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WikiLeaks says U.S. Frankfurt consulate is a 'CIA hacker base' The Local de / March 7, 2017 The whistleblower group's new report describes how the CIA hacked into iPhones, Microsoft Windows and even Samsung TVs around the world - and the German financial centre is reportedly a major hub. In a leak described by the whistleblower organization as “the largest intelligence publication in history”, WikiLeaks released nearly 9,000 documents that it says reveal the CIA's hacking arsenal. “The quantity of published pages… already eclipses the total number of pages published over the first three years of the Edward Snowden NSA leaks,” WikiLeaks states. One expert who examined the leaks told the Associated Press that it appeared legitimate. WikiLeaks said the “Vault 7” release on Tuesday exposes the “entire hacking capacity” of the American intelligence organization and how it covertly hacks into devices like iPhones, Android phones, Microsoft Windows and even Samsung TVs, turning them into secret microphones. It claims that by the end of last year, the CIA's hacking unit had more than 5,000 registered users who had produced thousands of hacking systems, trojans, viruses and “weaponized” malware. “The CIA had created, in effect, its "own NSA" with even less accountability and without publicly answering the question as to whether such a massive budgetary spend on duplicating the capacities of a rival agency could be justified,” WikiLeaks states in the release. The source of the leak is said to be a former US government hacker or contractor, who was able to get hold of the documentation after the CIA lost control of most of its hacking arsenal, WikiLeaks states. The US Consulate in Frankfurt was reportedly used as a “covert base” for hackers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. These hackers were given diplomatic passports with State Department cover, and were instructed to tell customs officials that they were technical consultants for the consulate. Once in Frankfurt, WikiLeaks says the hackers could travel without border checks throughout Europe's Schengen area. Hackers would then target certain workplaces with USB sticks containing malware, and insert the sticks into a computer to infect or exfiltrate data. One attack system, Fine Dining, reportedly has 24 decoy applications for hackers to use, making a computer screen display videos, slideshow presentations, fake virus scanners, or computer games - all while the malware attacks the system. "As a matter of policy, the US State Department does not comment on specific intelligence allegations," the Frankfurt Consulate told The Local, declining to comment on whether the documents were authentic. The report also says that by 2014, the CIA had started looking into how to infect vehicle control systems, potentially for the purpose of conducting undetectable assassinations.

Wikileaks publishes details of wide-ranging hacking tools used by the CIA BBC / March 7, 2017 The alleged cyber-weapons are said to include malware that targets Windows, Android, iOS, OSX and Linux computers as well as internet routers. Some of the software was developed in-house, and the UK's MI5 agency helped build a spyware attack for Samsung TVs. Wikileaks said that its source had shared the details with it to prompt a debate into whether the CIA's hacking capabilities had exceeded its mandated powers. Embarrassment factor - Analysis by BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera These latest leaks - which appear to give details of highly sensitive technical methods - will be a huge problem for the CIA. There is the embarrassment factor - that an agency whose job is to steal other people's secrets has not been able to keep their own. Then there will be the fear of a loss of intelligence coverage against their targets who may change their behavior because they now know the spies can do. And then there will be the questions over whether the CIA's technical capabilities were too expansive and too secret. Because many of the initial documents point to capabilities targeting consumer devices, the hardest questions may revolve around what is known as the "equities" problem. This is when you find a vulnerability in a piece of technology how do you balance the benefit to the public of telling the manufacturer so they can close it and improve everyone's security with the benefit to the spy agency of leaving it in place so they can exploit it to collect intelligence. The NSA has already faced questions about whether it has this balance right when many of its secrets were revealed by Edward Snowden, and now it may be the CIA's turn. Hacked TVs The effort to compromise Samsung's F8000 range of smart TVs was codenamed Weeping Angel, according to documents dated June 2014. They describe the creation of a "fake-off" mode, designed to fool users into believing that their screens had been switched off. Instead, the documents indicate, infected sets were made to covertly record audio, which would later be transferred over the internet to CIA computer servers once the TVs were fully switched back on, allowing their wi-fi links to re-establish. Under a "future work" section, it is suggested that video snapshots might also be taken and the wi-fi limitation be overcome.

I have zero problem with Mr. Sessions having met with the Russian ambassador. But I do have a problem with him lying under oath, saying that he never met with any Russian officials. My opinion of Mr. Sessions has now been diminished. Senator Franken is straightforward and very sharp. .

Mr. Hancock is correct. The Mack part number is 88AX456 (Note that Volvo has probably superceded it to a meaningless Volvo global parts system number). Front rear input - 88AX458 Front rear output - 88AX456 Rear rear input - 88AX457

It's embarrassing that in the year 2017, the greatest country on earth does not provide national health care. Instead, we enjoy the highest prices for health care in the world. Sweden has national health care and it works great. Even China has national health care. In other countries, the cost of an MRI is just a fraction of that in the US, with the latest equipment. Rather than paying US$3500, you pay $120. The entire U.S. health and pharmaceutical industries is a government-supported scam. Most who has spent time overseas know what I am speaking of.

