As recently as last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reiterated their commitment to getting Hours of Service reform passed on a “fast track” process. But now it looks as though that fast track has hit a pretty big bump: The partial government shutdown.
FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez seems committed to getting HOS changes pushed through. He’s even gone so far as to cancel other programs – including a split-sleeper study which was years in the making – because the FMCSA says that they will be unnecessary once HOS reform happens.
With over 800,000 government workers furloughed nationwide however, it’s not clear that the FMCSA is going to hit its March estimate for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).
Because this is only a partial government shutdown, some government employees are still working. That includes most FMCSA workers. They’re still working because the DOT has other funding methods including money from the Highway Trust Fund.
According to Overdrive, an unnamed U.S. DOT official told them that even though FMCSA workers are still there, “everything’s stopped” in the federal rulemakings process. That’s because hundreds of employees at the DOT’s Office of the Secretary (OST) and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have been furloughed.
Both OST and OMB workers are needed to review and approve new federal regulations. Even one the government is reopened, there will be a large backlog of rulemakings and filings to get through from other agencies.
Source: overdrive
Jeff says
I would like to know how people who never been in a truck,can make laws for us.Enough is enough,if they haven’t seen what it’s like out there on the road everyday,they have no right to make laws.I wouldn’t pull teeth unless I knew what I was doing.These people need to get out there in the real world.
Mali says
Probably akin to the ability of non truckers seeing abandoned pee bottles, understanding that is just wrong….lol. So it is the fault of a few bad truckers that the majority of law abiding truckers have to face increased legislation
Marcel Dunant says
I think the govt is overpopulated and if Congress is an example of working, were being hoodwinked!
Clyde says
Whatever! That’s ridiculous! This government needs to be downsized. The problem with things like HOS is to many rules and regulations now. Less government = less rules and regulations = more freedom = safer drivers.
Getready says
agreed! US government is OUT OF CONTROL!
Billy says
This is not about the wall it’s about Kiking the fed reserve out reset the montary system go back too the gold standard and a major natruel disaster around the corner amongst popeol trying too crash are southern border
Andrew H says
For all we’re concerned, there is no FMCSA right now.
Jason says
The 70 hour rule needs to be completely eliminated or changed to a 7/70 or 8/80. Shutting down early then having to switch to nights when you recap is more dangerous. Personally, I would like HOS rules that allowed you to run hard for two weeks then do a mandatory reset.
Anthony says
My fellow truckers they do to us only what we allow them to do to us. If professional drivers would stand together and SHUT DOWN our trucks together the same way the politicians shut down the government then we will get some results and gain control of the industry. They know that Americans are divided as a country by idiotic things like race, money, status,etc……so they have no reason to worry about professional drivers banning together because we can’t agree on the price of a free cup of coffee in a truck stop. STAND UP TOGETHER AND SHUT DOWN THESE TRUCKS FOR 72hrs and all this crap would stop! It have been done before just do your research and you will see that it has before and can now work! PUT UP OR SHUT UP!
Mali says
Yes, but we can’t do that very long before we start fighting with each other.
TheAntiObama says
There are many reformed HOs in government.
Kevin Chevalier says
This is their only job their paid to dream up rules to make your lives and the
motoring public safe Lol!!!!!!! experts Lmao!!!!!! in the trucking industry they
know exactly what and how things need to be to make our roads safe, they
have prior experience in what i’m not sure but there’s no doubt or question
they know exactly what their doing Lmfao!!!!!!! these broke down bribe
taking suits got a good idea on how to extort cooperation from organizations
like the ATA who are pretty much made up of mega carrier personal and
lawyers, the FMCSA is a joke they should of left it to the DOT or the ICC at
leased they know a little more about the in’s and out’s of this fine industry
Mali says
Yes, but we can’t do that very long before we start fighting with each other.
Kevin Chevalier says
Hell we do plenty of overtime without pay what are these crybabies whining
about it’s temporary, let em sell of their second or third cars or the fourwheelers
and toys cluttering up their garages it’s time to downsize tighten up the belts
see how it feels like to live from paycheck to paycheck