The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been required to conduct an additional economical analysis regarding hours-of-service (HOS) rules as it re-examines the 2003 regulation, according to information published in the Federal Register February 4, 2005.
FMCSA was forced back to the drawing board in July of 2004 by a federal court that voided the original regulation (49 CFR Parts 385, 390 and 395), saying it did not fully address driver health and other HOS issues.
In January of this year, FMCSA published a request for comments on HOS rules and set a March 10, 2005, deadline to respond. The agency is using the 2003 regulation as a basis for the comments. The current announcement on the additional economic analysis asks for comments by the same date.
The analysis was imposed by new requirements from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), according to FMCSA information.
OMB wants to know the percent of all truck-related crashes where commercial driver fatigue is a factor and how significantly that uncertainty affects the benefit and cost estimates derived. OMB also requires a cost-effectiveness analysis for where improved public health and safety are the primary benefits. Meanwhile, carriers are allowed to continue operating under the 2003 regulations until September 30, 2005.
To see the February 4 publication in the Federal Register, click here.