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"HOURS OF SERVICE" PROPOSAL-DEFUNDED IN CONGRESS? The federal Department of Transportation's proposal to revise "hours of service" (HOS) regulations for commercial truckers-including carriers of pulpwood, logs, and chips-received a strong vote of no-confidence in the Senate on June 15, when Senators voted unanimously to defund implementation of the HOS rule during the fiscal year which concludes September 30, 2001, in language approved in the Senate version of the Transportation Appropriations Act. However, the House version of this bill-which passed before the HOS issue arose-contains no such provision, so if the Senate language is to prevail in the final bill, Senate negotiators must insist on retaining it in the forthcoming House-Senate conference, expected in early July. What's at stake? For forest products truckers, the proposed HOS rules would complicate haul scheduling greatly, making it extremely difficult for truckers, especially small truckers, to muster the capacity to hit "hauling windows" already much narrowed by weather- and market-related constrictions. The most disruptive of many provisions limiting drivers' hauling flexibility would be the mandatory "weekend" rule, requiring an off-duty period of at least 32 hours, extending over two consecutive nights, every seven days. The unanimous vote in the Senate does not guarantee that the defunding measure will survive the conference. For one thing, there is much uncertainty how deep Senate support runs-Senators as ideologically varied as Barbara Boxer (D-California) and John McCain (R-Arizona) have since expressed second thoughts, and without constituent pressure Senate conferees may feel moved to trade their chamber's mandate away for some other concession from the House side. The views of House members, while believed to be favorable, are unknown. Return to Public Policy Archive Forest Resources Association
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