When the House of Representatives published their version of the infrastructure bill earlier this year, many in trucking were getting nervous. The bill contained a laundry list of things that are not very popular among industry crowds, including; finalizing Compliance, Safety, Accountability methodology changes, making scores public again, and using them to make monthly safety ratings; acting on obstructive sleep apnea; taking action on hours of service; and increasing insurance minimums to name a few.
Now that the Senate has passed their version, which doesn’t include these items, many of those same people are breathing a sigh of relief. The theory is that, if a highway bill is truly on the horizon, the House will most likely take up and pass the Senate version, thereby leaving the concerning policy riders on the cutting room floor. That’s dangerous thinking, however.
STC reminds its readers that FMCSA already has the authority to implement all of these more controversial provisions in the House bill. So, don’t count these provisions out just yet. Sometime this fall the Department of Transportation will publish an updated regulatory agenda that may revive some of these provisions.