Latest Hearing on the Proposed Hours of Service

TeamCaffee · Jun 20, 2013

The video is long and very interesting with Anne Ferro talking about the reasoning behind the proposed rules. Worth taking the time to listen in on. In my opinion Administrator Anne Ferro does a great job defending the new HOS and working through the problems. She is the only FMCSA Administrator who has taken the time to have listening sessions all over the country and continues to attend truck shows to talk with truck drivers. Even while I do not agree with everything she is taking a stance on I believe she does a good job.

The Impact of DOT's Commercial Driver HOS Regulations:
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Published on Jun 18, 2013
June 18, 2013 - Subcommittee Chairman Thomas E. Petri (R-WI) and Full Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) preside over a hearing to evaluate the Impacts of DOT's Commercial Driver Hours of Service Regulations. Witnesses include Hon. Anne Ferro, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Mr. Mark Savage, President, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance; Ms. Joan Claybrook, Consumer Co-Chair, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety; Mr. Steve Williams, Chairman & CEO, Maverick USA, Inc.; on behalf of the American Trucking Associations; Mr. Edward Stocklin, President, Stocklin Trucking LLC; on behalf of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association; and Mr. Jeffrey Dean Hinkle, Transportation Manager, Chandler Concrete Company, Inc.; on behalf of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

You Tube HOS Hearing

moose · Jun 20, 2013

It's a smoke screen. she collect drivers input then IGNORE us.
please do list a recent regs that actually made drivers input into the final rule we are FORCED to comply with.
the ONLY way to speak with miss FARO is via the courts.
but even when we do so she told the court 'we are from the gov. and we know better', then she ignored the courts orders all together.
in the June 18 event before congress she simply had no answers to some of the fundamentals questions asked.
she did not provided the needed data to support this excessive rule,
she did not provided much needed exemptions for parts of the industry. miss Faro keep pushing the 'one size fits all' into a very deserve industry.she flat out lied about the significant costs to the industry.
she did not provided an answer to the CVSA claim that this rule will make it EZ to cheat and harder to enforce. nor to the training of it's staff.
she did not provided any explanations to her claim that this rule will only effect 15% of the industry.
and ignored direct questioning regarding the effects on truck parking.
she tricked the data to support the administrations agenda. for example when she said that fatigue drivers is a major risk on our HWY's. this statement cannot be further then the truth as driver fatigue is an contribute factor in only 1.4-1.7% of big truck accidents.
miss Faro also ignored direct orders from Congress, and she do so on a regular basic. a few examples are: entry drivers training, border crossing programs, e-logs,
she clearly stepped out of her jurisdictions when it comes to the HouseHolds mover website, and should be taken to court over this.
IMHO she did a very bad job defending a rule that cannot be defended.
miss Faro have a very though job to do & she is doing a lousy job promoting safety and interstate commerce.
under her watch our industry face unheard of/unnecessary regulatory burden.
many good experienced safe drivers are vending out of our industry do to her direct actions. only to make way for a revolving door newcomes that will not stay long enough to become experience
we will have to agree to disagree, Linda.
(next time you have her on the TSG, please do give ME the opportunity to interrogate her, maybe we can ask some real questions!)

BigCat · Jun 21, 2013

The woman is a tool. And not a very useful one.

Slo-Ride · Jun 22, 2013

Is it me or did it appear OOIDA choked/dropped the ball on the spokesman they used?
Seems to me they could have coached him a bit better on public speaking. Not taking anything way from Ed Stocklin and Im sure he did his best and with well intentions but while speaking at such a important hearing it seems they could have used someone more familiar with public speaking. He brought up good points but almost seemed to stumble on his speaking. By coaching I dont mean to say they should have told him what to say and I dont think they did. His words seemed to be his. Maybe its just me but he didnt seem to be as strong of speaker as was needed. (and Im sure I would stumble also.) Comparing him to Hinkle who came across ready to speak and with papers in hand if I remeber right.
It was a long clip and I'm not reloading it to listen again.

I did enjoy the part where the women next to him said everyone else works a 8 hour day except truck drivers.

