ATA board votes against detention time regs

The American Trucking Associations Board of Directors on May 18 called on policymakers to respect contracts between carriers and shippers and voted to oppose efforts at regulating detention time.

“ATA and its members value the time of our drivers,” said Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer. “However, federal intervention into this area would have significant impacts on the contractual agreements between carriers and shippers.”

ATA Chairman Barbara Windsor, president and CEO of New Market, Md.-based Hahn Transportation Inc., said the ability of carriers to negotiate rates, routes and service with shippers is important. “Federal regulation in this area would directly affect shipping rates and would significantly change the playing field for carriers and shippers,” she said.

“No carrier wants to see our drivers’ time wasted,” said ATA First Vice Chairman Dan England, chairman and president of Salt Lake City-based C.R. England Inc. “However, this is not an issue that can be handled with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ regulation and as a result is best addressed in contractual agreements between carriers and shippers.”

“This isn’t a big carrier issue or a small carrier issue,” said Keith Tuttle, president of Northwood, Ohio-based Motor Carrier Services Inc. and chairman of ATA’s Small Carrier Advisory Committee. “The ability to freely negotiate contracts is something all carriers want to protect.”