Trucker Time Exemption Pt 2

From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Livestock haulers, truckers carrying cattle, swine, sheep and other live cargo, have distinctively different needs than other long-haul truckers, but that doesn’t seem to matter to the Department of Transportation.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says the DOT’s rejection of a time regulation exemption just demonstrates a lack of understanding of the schedule’s livestock haulers have to keep …

NEWHOUSE … “For me, as a former livestock producer myself, this is really, it causes a situation that we’re going to harm potentially animals to weather conditions, to stressing them, you know, additional heat and cold situations. This is not a humane way to be looking at the challenges that livestock producers have to face.”

With the potential rail strike, and other supply chain challenges, Newhouse says the DOT needs some enlightening …

NEWHOUSE … “We’ve joined together with producer groups across the country to push back against the DOT to try and get some what I think are common sense rules in place so that we can transport animals safely and humanely and then avoid some of those supply chain issues that are real as well.”

National livestock groups have expressed their displeasure and are urging Congress to support expanded hours-of-service flexibility.