U.S. Agencies Still Undecided About Response to HOS Ruling

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he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, its parent Department of Transportation and the Justice Department have not decided on their response to a federal court’s rejection of FMCSA’s revised driver hours-of-service rules, agency spokesmen told Transport Topics.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled July 16 that FMCSA, which put the regulation into effect early this year, failed to comply with a congressional mandate that it address driver health.

FMCSA spokesman David Longo told TT Aug. 5 that the agency and Justice Department attorneys were considering “a range of options, and our bottom-line intent is to improve the safety and performance of truckers” as well as to make sure the rule “decreases their fatigue factor.”

“The agency is continuing its examination of the court’s decision and the evaluation of possible next steps. When a decision is made, an announcement will be made,” Longo said, without indicating when the agency might make a decision.

For the full story, see the Aug. 9 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.

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