Ag Haulers Fear Loss of Exemptions In Hours Plan

July 6, 2000 9:40 AM, EDT

All of trucking is convulsing over the federal government’s proposed changes to the hours-of-service rules, but agricultural haulers say the produce, livestock and timber they haul would make it especially difficult — if not impossible — for them to abide by the Department of Transportation’s wishes.

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Hours of service dominated the annual meeting of the Agricultural Transporters Conference held in Washington, D.C., in mid-June. DOT’s proposal has ag haulers in an uproar because it makes substantial changes to the special exemptions many of the carriers now work under.

Fletcher Hall, executive director of American Trucking Associations-managed conference, said it was not clear exactly how the proposed rules would alter his members’ business because the proposal is so ambiguous and convoluted.

“It’s confusing as all get out,” he said. “One thing I’m sure of is that it’s totally impractical for the kinds of products my members haul.”

For the full story, see the July 3 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.