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Sep 6, 2005 2:55 PM

The new US hours-of-service (HOS) rules affecting sleeper berth time is a "bombshell" that Canadian and provincial trucking associations say could have major negative implications for industry efficiency, productivity, and truck safety, according to the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA).

"Obviously, this will have significant impact on many carrier operations which have been established on the basis of the previous, more flexible, split-time rules," the association said. "The rules apply to both single driver and team driver situations. Team operations would clearly be severely impacted."

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is holding discussions with the American Trucking Associations in an effort to determine where CTA can best assist in seeking a re-consideration by the US Federal Motor Carrier Agency.

Under the new rule, which comes into effect on October 1st, drivers using the sleeper berth option may split the 10-hour off-duty requirement into two separate periods only: a minimum of eight consecutive hours in the bunk and another minimum of two consecutive hours off duty, which may be spent either in or outside the bunk.

Also, it is essential to understand that only the eight-hour sleeper berth period stops the clock for purposes of calculating the 14-hour window. The additional two-hour period counts for nothing and therefore has the effect of reducing the available on-duty time in a shift by two hours from 14 hours down to 12 hours. (Another way of putting this is that the 14-hour working window is being reduced to 12 hours).

There has been little reaction from Canadian federal or provincial government officials, and no indication there might be implications for the proposed Canadian rules, which include a more flexible sleeper berth provision.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is holding discussions with the American Trucking Associations in an effort to determine where CTA can best assist in seeking a re-consideration by the US Federal Motor Carrier Agency.