FMCSA to Delay Hours-of-Service Rule Release

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will delay the release of its controversial new truck driver hours-of-service rules until October.

The final rules, which could cut the amount of time truckers may spend behind the wheel, would be delayed, an FMCSA spokesperson confirmed.

Under a 2009 agreement with the Teamsters union and other opponents of the current driver work rules, the FMCSA agreed to publish new rules by July 26.

The HOS rules now will be released on or before Oct. 28, while the FMCSA reviews comments on four driver fatigue studies it added to the docket this month.

The FMCSA reopened the comment period on the HOS rule earlier in May. Comments may be submitted through June 8.

The Teamsters and other parties to the court agreement agreed to the delay, the FMCSA said in a filing with the federal appellate court in Washington.

Those groups argue the daily driving limit for truckers should be reduced from 11 to at most 10 hours — a step the FMCSA considers in its most recent proposal.

-- Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @wbcassidy_joc.