Teamsters Claim New Drive Rule is a Threat to Highway Safety

[cybergal]

The proposed Hours of Service rule for truck drivers issued Friday by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is a major setback for highway safety, increasing the potential for deadly accidents by forcing drivers to log even more hours on the road, according to the Teamsters Union.
The new regulation is a repackaged version of the old rule that was struck down last year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit because the government failed to consider the health of drivers in crafting the rule, the Teamsters claim in a press release.
TEAMSTERS (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=55283)

[saddletramp]

Here is one example of what the Teamsters is talking about. Oak Harbor Freightlines, a carrier here in the Northwest, changed alot of their schedules to reflect the new hours of service rules shortly after the implementation. Turn runs that were scheduled at 500 to 520 miles in a shift were expanded to 550 to 580 miles and the work time was extended to 2 to 3 hours, giving these drivers a 13 to 13 3/4 work day, on a 7/70 work week.
You work that many hours in a 5 day week and by the weekend you are beat.
A friend of mine who works for them starts every night at 2030 hours and get off the next morning around 930 to 10 o'clock.
Yes, you are well paid for what you do but the home time is spent in bed or running around trying to get a few things done while getting a few hours sleep before going back to work.
Trust me, these folks are grateful for the work they have and the good pay they receive, but the hours they put in are extreme, to say the least.

[DrivingZiggy]

Sounds more like a "management" problem than an HOS problem. Just because the HOS change doesn't mean that management has to be asshats.

[saddletramp]

Exactly! The problem here is management taking advantage of these rules to push their employees to the limit, and leaving the threat of "if you don't like it, someone else is waiting for your job" hanging over their heads! :angry:

[daytrader]

These new rules for safty will get many killed and burden our transportaion system for decades. You go run team under these rules. See how safe it is.