TeamCaffee · Jun 23, 2013

I agree with you OOIDA should have coached him on public speaking. Williams from Maverick made Ed look silly after many of his comments.

Ed brought up a good point of the restart on the east coast really putting him behind due to the time change from the west coast. Being an oversize carrier that would put him in a bind due to time he can drive.

The Maverick guy was prepared, a great speaker, and he had his facts memorized it sounded like. With only a 58% turnover rate with his company ATA picked a great spokesman. He sure was for the industry all going to EOBR's which I can understand as it would level the playing field for his company. He also scored big with all of the safety equipment he says he puts on his trucks voluntarily. I did not agree with all he had to say, but he was a fantastic speaker.

I thought the hearing was interesting with some seeming to only want to hear their voices and others really putting some good information out there. This happened on both sides.

Hinkle from the concrete association sounding to me like he needed the government to step in and save his people from being worked to death. 14 hour days and no time for a 1/2 hour break? What made me laugh a few times was how many times he pointed out that his guys can take a 15 to 20 minute break several times day but no way can they take a 1/2 break that will be unpaid.

layoutshooter · Jun 23, 2013

There is no way to justify making rules that will not make trucking safer and, in many cases, make operations more dangerous. The government put on a dog and pony show pretending to listen to drivers and then did exactly what they had planned on doing from day one. Ferro is joke as are the new HOS. The new regs are reason to reconsider participation in this business. Just one of many.

Don't believe for one second that this is the last thing we are going to be stuck with. This is just the beginning of the restrictions and controls.

beachbum · Jun 23, 2013

If you look on this site and others they also seem to not be able to take 1/2 hour break either. Plus I should add nowhere that I've worked has the 1/2 hour break for lunch has been paid the two 15 always were. Then i came to trucking where the companies want everything for free except driving.

Hinkle from the concrete association sounding to me like he needed the government to step in and save his people from being worked to death. 14 hour days and no time for a 1/2 hour break? What made me laugh a few times was how many times he pointed out that his guys can take a 15 to 20 minute break several times day but no way can they take a 1/2 break that will be unpaid.

bubblehead · Jun 23, 2013

layoutshooter said:
There is no way to justify making rules that will not make trucking safer and, in many cases, make operations more dangerous. The government put on a dog and pony show pretending to listen to drivers and then did exactly what they had planned on doing from day one. Ferro is joke as are the new HOS. The new regs are reason to reconsider participation in this business. Just one of many.

Don't believe for one second that this is the last thing we are going to be stuck with. This is just the beginning of the restrictions and controls.

In business class we were taught that the best way to get your agenda passed was to make the intended target believe it was their idea. The thinking is that if they "own" it they would co-operate more to seeing to its success.

The Government is for the most part trying to create a 'one size fits all' agenda. There are some obvious exceptions as noted in the regulations; explosives, grapes etc. A good illustration of this problem would have been for them to all exchange their clothes with each other while on camera.
Not exactly a pretty sight, but it is what the Government is trying to make us do.

By the way, if you really care about our safety Ms Ferro, have our Government FIX THE ROADS with the tax money that has already been collected!

layoutshooter · Jun 23, 2013

bubblehead said:
In business class we were taught that the best way to get your agenda passed was to make the intended target believe it was their idea. The thinking is that if they "own" it they would co-operate more to seeing to its success.

The Government is for the most part trying to create a 'one size fits all' agenda. There are some obvious exceptions as noted in the regulations; explosives, grapes etc. A good illustration of this problem would have been for them to all exchange their clothes with each other while on camera.
Not exactly a pretty sight, but it is what the Government is trying to make us do.

By the way, if you really care about our safety Ms Ferro, have our Government FIX THE ROADS with the tax money that has already been collected!

I am more than aware of what the government is up to.

The roads are a wonderful example of government in action. Much of the tax dollars that is paid by motorists and truckers is spent on other things than roads and bridges. We see the result of government in action quite clearly.

ALL of these regulations are about money and nothing more. The more regulations the greater the chance of writing tickets and more fines paid. That is it. That and the need for government to control every aspect of our lives.