Page 10 - ATR 5 2013

NeWs iN BRief

ally. Nearly every single thing you eat,
touch, wear, or use on a daily basis once
sat in a truck.”

Wendy parker and her owner-operator
husband, george
NeW RUles comiNG foR sleep Associations and the Owner-Operator
apNea scReeNiNG Independent Drivers Association are in There are five things Wendy and
Before shutting down, the govern- support of the FMCSA issuing rules. George think the general public doesn’t
ment quickly moved a bill through both understand about “the most important
the House and the Senate that will five thiNGs the pUBlic job in the world.”
allow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety doesN’t KNoW aBoUt
Administration (FMCSA) to write rules, tRUcKeRs “tRUcKeRs do moRe thaN dRive”
rather than just guidelines, regarding This publication prides itself in Following a route is not the only
health issues like sleep apnea. being able to shine a positive light on thing a professional driver does. Because
“FMCSA will issue a notice to the trucking industry. A quick Internet of federal weight restrictions, a driver
address obstructive sleep apnea through search yields countless articles and has to maintain a fine balance between
the formal rulemaking process after blogs by authors who also want to fuel and freight weight. This requires
collecting and analyzing data and increase public awareness about this mileage calculation, precise time man-
research,” the agency said in a state- vital part of our economy. One such agement and route familiarity. Hours-
ment. The government wanted to make blog, The George and Wendy Show, of-service rules require drivers to keep
sure truck drivers do not suffer from from Overdrive Magazine, sums things strict time logs, which must coincide
excessive fatigue as a consequence of up pretty nicely. Wendy writes: with fueling, driving, sleeping, load-
sleep disorders. Those in the trucking “Private-sector businesses in the ing and unloading times. Drivers are
industry have registered deep con- U.S. employ an estimated 8.9 million responsible for knowing the variations
cern over the use of guidelines, and people in trucking-related jobs; nearly of axle-weight requirements in each
have been pushing for the rulemaking 3.5 million of those jobs are that of state and have to adjust their axles or
approach. They worry that the guidance truck driver. The United States economy loads accordingly, which also requires
will not fully clarify an employer’s legal depends on trucks to deliver nearly 70
responsibilities. The American Trucking percent of all freight transported annu- 

10 arKansas trucKing report | issue 5 2013