The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will hold four listening sessions this month to hear comments on the truck driver hours of service rulemaking

. The sessions will tackle such topics as rest and on-duty time, sleeper berth use and the effect of the current hours of service on loading and unloading times.

"Public input is critical to the rulemaking process," said Anne S. Ferro, FMCSA administrator. "The public listening sessions will provide opportunities for a broad cross-section of stakeholders to present views, comments and relevant research on this forthcoming federal safety regulation proposal."

In October 2009, the Department of Transportation decided to review the current HOS rules after settling a lawsuit brought by Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

In March 2009, the groups filed suit, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to throw out the HOS rule for the third time. The settlement requires the government to draft a new proposed rule governing hours of service within nine months and to publish a final rule within 21 months. The current rule will stay in place during that process.

The listening sessions will take place on:

* Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City National Airport in Arlington, Va.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time

* Friday, Jan. 22, 2010
Hyatt Regency Dallas Forth Worth Airport in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Central time

* Monday, Jan. 25, 2010
Doubletree Hotel Los Angeles International Airport in El Segundo, Calif.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific time

For more information on the listening sessions, including several questions on possible alternatives to the current HOS requirements, please visit the FMCSA website at www.fmcsa.dot.gov.