Mica questions FMCSA’s data on HOS changes

“I am still concerned that some of the changes that will go into effect in July 2013 under this new [HOS] regulation lack adequate supporting data,” said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica.

The Trucker Staff

1/9/2012

WASHINGTON — House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica is questioning whether the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had sufficient data to support changes to the agency’s Hours of Service regulations.

“The administration realized there was insufficient data to back up the changes it was considering earlier this year, changes included in the president’s own list of ‘Proposed Regulations from Executive Agencies with Cost Estimates of $1 Billion or More,’” the Florida Republican said in a statement released by the committee. “I am still concerned that some of the changes that will go into effect in July 2013 under this new regulation lack adequate supporting data.”

The changes that are scheduled to go into effect in July 2013 include a restriction that limits use of the 34-hour restart to once every 168 hours, and the required break of at least 30 minutes no more than eight hours after going on duty.

“I am committed to the safety of our nation’s highways, and safety under the current Hours of Service rules has improved,” Mica said. “In the year prior to the implementation of the current rule, there were approximately 5,000 fatalities from crashes involving large trucks.  Last year there were 3,675 fatalities.  Since the implementation of the current Hours of Service rule, there has been a dramatic reduction in severe and fatal crashes involving large trucks, despite a significant increase in truck miles traveled.”

Mica said it was important that any HOS regulations proposed by the administration be “backed up by sound scientific data and not needlessly burden our small businesses and the economy.”

In a letter to the FMCSA sent in September 2011, Mica told the agency that if changes were made to the HOS rule, he would “aggressively oversee any attempt by the Department of Transportation to impose new regulatory burdens on the trucking industry by making changes to the current Hours of Service rules.”

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