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How Regulating Truckers’ Driving Time is Affecting Logistics

At the end of 2011 the Federal Government passed legislation that required the regulation of the number of hours a truck driver can spend on the road. Strict rules determining rest breaks, night driving and time off from driving have reduced the number of hours that truck drivers can be on the road and the changes have put new pressures on the industry to find ways to remain cost effective while adhering to the new laws. Truck owners, especially owner operators, know that their vehicle isn’t making money for them if it is off the road. The rising cost of both fuel and labor makes it vital for trucks to be operating for the maximum possible number of hours per week. As a result, many in the trucking industry think that the new legislation will impact on their income. The decreased number of hours that existing drivers can work before having to take a legislated break means that companies must find new drivers to keep their trucks rolling. All of this has the road transport industry worrying about the future viability of their business. On the other side of the issue, the government’s latest studies of the social and fiscal impact… read more »