Carrier Applies for Exemption from HOS Rules

The public has 30 days to comment on a request from McKee Foods Transportation for an exemption from hours of service rules. McKee has asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to allow team drivers to cut the mandatory 10 hours of rest into two sessions, with each session not less than three hours. The current rules state that a rest period of at least eight hours is required for team drivers with another two hours in the berth or off duty.

McKee states that allowing each driver to switch when they feel tired allows for drivers to use the shorter time periods. It further goes on to say that the exemptions will allow drivers to work together in warehouse functions, which would cut back on unloading time and improve navigation in the warehouse.

In its application, McKee also cites an FMCSA research finding that split sleep is preferable to consolidated daytime sleep if consolidated nighttime sleep is not possible. McKee has offered several safety measures it says will help ensure safe operation if the FMCSA grants the exemption:

• In addition to giving drivers two or three days home time during the week, McKee shuts down transportation operations for 26 hours each week, beginning one hour before sundown Friday and continuing until one hour after sundown Saturday.
• Team drivers will be allowed to drive only 10 hours before completing their 10 hour breaks, rather than the current HOS mandate of 11.
•  All McKee tractors have speed limiters.
• McKee drivers track their duty time and HOS compliance with electronic logging devices.
• The carrier collects behavior-based event data from its ELDs to assist in improving current safety measures used to reduce the probability of accidents.