ATA Asks FMCSA for Waiting Time Exemption at Extraction Sites
American Trucking Associations has asked federal regulators to exempt truck drivers servicing oil and natural gas extraction sites from including wait time at the sites from their calculations of on-duty time.
The current 14-hour provision in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service rule generally considers drivers waiting at loading docks and gas sites to be recorded as “on duty” time in logbooks.
“ATA suggests that trucks equipped with sleeper berths and on-site bunking or resting facilities would satisfy the rest opportunity standard,” FMCSA said in a May 22 announcement. “ATA believes the proposed exemption would encourage these drivers to obtain quality rest at extraction sites and would provide an improved standard for state officials enforcing waiting-time requirements.”
The ATA request for the two-year exemption is scheduled for Federal Register publication May 23. Public comments will be accepted for 45 days after publication.
