A tweak to rules governing the time truckers must rest is winning cheers from tax reform and conservative groups because it could save consumers $274 million.
Led by Americans for Tax Reform, a coalition of 12 free-market organizations backed the changes for commercial drivers in a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The proposed rule would change how truckers take 30-minute breaks and give them more flexibility to meet the requirements.
“The proposed rule provides common sense revisions to the existing regulations such as allowing drivers to apply the 30-minute break rule while drivers are in ‘on duty, not driving’ status rather than ‘off duty status,’” said the letter.
It added that the change would “provide a boost for the economy” and “provide $274 million in savings for Americans consumers and the economy.”
It was signed by Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment, Richard Manning, president of Americans for Limited Government, Brent Gardner of Americans for Prosperity, Olivia Grady of the Center for Worker Freedom, George Landrith, president of Frontiers of Freedom, Seton Motley, president of Less Government, Harry Alford, president of National Black Chamber of Commerce, Pete Sepp, president of the National Taxpayers Union, Satnam Singh with the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Maureen Blum of USA Workforce Coalition.
While the changes provide drivers with more schedule flexibility, some safety advocates have warned that it could make the roads more dangerous.
Supporters, on the other hand, said it will make roads safer because drivers won’t feel pressed to speed to make up for rest times under current rules.
“Under current HOS regulations, truck drivers are forced to operate under a regulatory system that results in more unsafe driving situations as drivers feel they are ‘racing the clock.’ Current HOS regulations fail to acknowledge the realities of traffic, road conditions, weather and long waiting lines at origins and destinations encountered by drivers. Instead, drivers should be allowed greater flexibility to take a break when they feel it is needed rather than Washington bureaucrats mandating their breaks for them,” said the letter.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Kerpen’s association and omitted Manning.
