Study Supports More Flexible Rest Rule for Truckers
THE American Trucking Associations wants to have the current federal hours
of service regulation relaxed. ATA released a study it did with
Circadian International, Inc. and said commercial truckers need more
flexibility to choose sleep times and decide how long they sleep.
Calling this a "first-of-its-kind research project," ATA said the study
looked at outcomes of the regulation's provision, including the
sleeper-berth rule, which makes drivers divide sleeper-berth rest into
two periods, one of which must be eight hours. Eleven sleep experts and
67 professional truckers found said letting drivers make decisions
based on their own individual needs maximized sleep opportunities,
increasing alertness and safety. "Motor carriers for decades have
safely utilized the flexible sleeper-berth provisions to assure their
drivers obtain needed rest," ATA President/CEO Bill Graves said.
"Flexibility in the splitting of sleep periods mitigates fatigue and
affords inherent protections that are critical for the safety of our
drivers and the motoring public." ATA has more than 37,000 motor
carrier members.
On March 20, the first in a series of webinars will take place on the
topic of trucking industry experiences with on-board safety
technologies. ATA's American Transportation Research Institute will
participate in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's
webinar on Lane Departure Warning Systems. Dean Newell, vice president
of Safety for Maverick Transportation and Jerry Waddell, director of
Safety for Cargo Transporters, are scheduled to discuss their fleets'
use of LDWS and how the technology increases safety. Future webinars
will review Rollover Stability Systems and Collision Warning Systems.
For information, contact the conference coordinator at 202-385-2375.