Impact of changes in driver fatigue regulations: Investigative Report

Story highlights:

- Driver fatigue rules are among a long list of regulations that the Trump administration has temporarily waived in recent months — including measures directly related to the public health crisis, such as rules preventing telehealth, and measures not-so-related, such as rules governing the enforcement of environmental regulations — in the name of addressing the pandemic.

- Since Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency in March, the White House has signed off on or is reviewing 247 temporary or permanent regulatory actions — only 33 of which were classified as pandemic-related — according to a Public Integrity analysis of data from the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

- Deregulation has long been a priority for Trump and his appointees, but up until recently they’ve had mixed success — with many of their moves mired in the courts. But the pandemic has given the administration an opening for what could be its most effective salvo yet against what it sees as regulatory overreach and what others see as rules vital to keeping America safe and healthy.

- The new limits on driver fatigue rules let certain drivers work two hours longer than allowed under Obama-era mandates, extend their workday when driving in bad weather, and count on-duty, non-driving time — such as time spent unloading goods — as a break, among other change

- The administration has defended the new rule, saying that it's meant to give trucking companies greater flexibility — and that it won’t compromise safety. But advocates worry it’s ripe for abuse.

Full Story Here: https://publicintegrity.org/politics/system-failure/trumps-favorite-weapon-in-the-coronavirus-fight-deregulation/

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