The Arkansas Trucking Association is joining the American Trucking Associations in asking Congress members to provide legislative clarification in December’s appropriation bills to correct the flawed language that has put the 34-hour restart in jeopardy.
Legislators have been asked to include a solution in FY 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-Hud) appropriations bills.
Congress passed a short-term spending bill on Sept. 29 to keep the government funded through Dec. 9, but that bill did not include a provision for hours of service rules for truck drivers using the 34-hour restart, as was previously suspected.
Both chambers are in recess until after the Nov. 8 election. In years past, hours of service restart issues were also discussed in December 2014- and 2015-enacted appropriations legislation.
Previous legislation required FMCSA to study the effects and very the restart rules are safer. If so, those rules will go back into effect, requiring two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. rest periods once a week.
In a letter to Department of Transportation’s Secretary Anthony Foxx, 51 members of Congress, including Rep. Steve Womack (R- Ark.), Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), requested the FMCSA announce the date the efficacy study will be completed.
