Letter to Roger Wicker and Maria Cantwell, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation - Cornyn Urges Eased Regulations on Trucks Hauling Livestock, Agriculture Products

Letter

Dear Chairman Wicker and Ranking Member Cantwell:

We write to encourage you to begin consideration of legislation that provides greater flexibility within hours of service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers hauling livestock and agricultural products, while also protecting public safety. Thank you for your consideration of our request.

As you know, in the absence of congressional action, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Public Law 114-94) is set to expire on September 30, 2020. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee recently passed the America's Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019, which reauthorizes many of our nation's surface transportation programs. As the Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdictional oversight over Hours of Service regulations applicable to commercial motor vehicles, we respectfully request that your committee work with us to provide greater flexibility for haulers of agricultural products while protecting public safety.

The unique circumstances involved in the transport of perishable and live goods warrant flexible laws and regulations to ensure a safe environment, not only for all of those who travel our roads, but also for the animals and goods being transported. It is important that Hours of Service regulations provide for a commonsense framework for drivers, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

We look forward to working with you and the Senate Commerce Committee to provide common-sense regulatory flexibility within the hours of service that uphold safety while ensuring the efficient and humane delivery of products to market. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,