HOS reform gives truckers time, shippers capacity

May 17, 2020 at 06:49 AM CST
A final truck driver hours-of-service (HOS) rule released Thursday will give drivers and motor carriers much-wanted flexibility in how they manage driver hours, but may limit their ability to raise prices in the future by giving shippers an extra helping of truck capacity. More flexibility and efficiency in truck utilization creates capacity that supports shipper pricing power. After two years of research, proposals, and comments, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made tweaks, rather than major changes, to the regulations governing how much time truck drivers may work behind the wheel or on docks each day and week. It has been struggling to refine those rules since Congress ordered a rewrite in the mid-1990s.

May 17, 2020 at 06:49 AM CST

A final truck driver hours-of-service (HOS) rule released Thursday will give drivers and motor carriers much-wanted flexibility in how they manage driver hours, but may limit their ability to raise prices in the future by giving shippers an extra helping of truck capacity. More flexibility and efficiency in truck utilization creates capacity that supports shipper pricing power. After two years of research, proposals, and comments, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made tweaks, rather than major changes, to the regulations governing how much time truck drivers may work behind the wheel or on docks each day and week. It has been struggling to refine those rules since Congress ordered a rewrite in the mid-1990s.