New HOS Rules Cause Productivity Losses for Carriers

The new hours-of-service rules are resulting in productivity losses and forcing professional drivers to drive during more congested time periods, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reported.
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The new hours-of-service rules are resulting in productivity losses and forcing professional drivers to drive during more congested time periods, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reported.

ATRI's new reportOperational and Economic Impacts of the New Hours-of-Service, found that more than 80 percent of motor carriers surveyed have experienced a productivity loss since the new rules went into effect, with nearly half stating that they require more drivers to haul the same amount of freight.

The new hours-of-service rules took effect on July 1, 2013 and include provisions that limit use of the 34-hour restart and require a rest break before driving after eight hours on-duty.

Additional findings from the report include:  

  • 82.5 percent of commercial drivers surveyed said the new HOS rules have had a negative impact on their quality of life, with more than 66 percent indicating increased levels of fatigue.

  • 53 percent of drivers said they have spent more time in traffic congestion due to the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. rule, which requires certain breaks during those periods. 
  • 67 percent of drivers report decreases in pay since the rules took effect.
  • The impacts on driver wages for all over-the-road drivers total $1.6 billion to $3.9 billion in annualized loss. 

Free copies of the full report are available on ATRI's website. 

 

 

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