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Nov 1, 2005 6:37 AM

“Serious and pervasive concerns” about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sleeper berth provisions have been expressed by the president of the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer, presented his concerns in a letter to FMCSA Administrator Annette Sandberg, according to ATA information.

He stated that professional drivers for ATA’s motor carrier members have for decades safety utilized the flexible sleeper berth provision to assure their drivers obtain needed rest, while ensuring the timely and efficient movement of America’s freight. He stressed that as often been shared with agency personnel, “allowing flexibility in the splitting of sleep periods for both single and team drivers affords inherent protections and provides scheduling options that are critical for driver safety”, “mitigates fatigue”, and is “important to the efficiency of motor carrier operations.”

Graves advised the agency that “ATA plans to expeditiously collect both historical and current sleeper berth data, along with appropriate safety and productivity metrics for both team and solo drivers."

For more information, click here for the ATA Web site.