Congress just offered an early Christmas gift to truckers who found federal hours of operation requirements too restrictive in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and elsewhere.
The change came gift-wrapped in what’s known as a Continuing Resolution, a method used by Congressional lawmakers to avoid passing an actual budget but keep the federal government funded through April of next year.
The hours-of-service regulations aren’t expected to have much of an impact on Bay & Bay Transportation’s local and regional drivers in Minneapolis and several other cities, but they will affect those who are among the estimated 3 million professionals who travel coast-to-coast for companies of all sizes.
Trucking industry analysts maintained the “34-hour restart” added another complication to successfully making long-haul route planning a success for shippers and carriers.
The change is a rule reversal back to the summer of 2013. It means that big rig drivers don’t need to include two mandatory 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. rest periods in a 7-day period of work. It remains unclear what, if any, affect the decision will have on various states that have added additional rest breaks.
Bay & Bay is committed to driver safety in Minneapolis and throughout the many routes its drivers travel across the U.S. and into Canada. A recent Government Accountability Office report suggested that mandatory rest periods were critical to reducing fatigue and keeping people safe on the roads.
Earlier this year lawmakers had passed a bill that tied the future of the 34-hour restart to a study overseen by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, but details of the research conducted at Virginia Tech have never been released.
The question being asked now is if the incoming Trump administration will push for a greater reduction in government regulations. If the answer is “yes,” the issue appears to be settled by turning back the clock.
Bay & Bay Transportation is always moving forward while keeping an eye on safety and reliability. It’s one of the many reasons we’re known as a quality driven tradition around Minneapolis and to satisfied customers nationwide. Call (888) 801-3026, or visit our web site to learn more.