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Sep 28, 2005 2:37 PM

The Teamsters Union has joined with Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and other highway safety groups in filing a challenge to the new hours-of-service (HOS) regulations recently issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

The coalition has filed a Petition for Reconsideration asking FMCSA to re-evaluate several aspects of the new rule, which is to take effect October 1, 2005.

The union is also filing its own separate petition to address the sleeper berth modification because of the affect it has on team drivers using the sleeper cab.

The new provision requires an eight-hour rest period, forcing a team driver to “rest” for eight hours in a moving truck, with engine noise, vibration and other distractions around them.

The current rules require two rest periods with one being at least two hours long. Most team drivers now split their rest periods into two, five-hour stints.