APRIL 2017
FMCSA Withdraws Proposed Changes to
Safety Fitness Rule
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently
withdrew its proposed changes to the Safety Fitness Determination
system. Currently, the FMCSA uses the system to rate motor carrier
performance as “satisfactory,” “conditional” or “unsatisfactory.” The
proposed changes would have replaced these three categories with a
single determination of “fit” or “unfit.”
The proposed changes would have relied on the current Compliance Safety
Accountability (CSA) program’s Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement
Categories (BASIC) rankings. However, Congress recently passed legislation
that requires the FMCSA to rework the CSA system, and many
organizations in the trucking industry urged the agency to withdraw its
proposal until the new CSA is finalized.
For more information on rule changes in the trucking industry, call us at
410-820-7797 today.
FMCSA Reaffirms Suspension of Hours
of Service Restart Restriction
In 2011, the FMCSA published a rule that required truck drivers who
reached the maximum weekly work-hours limit to take a break of 34
consecutive hours, including two nights’ rest from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Now,
after a study showed that the time restriction had no safety benefits, the
FMCSA has reaffirmed a 2014 suspension of the restriction and will likely
remove it entirely in the near future.
The time restriction was widely criticized by motor carriers, who believed
that it offered no health benefits and forced drivers onto the roads during
heavy traffic. For more information on hours of service rules for
commercial drivers, visit the FMCSA’s website.
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Standard for Entrylevel Driver Training
Delayed
The Department of Transportation
(DOT) has delayed the enforcement of
a new entry-level driver training
standard until May 22. The rule was
originally expected to take effect on
Feb. 6, but the compliance date of
Feb. 7, 2020, remains the same. The
delay is a result of the Trump
administration’s ongoing regulatory
review.
The training standard will create
national minimum training standards
for entry-level truck and bus drivers
who seek a commercial driver license.
However, the DOT anticipates that
many entities that currently provide
training will be able to comply with
the new requirements.
Provided by
Elliott Wilson Insurance