If it takes one year from date of application for the U.S. government to do a background check on a Norwegian citizen, how is it they can perform a 'thorough" background check on citizens from these six Muslim countries in three months? (the period for which their immigration has been delayed)

"Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much." Donald Trump Campaign Rally - Mobile, Alabama - August 21, 2015 http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/11/22/502864928/the-big-overlap-between-trumps-global-holdings-and-u-s-foreign-policy https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/30/donald-trumps-already-complicated-relationship-with-saudi-arabia/

I agree Paul. But we've already been vetting would-be immigrants for years. Not too long ago, it took a year for my wife to obtain her immigrant visa, and subsequently "green card", as a result of the long time vetting process. How many terrorists come from Norway? And she has a U.S.-born citizen spouse. So we've already been vetting. The only difference I see here is that it's almost impossible to vet these people. And if we can't confirm the background from problematic countries................. Do you agree that the countries home to the terrorists who have killed Americans should also be on the list?

When you called the folks at Watt's Mack (provider of the BMT website) at 1-888-304-6225, what did they say? NLA thru Volvo?

Marchionne says rationale for GM-FCA merger stands, even after PSA buys Opel Reuters / March 7, 2017 Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said he could approach GM again regarding a potential merger, adding a rationale for a tie-up still existed even after the U.S. rival decided to sell its European operations to PSA Group. Marchionne has long advocated more tie-ups in the industry to share the prohibitive costs of making cleaner and more technologically advanced vehicles, but his bid to merge with GM was repeatedly rebuffed. "I never close any doors... I may shamelessly try knocking on the GM door again, or any door, if I thought it was a good thing to do for the business, without even blinking, I could," Marchionne told reporters at the Geneva auto show. Marchionne said the PSA-Opel deal, announced on Monday, would reduce potential synergies FCA could reap from a tie-up with GM by around 15 percent, but the deal would still be worth pursuing. The executive stressed, however, that after leaving Europe, GM may be even less inclined to engage in talks with FCA.

Why Ford stands by its 'One Ford' philosophy Automotive News / March 7, 2017 One argument for selling Opel to PSA is that General Motors' global engineering demands suddenly get a lot less complex. What's more, GM's Detroit bosses say there's far less overlap between Europe and the re‎st of the world these days. Well, Ford of Europe product development chief Joe Bakaj isn't commenting on GM's retreat from Europe, but he's adamant that Ford sees no reason to step away from its "One Ford" philosophy. "We're still convinced that our One Ford global engineering‎ structure is working for us," he said. "You can see some of the results on our stand her‎e today. "The Mustang last year was the No. 1 selling sports car in Europe -- it outsold the Porsche 911 in Germany. How could t‎hat happen without strong One Ford global engineering?" ‎A decade or so ago, the Mustang's manual gearshift was, Bakaj concedes, "a point of contention." But the current Mustang shifter, developed with Getrag and refined in Europe, has been praised by finicky European car journalists. "Through One Ford we were able to apply manual transmission expertise in Europe into the global product, and we now have a great-shifting Mustang that has done really well," he said. "That to me is a great example of how global engineering can work for us, taking the best knowledge from each region. "‎If (Ford product development boss) Raj Nair was here he'd tell you how fortunate he is to have part of his product development team here in Europe. It's a global knowledge base." A key factor, Bakaj says, is developing mainstream cars that will traverse the Autobahn, Autoroute and Autostrada at breakneck speeds.‎ "It does count," he says. "An example of a great global product is the Focus RS, which we now sell in the U.S." The Focus RS was set up to go 265 kmh (165 mph) on the Autobahn every day of the week. "When you develop a vehicle to be safe and controllable at those speeds it forces you to cascade that knowledge right down into the details of every component in the vehicle."

If the engine is original, your Mack dealer can provide you with the appropriate turbocharger after you give them your truck's model and serial number (the last 5 digits of the VIN) off of your truck's vehicle identification plate on the driver's door.

