Today, Sens. Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced a bipartisan bill to provide livestock haulers with regulatory relief from the restrictive Hours-of-Service rules. The bill, the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act, offers a prescriptive and permanent solution to the bull hauler’s hassle. In addition, 16 other Senators joined in to support the legislation.
Specifically, the bill would make the following changes:
- Increase the exempt air miles from the current 150 to 300
- Increase the current driving time from 11 hours to not less than 15 and no more than 18 hours
- Grant flexibility for drivers to rest when they need to without counting against the hours of service time
- If a driver comes within 150 air miles of their delivery point, they may continue to finish their delivery regardless of hours of service.
- After the drive is completed a driver will rest for 10 hours if hours of service are 15 hours of driving time and for 13 hours of hours of service if driving time is 18 hours.
United States Cattlemen’s Association Transportation Committee Chairman Steve Hilker said, “We greatly appreciate the work of Senators Tester and Sasse in bringing forth a prescriptive solution for livestock haulers that gives them the flexibility needed to get their live cargo to its destination as safely and efficiently as possible. This bill will not only allow drivers to take a rest break when it is needed, not when it is required, it will also increase the safety and welfare of the animals.
“USCA has led on this issue from the beginning and we will see it through to its end. We look forward to broad bipartisan support of this legislation that will allow for swift passage into law.”
The following are co-sponsors: Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Sen. Kevin Cramer, Sen. Jerry Moran, Sen. James Risch, Sen. Doug Jones, Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Mike Rounds, Sen. James Lankford, Sen. Mike Braun, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Mike Enzi, Sen. Mike Crapo, Sen. Joni Ernst, Sen. Pat Roberts, and Sen. Deb Fischer.
