Ted Lance Hansen - Comments

I recommend the oilfield exemptions either be reasonably enforced or done away with altogether. Having worked for the two largest energy services companies in the world, these exemptions are abused rampantly. Drivers in the oil field industries are routinely expected by their management to work on the wellsite while claiming the off-duty at wellsite oilfield exemption. Drivers falsely claim off-duty at well time to illegally extend the 14-hour rule. Drivers who refuse to abuse the use of these exemptions are not tolerated. Drivers for these companies and the general public in the states in which oilfield operations are taking place have little to no recourse to mitigate the unsafe road conditions that are created as a result of these abuses. For instance, making a motor carrier complaint against a motor carrier operating in Colorado gets no action. As a driver who has reported these abuses both to management and to the state agencies who are supposed to enforce these rules, I have got nothing but denial by the companies and jurisdictional runaround from governmental agencies. Reporting motor carrier violations to the CSP or FMCSA office in Colorado will yield no investigation. In both cases my complaint was simply forwarded to the FMCSA office in Texas where the motor carriers are headquartered. In both cases I was basically told my report would be filed but no action would be taken. The net result of the current situation is that drivers continue to abuse the use of these exemptions and drive tired endangering themselves and the general public in many of the states. It is important to point out that many oilfield operations involved hazardous materials including radiation, explosives, or many harsh chemicals. Drivers who refuse to participate in the systematic abuse of the oilfield exemptions become casualties replaced by drivers who will. The only thing exempted by these rules are the truth, and the safety of drivers in the general public. But no profit$$$$$$$$$$.