U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FHWA 64-98
Wednesday, December, 23, 1999
Contact: Janet Kumer
Telephone: 202-366-1724 Truck Safety FHWA Hires Convenors to Look at Hours-of-Service Rulemaking
Federal Highway Administrator Kenneth R. Wykle today announced that the agency
has hired two convenors to consider the feasibility of negotiated rulemaking
as an approach to developing hours-of-service rules for commercial drivers. "Safety is President Clinton's highest transportation priority, and negotiated
rulemaking holds great promise for reaching consensus on this important safety
issue," Wykle said. "Secretary Slater has asked everyone in the department,
along with our industry partners, to join him in creating a visionary and vigilant
U.S. Department of Transportation to lead the way to transportation excellence
in the 21st century. It is for these reasons that we are making the first comprehensive
effort to improve hours-of-service rules since they were established in the
1930s. Under the Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1996, convenors impartially assist an
agency in determining whether it is feasible and appropriate to enter into a
negotiated rulemaking process. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), an
agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, hired the two convenors; they
are Alana S. Knaster of Los Angeles and Charles Pou of Washington, D.C. In a negotiated rulemaking, an agency invites interests likely to be affected
by a regulation to work together on a negotiating committee to develop a consensus
draft of the proposed rule. If the FHWA approves, the consensus proposed rule
is then published by the agency for public comment under traditional regulatory
procedures. Neutral convenors interview affected interests, including drivers, motor carriers,
safety groups and enforcement officials. They then submit a report of findings
and recommendations to the FHWA as to whether a negotiating committee can be
assembled that fairly represents all affected interests and is willing to negotiate
in good faith. # # #
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