TUCKER, Ga. -- The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation have submitted comments to the Department of Transportation opposing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's proposed changes to driver hours of service rules published in the Federal Register on Dec. 29, 2010.
The comments were prepared by the Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council, which is made up of members from the three organizations. Collectively, the three organizations represent companies that produce 95 percent of the nation's poultry products and employ hundreds of thousands of workers.
The comments stated:
"The regulations proposed by FMCSA would further restrict the time truck drivers may drive and be on duty. If implemented, the regulations would have a substantial, negative impact on productivity and the economy. Our members operate as private carriers and would need to put additional trucks and drivers on the road to deliver the same amount of product. This would add to final product costs and increase congestion on the nation's already clogged highways; potentially doing so with less experienced drivers, and thereby increasing the risks to highway safety.
"FMCSA's proposal seems to ignore the simple fact that the American Trucking Association reports trucking's safety performance has improved at an unprecedented rate while operating under the current hours of service regulations that became effective in 2004. Both the number and rate of fatal and injury accidents involving large trucks have declined by more than one-third and are now at their lowest levels in recorded history. The remarkable reduction in the number of truck-involved fatal and injury crashes occurred even as truck mileage increased by almost 10 billion miles. Clearly the current hours of service regulations are effective.
Click here to see more...