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.
