Letter to the Editor: The Hours Bane
Upon reading “DOT Nearing Hours Ruling,” I saw a sentence that causes many problems with the current hours-of-service rules (1-28, p. 1). I do not bring this up to point out a misrepresentation by the writers of the article but to show how easily drivers are confused by the present rules.
In the paragraph describing American Trucking Associations’ counter-proposal [to hours reform], it is stated that “the current rules allow drivers to be on duty a maximum of 15 hours each day, of which no more than 10 hours may be spent operating a commercial vehicle.”
This is an erroneous statement that I hear quite frequently. In Part 395.3 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations [maximum driving time], there is no mention of ‘‘day.” There is no reference to any 24-hour period whatsoever. The rules are based on an 18-hour cycle. After eight consecutive hours of rest, a driver shall drive no more than 10 hours.
My main point is that there is much confusion in the existing rules and very few people really understand how they work. DOT auditors look for clerical errors on drivers’ logs and use them as grading points on a carrier’s safety scale.
So we expect drivers to understand the 18-hour cycle, but most don’t. It seems a lot of safety management personnel — and from my personal experience a lot of DOT field personnel — don’t understand the rules, either. Throw in sleeper-berth and look out. Fines are assessed to drivers not because of unsafe driving but often because they just can’t grasp the confusing rules.
With the myth, CB talk, misunderstanding, confusion and unintended ignorance, the current rules are a bane to most of us.
William W. Parke
I>Director of Safety
ohl Transportation Inc.
ersailles, Ohio
This letter appeared in the Feb. 11 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
8493
