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11-Hour Day Still Drives Nation's Truckers

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By DAN CATERINICCHIA, The Associated Press

Published: December 12, 2007

Updated: 12/11/2007 08:44 pm

WASHINGTON - Big trucking companies got their wish Tuesday when federal regulators maintained existing limits on drivers' hours, rather than endorsing a court order sought by consumer advocates that would have required one less hour behind the wheel each day.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an "interim final rule" that maintains the current 11-hour driving limit, under which truckers are required to rest for 10 hours.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in September delayed until Dec. 27 a requirement that would reduce the continuous driving limit to 10 hours with eight hours of rest.

11th Hour Crashes

John Hill, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said the agency's data show that the number of crashes involving fatigued drivers has remained constant in recent years and crashes in the 11th hour of driving have been negligible.
Consumer advocates sued to reduce the amount of time truckers can stay behind the wheel continuously. The advocates say the industry is putting the public at risk.

"FMCSA is continuing the sweatshop conditions for truck drivers rolling down our highways, which endangers Americans all over the country," Joan Claybrook, president of Washington-based consumer watchdog Public Citizen, said Tuesday.

Hoffa Backs Less Driving

The Teamsters union agreed.

"It's clear the Bush administration has more loyalty to its corporate supporters than to the men and women who actually drive on our roads," Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said in a release.

Hill said all rules are based first on safety, and despite "allegations and innuendoes that the rule is not safe," the data show it is.

In October, Bill Graves, president and chief executive officer of American Trucking Associations, said he expected that the court stay would give federal regulators enough time to issue an interim final rule maintaining the 11-hour limit.

The public has 60 days to comment on it.
Public Citizen opposed any stays, arguing that the federal agency used the same tactic two years ago to maintain the old requirements. If the administration ultimately issues a final rule inconsistent with the court order, the group will pursue further legal action, Claybrook said.

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