Joyce Anne Looney - Comments

I am at a loss as to WHY the FMCSA is proposing another change in the hours of service. The accident rate for commercial TRUCKS is at an ALL TIME low. Commercial buses are another story. The buses safety ratings keep getting worse and worse. Regardless of the rules and regulations, people sleep when they are tired. TOO much sleep can create MORE problems than lack of sleep. The federal government proposes new rules and regulations and I am seeing the well qualified drivers leaving the transportation industry because of the needless changes. It appears the less qualified drivers are the ones left on the roads today, with no knowledge or common sense concerning trucking. The companies with the on board recorders are STILL having accidents, so requiring a certain sleep amount IS NOT stopping anything, except the delivery of freight. The amount of money spent for freight WILL increase if the hours of service rules are changed to the point a driver can not make any money because there are not enough hours to drive. When you spend more time in the sleeper than you do at working there would be no reason for cheap freight rates...the longer a driver is gone from home, the more frustrated they become and the more money they are going to charge. So in the end our consumers will be the ones PAYING the price for a change to the hours of service that is NOT NEEDED and would be a total waste of time and money. Our local, state and federal governments are NOT providing safe places for drivers to park and rest anyway. If you spend 1-2 hours each night looking for somewhere to sleep, then that is time lost in the sleeper. Spend some time changing something that will make a difference instead of harping on the same issue over and over again that is doing NOTHING to increase safety. Maybe the transportation department should see WHAT vehicles are creating all the accidents, instead of trying to blame the trucks that have lowered their accidents to an all time LOW.