Hours Proposal Sent to White House
With little fanfare, the Department of Transportation sent its hours-of-service reform proposal to the White House Dec. 3, where it awaits review by the Office of Management and Budget.
The proposed rule, said an informed industry source, would include the generally expected "14-10 schedule" -- 14 hours on-duty (with no distinction between driving and other work, such as loading and unloading) and 10 hours off, based on a 24-hour clock, with two hours of break time per on-duty shift.
The Transportation Department reportedly has asked OMB for expedited consideration, which means the proposal could be out for comment this winter.
A provision of the proposed rule would require long-haul trucking operations to install on-board data recorders to monitor compliance with hours-of-service limits, the source said. In addition to this mandate, trucking may bridle at mandatory rest breaks if the government decides when they are to be taken.
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The industry’s chief trade association, American Trucking Associations, supports a 14-10 rule based on the 24-hour clock. However, in Oc-tober, ATA President Walter B. McCormick Jr. asked Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater to hold off on publishing the proposal until the new motor carrier administration is in place.
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