ATA goes head to head with government over hours of service

Officials from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) are urging government officials to keep the current hours of service that truckers are allowed to be on the road. Discussions between governmental groups were suggesting lowering the hours permitted, but supporters of the trucking industry, such as the ATA, are lobbying for things to remain the same.

ATA chief executive officer Bill Graves said that accidents have reduced more than 30 percent since rules about hours of service first went into effect in 2004. Graves is concerned that accidents will not decrease if hours are lessened, but only productivity will suffer from the change.

"By baselessly cutting the productivity of the industry, these alleged champions of safety will, by forcing thousands of additional drivers and vehicles onto the highway, make our roads less safe," Graves said in a statement. "The highway is our workplace, and we have a vested interest in making it safer for everyone."

Truckers who have recently completed their CDL training should keep track of these on-going debates, for they may affect future truck driving careers nationwide if laws are changed on a federal level.

ATA goes head to head with government over hours of service

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011