It’s no secret that the hours of service rule is unpopular among industry fleets and drivers. At the American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition in Orlando a couple of weeks ago, a panel discussion talked about how the new hours rule is hurting driver safety and the industry as a whole. One such panel member, Derek Leathers from Werner Enterprises, said that the rule “absolutely will negatively impact our driver wages and productivity.” Leathers also said it “absolutely limits driver flexibility at a time when we can least afford to make the job more restrictive.”
While Leathers is just one voice, a recent poll backs him up. 44 percent of carriers said in the poll the July changes to hours of service have hurt the ability of fleets to find and keep good drivers. Among the groups most affected are the 60-67 age group of drivers, who are moving on from the industry in droves because of the new limitations. The industry is even more hurt because these drivers are the most experienced – leaving a dangerous wake of inexperienced drivers to fill their positions.
Steve Gordon from Gordon Trucking Inc. also weighed in. “They can’t leave the house until after 5 a.m.,” Gordon said. “If they get hung up somewhere, they lose that time the next week. So the very people we’re trying to tell, ‘we’re going to do right by you, we’re going to get you home to see your family,’ they’re the ones paying the price.” Gordon also said that the driver health issue of the new hours rule is “ludicrous,” as taking money from drivers’ pockets and making them to take unnecessary breaks probably isn’t making drivers healthier.
To read more about the whole panel, we suggest you check out the full article here. It’s a fascinating read. Meanwhile, we want to hear from you about how the new rule has affected you and your drivers. Talk to us here and on our Facebook page, and head to our website if you are interested in our insurance services.