The Senate bill that would have changed the 2013 federal hours-of-service rule to allow truckers to drive 82 hours a week was pulled from the Senate floor yesterday. That means the bill won't be voted on until and unless disagreements are resolved over procedural rules prevented the bill from moving forward for debate.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine quietly slipped an amendment onto a spending bill two days before a fatigued Walmart driver critically injured Tracy Morgan and killed a companion on the New Jersey Turnpike. New evidence suggests he was being pushed beyond the legal limits.
CCJ reports:
The annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill — which provides the Department of Transportation with its 2015 fiscal year funding — came to the Senate floor this week with an amendment that would have halted the requirement that a driver’s 34-hour restart include two consecutive 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods and the once-per-week limit on the restart, pending a study. That amendment — proposed by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) — was added by the Appropriations Committee earlier this month.
Freshman Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), however, had filed an amendment for consideration by the full Senate to strip the bill of the Collins amendment but keep the requirement for further study of the rule’s efficacy.Booker said it was worth fighting the special interests who want to diminish highway safety in a speech yesterday on the Senate floor. "It is absolutely unacceptable to consider suspending these driver rules," Booker said. "This effort is an important one and I know it's an uphill fight. There are entrenched interests who tend to have a lot of influence on capitol hill, but this to me is one worth fighting."
Please help Cory Booker in his uphill fight and urge your senators to support his amendment. Just click on this link.
Booker said 65 percent of truck drivers often feel drowsy while driving and 13 percent admitted they'd fallen asleep while driving. "Fatigue is an issue," he said. "Fatal accidents are common on our highways."
Here's what truck drivers say and their families say:
Jana Yancey Emory Oh man, my husband is a driver, and even with the current limits, he's totally sleep-deprived and always exhausted! When will government officials realize they are working for the PEOPLE, not the corporate bottom line?!? Is it going to take a full-on revolution?????
David Smith Not only is the 82hr just crazy but something needs to be done with the 14hr day as well. It's just asking too much
Tony Jimenez Don't increase their hours increase they're pay so the won't be a shortage of driversPlease take a few moments and tell your senators to support Cory Booker at this link: http://ibt.io/HOS.
