The American Trucking Association is pushing for a renewal of the HOS exemptions for drivers who work oil and natural gas extraction sites. The exemptions are currently in place only for drivers that serve oil wells.
The application filed last week applies to only “specially trained” drivers and wouldn’t let them ignore the hours of service regulations entirely, but instead excludes any waiting time from their on-duty period. The request says that only waiting time where drivers “are able to establish a method to adequately ensure a rest opportunity while waiting” would count as off-duty time. Both in-truck sleeper berths and on-site rest areas would satisfy the requirements.
According to the request, the “ATA asserts that [the] proposed exemption would maintain or exceed the level of safety of the current waiting-time rule.”
The FMCSA is accepting public comments on the proposal through July 7th.
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Source: overdrive, federalregister
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Almost every rig move trucking company I know of in the bakken is ignoring the ($@& out of HOS anyway.
I say no. If I have to follow the rules then so should they. That’s why they are called “rules”. Speaking of rules. I’ve just about had enough of their rules…..
Oh yes I agree the oil and gas companies can go to heck. I have to live with these rules so can they. Welcome to trucking in 2014:)
What? Truck driver’s in the oil industry are supermen that don’t get tired? Fall asleep at the wheel? Someone that thought of this has been spending to much time in Colorado enjoying the new laws there….Apparently they are stoned stupid!!!!
That means I’m going to get a truck with a berth instead of that small Mack? at least an extended cabin to stretch our legs while waiting at those disposals or pulling units!!
The filthy rich gas companies needs these drivers to be available 24/7 and will get the rules changed to suit them. I was hauling sand for the fracking in PA and WV area awhile back. We used to get paid for everything. The load and all waiting time. At first we had to give them 1 hour, then 2 hours, then they (Haliburton) made up the rule it was illegal to work 24 hours a day so they couldn’t pay you for 24 hours detention (when the well went down), so we had to give them 10 out of 24 on top of the 2 at the start of your detention. The sand haulers are still doing ok, but nowhere near what it used to be…I remember taking a load from Pittsburgh up northwestern PA, get up there well is down, sit a day and made over $600 for that day…thats how trucking should be!
…the kicker for me (to get out of it) was appointment times for the load of sand…which doesn’t sound all that unreasonable, until you get a phone call on your way back the lease road to location and your appointment time has been changed…
The oil and gas business runs 24 hours a day. Most warehouses don’t. Why do you guys think all the rules should fit all the different situations all the time? What if shoes were only made in one size? It would work for some. Shouldn’t that be good enough? Wake up, people.
Douglas , I’m an owner op and run a dedicated run at night. By your reasoning I could do my regular run at night then haul extra loads during the day. I agree the shoe won’t fit everyone but what they are proposing flies directly in the face of the rest of the industry. I miss loads all the time because I don’t have the log time to do them. I say no. ATA pushes for all these stupid rules (for big business and companies). It shouldn’t be changed . The money will change hands and they will get what they want. Just watch.