Federal government to review rules for truckers
Is 11 hours too long for truckers to be on the road without resting? Federal officials are reconsidering a Bush Administration rule that leaves them on the highway that long and reduces the time between loads to 34 hours. Before the rule took effect during the last days of the Bush administration, truckers could drive 10 hours without a break and had to rest 50 hours between loads.
In October, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) signed an agreement with five safety and labor groups to reconsider the rule. The groups filed suit against the Bush rule some time ago. They include the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen, Parents Against Tired Truckers, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. The federal court ruled in their favor twice, stating that the government did not adequately explain the reason for the increase. But each time the court struck down the rule, the Bush Administration reinstated it. FMCSA is expected to announce its findings in about nine months.
By now, we all know it’s not healthy to be overweight. Medical reports rail against excess body fat, citing statistics that show even a few extra pounds can cause serious illnesses, from diabetes to heart ailments. Americans trying to stay healthy fight battles with their bathroom scales every day all over the United States.
American drivers beware. Trucks are expected to carry 70 percent of all the freight moved across the U.S. by 2018, making them the largest mode of freight transport in the country. Meanwhile, government efforts to improve the safety record of big rigs and other trucks is moving slowly in some respects and lagging in others. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says action to prevent medically unqualified drivers from operating commercial vehicles is unacceptable. According to the NTSB, “Many commercial drivers whose serious medical conditions are known to their employers, health care providers and others are never reported to the appropriate motor vehicle licensing authorities….endangering the drivers and others.” 
The legal weight for an 18-wheeler is 80,000 lbs. That’s 4 tons, my friend. The curb weight of a 2005 Toyota Camry is 3,164. So, it’s no contest, dude, when one of the big guys hits one of the little guys. Since “seeing is believing” as the old saying goes, click on 
