Through Time, Hours by Hours

May 3, 2000 10:38 AM, EDT

The federal regulations that govern how much time a professional driver can spend behind the wheel have been around for more than 60 years, but not without changes. Because change is rarely achieved without controversy, today’s regulators find themselves ensnared in a familiar dilemma: how to tailor the rules to suit the wide variety of trucking circumstances.

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The Interstate Commerce Commission’s 1937 proposal to limit drivers to 15 hours of on-duty time, including three hours of breaks, was so strongly opposed by labor that the agency had to shift gears, put the idea on hold and conduct open hearings.

After a year of re-examination and public process, the ICC was ready to act.

While it lacked the kind of data available today on the effects of fatigue, the commission had collected enough evidence to be convinced that the long hours many truck drivers worked were inherently dangerous. The regulators felt compelled to set a weekly limit on driving time to prevent cumulative fatigue and a daily limit to prevent too much fatigue in any one day.

For the full story, see the May 1 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.