FMCSA Proposes Rule on Hours of Service for Truck Drivers

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a regulatory proposal that would revise hours-of-service (HOS) requirements for commercial truck drivers.

Although I won't go into a lot of detail on all the changes,  one of the most significant is the daily hours of service.  Currently most drivers are allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours per day and be on-duty a maximum of 14 hours per day.   The new proposed rule would reduce the maximum on-duty hours to 13 per day and comments are being requested on moving the maximum driving hours to 10.  More details about other changes can be found at the department's website here.

The reduction in hours on duty per day and maximum driving hours will undoubtedly save lives and reduce the number of tractor-trailer wrecks.  The National Transportation Safety Board reports that driver fatigue is a factor in 30 to 40 percent of trucking accidents annually.   

There is a 60 day window from December 29, 2011 in which the public can comment on the proposed changes.  I encourage everyone to visit the FMCSA's Web site and encourage a 10 hour maximum driving rule.  Click here to be taken to the comment page of the U.S. Department of Tranportation's website, or go to http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos-proposed/comments.aspx#online.

Don't Drive Drowsy this Holiday Season

More than 40 percent of drivers say they've fallen asleep at the wheel, and about one in ten admitted doing so during the past year, according to a study released Monday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a nonprofit research and educational organization.  One in every six deadly car crashes results from a fatigue-impaired driver, estimates the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's compared to about one in three caused by a drunk driver.  "Sleepiness decreases awareness, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment, just like drugs or alcohol," said AAA Foundation President Peter Kissinger in a statement released with the new study.

If you are traveling with your family for the holidays, make sure you get sufficient rest prior to the trip.  Even shorter trips of 2 to 4 hours can be deadly if you are not rested.  Just as importantly, drive defensively and be watchful of other drivers who may be fatigued.  Tractor-trailers present a greater danger when their drivers are fatigued and many of them are also trying to get home for the holidays after a long haul and tempted to drive longer than is safe. 

Keep a close lookout for tractor-trailers and be aware that fatigued tractor-trailer drivers will react more slowly to dangers and are more slow to recognize dangers.  Avoid their blind spots.  If passing a tractor-trailer, be careful not to linger in their blind spot more than necessary.   The blind spot is the point where your car becomes invisible to his mirrors.  Tractor-trailers often have larger blind spots than automobiles.  If you look at his rear view mirrors and can't see the driver's face, you could be in the blind spot. 

Remember these rules and keep your family safe for the holidays. 

Colorado Trucking Company - Repeated Violations of Hour-of-Service Rule Leads to Order

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced it has ordered JBS Carriers, Inc. of Greeley, Colorado to install electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) on its entire fleet of over 700 commercial trucks by March 2011 or pay $81,780 in civil fines.

The order comes in response to a comprehensive investigation by FMCSA's Western Service Center that found the company in serious violation of federal hours-of-service (HOS) rules and commercial driver's license (CDL) requirements.

In the final settlement agreement issued by FMCSA on October 7, 2010, the agency cited JBS Carriers for 102 counts of falsifying drivers' hours-of-service records and three counts of allowing drivers with a suspended, revoked or canceled commercial driver's license to operate a motor vehicle.

Electronic on-board recorders are devices attached to commercial vehicles that automatically record the number of hours drivers spend operating the vehicle. Driving hours are regulated by federal hours-of-service rules, which are designed to prevent commercial vehicle-related crashes and fatalities by prescribing on-duty and rest periods for drivers.