PROTECT TRUCK DRIVERS AND OUR NATION'S HIGHWAYS--TEAMSTERS TAKE ACTION

It seems pretty unbelievable that anyone would think that more hours on the road for long-haul truck drivers would be a good thing, but the Senate is considering legislation that would do just that if passed. The Transportation Appropriations bill is on the floor this week and includes language to suspend hours of service rules, and the 34-hour "restart" provision namely, for one year. Currently, drivers are limited to 60-70 hours on the road a week, but if these rules are suspended, that limit could increase to more than 80 hours a week! Please contact your Senators today and ask that they support an amendment to strike the hours of service suspension language from the bill.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has reported that there were more than 4,000 fatalities resulting from large truck and bus-related crashes in 2011, and that fatigue is a leading factor in crashes involving large trucks. The recent crash involving actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, in which the Walmart truck driver was allegedly awake for 24 hours, illustrates all too well the danger posed by driver fatigue. The Teamsters Union is not interested in having our drivers and their families share the road with overworked and fatigued drivers. Please contact your Senators today and ask that they protect truck drivers and everyone who uses our nation's highways.

IBT Field and Political Action, 06/17/2014