from the new hours-of-service rule requiring truck drivers, including those hauling security-sensitive radioactive material, to take a mandatory 30-minute off-duty rest break in the first eight hours of driving.

A federal appeals court in Washington will hear arguments in March urging it to overturn portions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s latest hours-of-service rule.

The trucking industry and its allies pushed back against modified hours-of-service rules for drivers, while federal regulators pushed ahead with safety initiatives that ranged from requiring electronic onboard recorders to ensuring that unsafe trucking companies cannot keep operating after being shut down.

American Trucking Associations will argue its case against the hours-of-service rule for truck drivers on March 15 before a federal appeals court in Washington.

The American Transportation Research Institute is asking trucking executives to weigh in on changes to the 34-hour restart provision of the federal hours-of-service rule, set to take effect in July.

American Trucking Associations reiterated its objections to parts of the hours-of-service rule last week, rejecting claims federal regulators used to justify the restart provision and off-duty requirements.

“Hi. We’re from the government, and we’re here to help you.” Not buying it? Well, that seems to be the logic behind the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s filing in federal court last week, defending the agency’s decision to modify the 34-hour restart provision of the new hours-of-service rule.

Provisions of the federal hours-of-service rule for truck drivers are “reasonable” and have been “adequately explained” by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the agency said in a court filing.

Federal regulators will hold a listening session near Dallas next week on recent regulatory guidance that restricts use of an hours-of-service exemption for truckers involved oil and gas exploration.

New regulatory guidance restricting the use of an hours-of-service exemption for some drivers involved in oil and gas drilling operations is increasing operating costs for the affected carriers, executives told federal regulators.