Court denies motion to vacate HOS rules

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a motion to vacate the interim hours-of-service (HOS) rules adopted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Under the rules, drivers can work up to 11 hours per day, and can reset the clock after 34 hours off-duty.

The American Trucking Assns. (ATA), which strongly supports the current rule, commended the ruling. “Government and industry safety data clearly indicate that the current rules are working in terms of driver health, truck safety, and overall highway safety,” said ATA president & CEO Bill Graves. “The rules have been in force for four years and safety has improved over this time period.”

The Teamsters, which supports a 10-hour rule, brought the case to the court of appeals along with Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and Public Citizen.