NACD Comments on DOT Hours of Service of Drivers Proposed Rulemaking

ARLINGTON, Va., March 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) filed comments today in response to a notice of proposed rulemaking from the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regarding Hours of Service of Drivers.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100811/NACDLOGO)

In the comments, NACD expressed grave concerns about the FMCSA's December 29 proposed hours of service rule. The comments stated, "If enacted, the proposal would disrupt commerce and the supply chain and reduce flexibility during a time when the economy is struggling and there is a shortage of drivers... Existing safety and health data fail to make the case that changes are needed to the current hours of service rules."

"The proposed rule would disrupt operations and would be costly for businesses and the entire economy. [These] new limits on driving periods and mandated rest timeframes will force drivers to drive during hours when roads and loading docks are much more congested. This will increase driver stress levels, which leads to additional health problems and increases the likelihood of accidents," wrote NACD Vice President of Government Affairs Jennifer Gibson in the comments.

In addition, Gibson added, "Over the last seven years under the current hours of service rules, truck-related accidents have been decreasing at a time when truck miles driven have increased. The proposed rule disregards the fact that the trucking industry's safety performance has improved at an unprecedented rate while operating under the current rules."

The comments also raised concerns about the proposed mandatory two consecutive night rest requirement with the specified hours of 12 midnight to 6 a.m. in the 34-hour restart provision. NACD commented that setting an arbitrary timeframe severely limits driver flexibility.  

To view NACD's full comments, go to http://www.nacd.com/advocacy/comments.aspx

NACD and its 380 member companies are vital to the chemical supply chain providing products to over 750,000 end users.  They make a delivery every six seconds while maintaining a safety record that is more than twice as good as the safety standards set by DOT.  NACD members are leaders in health, safety, security, and environmental performance through implementation of Responsible Distribution, established in 1991 as a condition of membership and is a third-party verified management practice. For additional information on our members, their safety record or NACD, visit NACD's website — http://www.nacd.com.

SOURCE National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD)