Iowa Listening Session Allows Drivers to Speak Up

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's fourth and final listening session on the hours of service rule was focused on hearing insights from drivers themselves on what the agency should do.

The session, held Thursday in Davenport, Iowa, drew drivers and owner-operators alike from all corners of the Midwest, and could accommodate drivers because it was held near a Flying J truckstop.

"This is our first chance to be closer to the driving community by being next door to one truckstop," said Anne Ferro, FMCSA administrator, who kicked things off at the session. "I'm learning every day about the stresses that drivers face in their daily jobs, 24/7."

Ferro also opened by reiterating the FMCSA's safety priorities and the importance of this particular rule. "I'm preaching to the choir when I say that," she said.

The Driver's Voice

Despite the panel's openness to accommodate the driving community, drivers who called in still didn't feel like their voices were being heard.

"Listen to the drivers over everybody else," Chris Perry, a phone-in caller, told the panel. Perry has been driving for over 30 years and has 3.5 million safe miles under his belt. His problem with the rule is that the FMCSA treats all drivers, even experienced ones, the same as rookies.

"I don't need a babysitter," he said.

Perry echoed similar sentiments from the industry at the Iowa and other sessions that there should be more flexibility with the 14-hour rule.

"I can do 14 hours standing on my head," he said. "I would like to drive 14 hours, but I'm not allowed to. Even though I know I can do it."

Ralph Pepper, a 36-year veteran over-the-road trucker, said it's difficult for him to complete his work in 14 hours. "That is a big hindrance on my ability to earn a living for my family," he said. "Sometimes you can sleep, and sometimes you can't."

Pepper also took the opportunity to voice other issues he has as a driver. "I'm a professional driver. However, I'm not treated like one, nor am I paid like one," he said. "I get paid by the mile. My sit time kills me."

BJ Rino, another driver who called in, also felt like the FMCSA hasn't been listening to the drivers. "We have the least amount of say and ability in what's going on, and yet you're talking about making more rules and regulations on us," Rino said.

Moderator John Bickerman chimed in during Rino's comments, "I think the whole point of this listening session," he said, "is to get a sense of what drivers' lives are like."

Throughout the session, drivers and trucking industry stakeholders reiterated many of the same thoughts as those in previous sessions. They want more flexibility with the sleeper berth and 14-hour provisions, and they want to keep the 34-hour restart. Rest periods should not be mandated, but the FMCSA could adopt an optional rest period that shouldn't be counted toward the 14 hours.

Parking

One issue that came up during the session is the lack of truck parking, especially throughout the snowstorm-ridden Midwest. Brenda Neville, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, told the panel that there has to be greater access to safe parking, as this is a nationwide problem.

"The bottom line is," she said, "we've got to have more available access for the drivers as far as parking."

Many truckstops and rest stops are shutting down across the country, leaving drivers having to worry about loss of property or being a safety hazard while sleeping, Neville said.

Another concern with pulling over to rest is state idling laws, according to Tom Bower, a small fleet owner out of Kentucky. Bower pointed to an anti-idling law in Wisconsin, which prohibits drivers from using heaters or air conditioning units while resting unless the temperature reaches below 10 degrees or above 90 degrees. "That's just not acceptable," he said.

Trucking's Safety Record

To re-emphasize that the current rules are working, Neville pointed to recent crash data that shows that the truck-involved fatality rate was down 12.3 percent in 2008 from 2007. Since the rule went into effect in 2005, the rate of persons injured in large truck crashes has fallen 25 percent, while the truck-involved fatality rate is down 22 percent in that time period.

"Obviously we're doing a lot of things right in the industry," Neville said.

While Thursday's session was the last scheduled session on hours of service, the FMCSA is considering scheduling a fifth discussion.