Tag Archives: trucking regulation
Congress Considers Raising Highway Weight Limit on Trucks
Weighing the benefits of larger-load efficiencies against concerns about increased damage to highways, Congress is considering increasing the weight limit of highway-safe trucks by some 17,000 pounds. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act would increase the maximum weight for commercial trucks … [Read more]
Federal Rule Bans Hand-Held Cell Phone Use by Commercial Drivers on the Road
Studies show that commercial vehicle operators using hand-held cell phones while driving have a higher risk of getting into truck accidents. Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation made its latest effort to end distracted driving with a final rule … [Read more]
FMCSA May Waive Hearing Rule for 20 Deaf Drivers
The Department of Transportation may break trucking regulation precedent by exempting 20 deaf or hard-of-hearing commercial drivers from federal minimum hearing requirements for Commercial Drivers Licenses. If it does, this would be the first time this regulation has been waived … [Read more]
Teamsters, Safety Groups Support HOS Changes in Letter to President Obama
As the October 28 deadline nears for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to announce any Hours of Service rule changes for commercial truck drivers, the Teamsters Union and several public health and safety organizations have sent a letter to … [Read more]
Hours of Service Rule Change Faces House Resistance
Republican members of the House Transportation committee have vowed to work “aggressively” to prevent changes in the current Hours-of-Service rules that would lead to shorter road hours for commercial truck drivers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering a … [Read more]
New Illinois Law to Improve GPS Data for Truckers
Last week, Illinoispassed a law to improve the GPS data available to truck drivers. The goal is to provide better routing details specific to trucking in the state, thus helping to reduce accidents and traffic. Starting January 1, 2012, the … [Read more]
NTSB: No Cellphones for Truck Drivers
As I noted last year in reference to a serious truck crash near Munfordville, Kentucky, multiple fatalities make the job of a truck accident attorney even harder to bear. This week, however, I am heartened by news that that particular … [Read more]
HOS Rules Waived for Relief Trucks in 10 Storm-Struck States
Extreme weather has prompted governors to suspend hours-of-service rules for relief supply trucks in the following 10 states: Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia. Specifically, Hurricane Irene and Missouri River floods have … [Read more]
FMCSA Changes Hazmat Threshold Rules
In early August, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration changed how it determines which motor carriers are subject to the Hazardous Materials intervention threshold. As a truck accident attorney, I view this as good news. The agency has trucking safety … [Read more]
FMCSA 5-Year ‘Transportation Life Cycle’ Plan Draws Mixed Comments
Recently, I wrote about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s five-year strategic plan to reduce trucking accidents with a holistic regulatory approach that focuses on safety from “warehouse to boardroom.” FMCSA’s plan calls for it to regulate not just truckers … [Read more]