Drivers say the new rules are pros and cons
RACINE COUNTY, USA-By Robert Gutsche Jr - As a truck driver, Anthony Mix worked about 48 hours a week near his home. It carries all through the Midwest, including Milwaukee beer. And several times a month, toward the end of his eight-hour drive, sleep in his bed behind the driver's seat in a parking lot along Interstate Racine County. Before he and other truckers could split the eight hours of sleep required by the federal government, through the day, but at the beginning of October will take 10 consecutive hours between each driving time. Rules for drivers
New rules now in controversy, let the lead truck runs 11 hours a day, an hour before, and also allowed the drivers to work 77 hours a week, up from the previous 60 hours. But it is the how and how much sleep truckers, industry discussions. The mixture is what they like. "Before I could from my eight hours without any help," said Mix, a veteran of 30 years of handling Michigan. "I think now will force people to spend more time on the road." His bed was a mess, the day he spoke about the change in the regulations. He works about 70 hours a week and use their free time to sleep, read and perform a check security in its team of 53 feet long. "I think these additions are a better precaution."
But those rules to disrupt other truckers who use the truck stops in Racine County. They said they did not approve the regulations, because they limit their freedom to drive whenever and by the time they choose. "When he needs to go, the new rules will suck," the trucker Lyle Drescher, 50, of Canada. National transport associations agree on one point. "Anyone who has traveled the roads and highways of our nation, you might think that forcing tired truck drivers to stay behind the wheel longer is good public policy?" asked James P. last week Hoffa, president of the Teamsters Union after meeting the regulations. For 60 years, truckers could drive 10 hours straight. Since 1 January 2004, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety rule changed to allow another hour behind the wheel. A federal court, however, rejected the changes.
Last week, the agency truck safety review announced that a rule would allow the big teams will roll 11 hours, three hours longer than they should according to safety advocates. Defending the change Annette Sandberg, chief of the Federal Security Administration of Motor Carriers, said the new rule is based on more research and was designed to reduce the number of crashes caused by fatigued drivers.
"Research shows that this new rule will promote the health of drivers and the safety of our roads," according to Sandberg, adding that the rule requires drivers to take at least 10 hours rest between shifts, two more than before and reduces the maximum work of 15 to 14 hours.
But Joan Claybrook, president of the safety group Public Citizen, said drivers can drive 20 percent and 30 percent spend more time working under the new rules. And he added that according to your agency's data, deaths resulting from collisions of large equipment are up 3.1 percent comparing 2003 with 2004.
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