Washington D.C. – The American Bakers Association won a major victory today on behalf of the wholesale baking industry with passage of a Senate amendment to the FY 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations bill. The amendment suspends two unjustified provisions to the new Hours of Service regulation.
Senator Susan Collins’ (R-ME) amendment imposes a stay on the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. provision of the 34-hour restart rule, as well as the 168-hour rule to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service regulations rolled out last July.
“The American Bakers Association thanks Senator Collins for her leadership on this important issue impacting efficient and effective logistics for the industry,” said Robb MacKie, ABA President and CEO. “Changes to the rule requiring two consecutive periods of home terminal time between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. are based on faulty rationale and are unnecessary in the wake of improving safety trends.”
“Bakers work to keep stores supplied with fresh baked goods seven days a week, and the 34-hour restart rule is forcing the industry to deploy more equipment and resources during peak commuter driving hours, adversely impacting safety for both drivers and customers,” added MacKie.
If this bill becomes law, these two provisions would be suspended for one year to allow FMCSA to complete and issue its findings on a Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Restart Safety Study.
ABA will continue to work with Members of Congress and FMCSA to ensure the baking industry’s concerns are heard as the bill moves forward.
About the American Bakers Association:
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 700 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $102 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 706,000 highly skilled people.
Source: American Bakers Association
