A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s committee will meet publicly today, Dec.7, on hours of service, followed by three January public listening sessions on the subject.
The agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee’s new task at this Washington, D.C., meeting is to gather HOS information and recommendations to provide advice on new requirements.
FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro said the agency’s goal is to engage stakeholders on this rulemaking process.
“The FMCSA is committed to developing an hours-of-service rule that raises the safety bar for drivers of property-carrying commercial vehicles,” Ferro said. “The MCSAC public meeting is one of several steps our agency will take to encourage a robust exchange of ideas and research on this critical safety issue.”
Officials will have three listening sessions Jan. 18-29. Also next month, the FMCSA will issue a Federal Register notice soliciting data and research information the agency may consider in drafting a notice of proposed rulemaking.
The MCSAC was established in 2006 and tasked with providing advice and recommendations to the FMCSA on motor carrier safety programs and regulations.
On Oct. 26, Public Citizen and other groups agreed to settle their HOS suit against the FMCSA. The agency agreed to submit a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking within nine months of the agreement and to publish a final rule within 21 months of the settlement.
Current HOS rules are in effect until then.
More information is available by contacting Jack Kostelnik, Office of Policy Plans and Regulation, FMCSA at (202) 366.5730 or emailing [email protected].
