Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) released a statement on Tuesday challenging a new Department of Transportation rule limiting workable hours for commercial truckers.
The department’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was instructed by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act to conduct a field study, validated by statistics, before issuing the rule. The FMCSA’s deadline to complete the study was March 31, but it has yet to produce results. The new rule was issued, without the study’s findings, on July 31.
“The government has an obligation to properly study the economic and safety impact of regulations it enacts on industries such as commercial trucking, asphalt, concrete and other construction businesses,” Hanna said. “These rules have real-world implications for small businesses, workers and consumers.”
A letter recently sent to the DOT by 51 members of Congress, including Hanna, said the new rule strictly limits the use of the 34-hour restart provisions. According to the letter, the rule would also mandate inflexible rest periods, reduce diver flexibility and increase costs for the trucking industry.
“FMSCA enacted these new (hours of service) rules without even completing a valid field study,” Hanna said. “The department should commit to a timeline for completing the study and submitting its report to Congress so that lawmakers can properly consider the costs and benefits of the rule and whether or not it makes sense moving forward.”