Additional hours-of-service regulations blocked

March 15, 2017 By    

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s inspector general released a research study that prevents the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing additional regulations on hours-of-service (HOS) requirements, the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) reports.

In 2013, FMCSA initiated two restrictions on the 34-hour restart rule, limiting its useĀ to once per week and requiring that it include two consecutive rest breaks from 1-5 a.m. within the 34 hours.

Lobbyists urged Congress to stop FMCSA in the aftermath of the restrictions. In response, Congress mandated that FMCSA conduct a study of the potential safety benefits of the regulations.

According to NPGA, the agency could have implemented the limitationsĀ if the study demonstrated “statistically significant improvement” to driver operations, safety, fatigue and health. The study, however, concluded that the additional limitations would not offer safety improvements. As a result, FMCSA cannot implement the limitations.

Review the inspector general’s report on the study and conclusion to Congress here.

About the Author:

Kevin Yanik was a senior editor at LP Gas Magazine.

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