The Division of Transportation’s Federal Motor Service Security Administration denied the appliance from a set of farm organizations to grant an exemption from hours of service guidelines. The request was on behalf of drivers transporting stay animals.
The Nationwide Cattlemen’s Beef Affiliation, Livestock Advertising and marketing Affiliation, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Beekeeping Federation, American Honey Producers Affiliation and the Nationwide Aquaculture Affiliation joined collectively to submit the exemption utility.
The farm teams say HOS laws place the well-being of livestock in danger throughout transport and trigger a burden for livestock haulers – particularly these in rural areas.
The exemption would enable drivers, after taking 10 consecutive hours off responsibility, to drive by means of the sixteenth consecutive hour after approaching responsibility, and to drive a complete of 15 hours throughout that 16-hour interval.
“If the company have been to grant the exemption, drivers transporting agricultural commodities could be allowed six or extra hours of driving time throughout the 150 air-mile exempt zones for the transportation of agricultural commodities, along with the 15 hours of driving time outdoors the zone,” FMCSA explains within the Federal Register discover.
Opponents of the exemption say livestock haulers have been in a position to function throughout the confines of HOS laws for over 80 years. The FMCSA decided the prolonged driving time “would unlikely obtain a degree of security that’s equal to, or larger than, the extent that will be achieved absent the exemption.”
Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) expressed disappointment that the administration didn’t hearken to the farmers and ranchers “who know what’s finest for his or her animals.”
“Hauling stay animals presents distinctive challenges that the one-size-fits-all hours of service rule doesn’t accommodate,” says Marshall. “Rejecting this request retains a layer of forms and crimson tape on an business that’s already struggling to seek out staff and meet client demand.”
