AGC Asks Congress to Ease Truck Driver Hour Limits

This week, AGC submitted a statement to the House Small Business Subcommittee asking for construction industry drivers to be exempted from new hours of service restrictions that require a 30-minute break during an eight-hour on-duty period and a requirement that those who do not meet the construction driver definition can only restart the weekly on-duty clock following a 34-hour off duty period that includes at least two periods between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The new regulations went into effect on July 1, 2013, and have caused problems for certain segments of the industry. New Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules continue the construction exemption which allows a reset of the on-duty clock after a 24-hour off duty period for drivers delivering construction materials within a 50 air mile radius of their work reporting office. However, in circumstances where drivers travel greater distances or are required to work 12-hour shifts, more stringent rules apply. AGC also called for enactment of H.R. 3413, the ‘‘True Understanding of the Economy and Safety Act,’’ sponsored by Representatives Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), Michael Michaud (D-Maine), and Tom Rice (R-S.C.), which directs the FMCSA to defer implementation of the new restart provisions pending completion of Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of the new rules and a field study required by the MAP-21 transportation authorization legislation. AGC is also part of a coalition supporting enactment of H.R. 3413 and will continue to work with Congress and FMCSA to ensure that the unique aspects of delivering construction materials are not negatively impacted by these new restrictions. For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.