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Yesterday, the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and 14 other trade associations jointly filed a brief in a legal challenge to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) final rule on hours of service (HoS).

Joining IANA in the brief are the American Bakers Association, Food Marketing Institute, International Food Distributors Association, NASSTRAC, National Association of Manufacturers, National Chicken Council, National Grocers Association, National Private Truck Council, National Retail Federation, National Turkey Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Snack Food Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

The joint filing supports the American Trucking Associations legal challenge that the required rest periods in a 34-hour restart provision could adversely impact the efficiency of intermodal motor carriers that provide rail and port terminal drayage services because many intermodal facilities are open 24/7. The brief also claims that FMCSA failed to consider the additional costs to carriers, shippers, receivers and transportation intermediaries when evaluating HoS rule changes.

The previous HoS rules “served the public well” and created a regulatory framework that improved safety over the past decade, IANA officials said in a prepared statement.
 
“Intermodal freight transportation is a well-balanced and interdependent system. Because intermodal stakeholders are dependent on each other, a negative impact that affects one will likely have a ripple effect across the entire supply chain,” said IANA President and Chief Executive Officer Joni Casey. “The 34-hour restart change is particularly problematic as it will reduce a driver’s present work week and impede the scheduling flexibility necessary to service the hundreds of rail and port facilities in the U.S.”