Limiting drive time meant to limit driver fatigue, make roads safer
The American Trucking Association (ATA) lost its bid to have U.S. Transportation Department hours-of-service (HOS) regulations overturned by the Court of Appeals in Washington earlier this month. A three-judge panel most of the arguments made by the ATA as “highly technical points best left to the agency.”
The regulations are intended to reduce accidents by mandating that truck drivers get more rest. The final rule continues the 11-hour limit on a trucker’s driving day from previous rules and also requires a 34-hour rest period each week so drivers would be off two consecutive nights.