Trucking advocacy group meets with the US Office of Management and
Budget to discuss negative economic impacts of restrictive Hours of
Service regulations
WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The social media-based trucking advocacy group, TruckerNation, met with
the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on Friday, May 10, 2019
regarding the current proposed Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. This
is the first meeting that OMB has had with an interested stakeholder
group regarding the current HOS proposed rule.
Currently, OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is
reviewing a proposed rule submitted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) that would change the current HOS regulations
which many drivers and companies in the commercial transportation
industry claim are far too restrictive. TruckerNation also firmly
believes that HOS regulations are overwhelmingly restrictive, which are
causing negative economic impacts to the commercial transportation and
associated peripheral industries. TruckerNation supports FMCSA in this
rulemaking effort and had one of two petitions for rulemaking that were
considered in the Agency’s most recent Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding HOS.
“The risk in not revising the current HOS regulations will continue to
impact time-sensitive freight, small businesses, and already established
business relationships between customers. By not revising current HOS
regulations the trucking industry will continue to struggle to be
reliable in getting goods to export locations which impact the United
States viability in the international marketplace.”
Andrea Marks, Director of Communications, TruckerNation
“We are hopeful that the new HOS proposal will address the concerns of
us drivers as well as the safety of the general motoring public. More
well-rounded regulations that allow common sense decision making by
truck drivers will give us the ability to do our job when we feel best
rested and when conditions are safest for those traveling around us.”
Tony Justice, Founder and CEO, TruckerNation
“As a small business owner, I understand that professional truck drivers
are the backbone of our economy. Current HOS regulations mandates that a
driver must take a consecutive 10-hour
break daily. This mandate impairs professional judgment and encourages
drivers to operate when conditions are not optimal. When a driver
encounters bad weather, wrecks, or simply gets tired and need a few
hours’ sleep, they should be allowed to use their own judgment when to
drive and not be racing a clock to put food on their table. I fully
support revising the HOS rules to give drivers more independence in how
they take their required daily downtime.”
Vann Brown, Director of Business Relations and Owner of Brown Ox Ventures
OMB OIRA, nor FMCSA in a meeting conducted later that same day, were
able to indicate the content in the proposed rule. Draft documents under
review are considered deliberative and are not available for public
release during OMB’s review. However, TruckerNation sought to outline
negative economic impacts of not moving forward in the rulemaking
process from a driver, manufacturer, and administrative perspective. All
comments and submitted documentation were received well and the OMB OIRA
staff were inquisitive and engaged during the meeting. In information
obtained later that same day, FMCSA had conducted an educational session
with OMB OIRA to ensure they were versed in the regulations they were
tasked with reviewing.
In attendance at the meeting were TruckerNation’s Founder and CEO, Tony
Justice; Director of Business Relations and Owner of Brown Ox Ventures,
Vann Brown; and Director of Communications, Andrea Marks. Additionally,
OMB OIRA’s economist and two desk auditors that have been assigned to
review the proposed rule were in attendance. Finally, FMCSA had Agency
representatives in attendance in a listening capacity only.
OMB OIRA is a Federal office that Congress established in the 1980
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). OIRA is part of OMB,
which is an agency within the Executive Office of the President.
Meetings with OMB OIRA are authorized by Executive Order 12866.
Contacts
TruckerNation
Andrea Marks
Director of Communications
859-585-4854
[email protected]
www.TruckerNation.org
