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Monday, December 2, 2024

Shippers, Carriers Team Up to Defend HOS Rules

A large shipping association has lined up with the American Trucking Associations’ against special interest groups over the battle to change commercial drivers’ hours of work.

NASSTRAC has thrown its hat into the court by challenging a lawsuit seeking shorter daily hours for truckers.

The group intervened in a lawsuit filed in federal court by special interest group Public Citizen, which wants to limit allowable hours to 10 hours and eliminate the 34-hour restart provision.

Last year, the FMCSA issued its revised HOS rule, keeping the current 11-hour driving limit intact, but making significant changes to the 34-hour restart provision and rules affecting mandatory rest time.

The U.S. Court of Appeals consolidated the Public Citizen lawsuit and a challenge to the rule the American Trucking Association filed in February.

NASSTRAC supports ATA’s challenge to the 34-hour restart changes, also pointing out that truck-involved fatalities have decreased under the current rules and that the changes won’t reduce driver fatigue but will damage productivity.