REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
HOURS OF
SERVICE ROLL OUT
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
APRIL 24, 2003
1:45 PM
Good afternoon, everyone.
Thank you for taking time out of your own busy schedules to be here
today.
As all of you know, safety is the top priority for us here
at the U.S. Department of Transportation. It
is at the very heart of the mission of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration, led by Acting Administrator Annette Sandberg who is standing
with me.
Today, I am proud to announce the first major change of the Hours of Service rule in almost 65 years, a change that will make our Nation’s highways much safer.
The new rule allows commercial truck drivers to drive up to
11 hours, but only after a break of at least 10 consecutive hours.
It provides an increase of two hours’ rest for drivers, while
increasing driving time one hour per shift.
The Department is also announcing today a research
initiative focusing on new and emerging technologies that will help us enforce
these schedules.
The new Hours of Service rule is based on sound science,
including scientific evidence that tells us that the new work schedule is more
in line with the human body’s natural 24-hour cycle.
Most importantly, this change is expected to prevent more
than 1,300 fatigue-related crashes every year.
This regulation will not only reduce the human suffering
caused by traffic crashes but will also provide an economic benefit to American
society. If we can lower the cost
of moving freight by 1 percent, the additional benefit to the economy would be
more than $98 billion annually.
Before I wrap up and hand you over to Acting Administrator
Sandberg, I want to take a few moments to thank the 53,000 people who commented
on these new rules. I also want to
thank our staff. This regulation
reflects the hard work and direction of Acting Administrator Sandberg and her
team at FMCSA. The rule also
reflects the guidance of Joe Clapp, our immediate former FMCSA Administrator,
who retired at the end of 2002.
Everyone worked diligently with my office, stakeholder
groups, and the scientific community to ensure that this rule strikes a delicate
balance between safety and the economic viability of the trucking industry.
Acting Administrator Sandberg will now take you through the
major provisions of the regulation and answer your questions.
Again, let me thank all of you for taking the time to be here today.
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