Hart Foresees Positive Response From Shippers to New Drivers Hours

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A probable change in the way the federal government counts non-driving hours worked could prod shippers into quicker processing of drivers and their freight at the nation’s loading docks, according to both a prominent federal transportation official and a major trucking executive.

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Under the current hours rule that dates to 1939, a driver can work up to five hours a day in non-driving tasks before it cuts into his or her allotment of 10 driving hours.

The change offered by the Department of Transportation in May eliminated that distinction. It capped workable hours at 12 a day, regardless of the type of work: driving, waiting, loading or unloading.

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While DOT’s proposal has been shelved for a year, the hours of service may change in another form, said Clyde J. Hart Jr., the top official at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Patrick Quinn, co-chairman of U.S. Xpress Enterprises (XPRSA), a large truckload carrier from Chattanooga, Tenn.

For the full story, see the Nov. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.