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UD Trucks Launches the New Croner UD Trucks Press Release / March 6, 2017 UD Trucks today launched Croner, an all-new medium duty truck, to continue its rich Japanese legacy of building the “truck that the world needs today” specifically for its growth markets across Asia, Africa, Middle-East and South America. Making the best of your time Croner is a reliable and versatile truck range built with robust and quality components delivering extra productivity and superior uptime. By understanding customers’ demand and business needs, Croner is engineered to help customers stay ahead of competition, through the simple concept of saving time. “UD Trucks believes that more time spent on the road and less time in the workshop adds up to the success of our customers’ business. It is our aim for Croner to make every moment count, through maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime on every run our customers make,” said Jacques Michel, President, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs Sales. “The superiority of Croner comes from the best of three worlds – UD Trucks’ strong Japanese heritage and craftsmanship, Volvo Group’s global technology and sourcing, and local manufacturing and customer support. Further to that, with UD Trucks’ Ultimate Dependability standard and Gemba spirit incorporated in every aspect, each component is the result of years of development and stringent stress testing – a true testament to the Japanese hallmarks of quality,” said Jacques. Going the extra mile Named after the god of time in Greek mythology, Croner is designed to excel in the medium duty segment to compete in growth markets. Croner has options for three gross vehicle weight (GVW) models: MKE, LKE and PKE; and their wheelbase variants, which can offer up to 21 different basic configurations to suit specific demands of various industries. Additionally, the air suspension on all variants is available as an option to protect customers’ cargo especially when travelling on rough road conditions. “As drivers spend a good amount of time on the road, we at UD Trucks leaves nothing to chance, and that includes safety and drivability. With superior braking and handling features, Croner keeps customers’ drivers and their fleets in prime condition,” said Nobuhiko Kishi, Senior Vice President, Brand and Product, UD Trucks. “As for drivability, Croner’s automatic transmission option can be crucial for markets like South Africa where it is facing serious driver shortage due to the strenuous demands on drivers, especially in long haul driving. Croner can help customers attract drivers as this option provides ease of drive and reduce fatigue for both experienced and inexperienced drivers.” “Similarly, automatic transmission can be seen as a game changer for the truck industry in the Asia region as it helps lower cost and downtime, as manual transmission is more susceptible to wear-and-tear especially to its clutch in a long run,” added Kishi. According to Kishi, Croner’s superior uptime stems from its reliability due to robust components such as its driveline and new chassis frame that are more durable and allow for longer time between scheduled service intervals. Fuel is a high expenditure for fleet owners considering the number of trucks and journey they make. “Croner is one of our most fuel efficient trucks ever. It utilizes the fuel needed efficiently without waste, thanks to the new GHE engine series, automatic transmission, a built-in fuel couch, and a more aerodynamic cab which reduces the coefficient of drag (CD) more significantly by 5 percent,” said Kishi. “Going the Extra Mile” is the brand promise of UD Trucks with a focus on fuel efficiency, uptime, reliability and drivability, while meeting today’s high standards for safety and environment, allowing UD Trucks to provide customers with the best products and services in the market to meet their business needs. Extra Mile Support services UD Trucks takes pride in its comprehensive set of UD Extra Mile Support services, such as UD Genuine Service and Parts, UD Driver Training, and UD Trust Service Agreements. These were developed to ensure its trucks such as Croner run and remain in optimum condition to go the extra mile, saving minutes, hours, and days over the years. In addition to its Extra Mile Support, UD Trucks also offers professional telematics solution that provides customers with real time information and reports to improve their fleets’ operation. By connecting its trucks to the UD workshops, UD Trucks enables proactive and continuous workshop support to its customers. The production of Croner will be done in UD Trucks Bangkok Factory in Bang Na, Thailand. Units made will be sold locally to the Thai market as well as exported out to other growth markets in Asia, Africa, Middle-East and South America. UD Croner website - http://www.udtrucks.com/en-int/trucks/croner .

MEDIA ADVISORY: 27 electric trucks coming to Fontana freight yard and two rail yards California Air Resources Board (CARB) / March 6, 2017 California-made zero-emission freight trucks replace diesel vehicles in low-income communities SAN BERNARDINO - On Friday, the State of California, San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) and partners Daylight Transport and BYD celebrate the arrival of the first of 27 next-generation zero-emission electric yard and service trucks in San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Fontana. The trucks were funded by $9 million from the State’s climate change-fighting cap-and-trade program. WHO: Joshua Monzon on behalf of Senator Mike Morrell Jordan Gurnett on behalf of Assemblymember Marc Steinorth California Air Resources Board (CARB) Vice Chair Sandy Berg SBCOG Board President Robert Lovingood Daylight Transport Executive Vice President Greg Steele San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren BYD Vice President of Truck Sales Andy Swanton WHAT: The first of 27 battery-electric yard and service BYD trucks delivered to Daylight Transport freight-handling service center in a disadvantaged community within the city of Fontana. More electric trucks to be delivered this summer to BNSF rail yards in San Bernardino and Los Angeles. The trucks are part of a pilot program to test this technology in daily use. WHEN: 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 10, 2017 WHERE: Daylight Transport Service Center, 11160 Elm Avenue, Fontana. The newly constructed 60,000-square-foot state-of-the-art service center is equipped with a 600-kilowatt rooftop solar system that Daylight estimates will generate 85 percent of energy used. The facility will achieve USGBC LEED certification through efficient, sustainable and socially responsible design. VISUALS: Demonstrations of fully electric 80,000-pound (GCVWR) yard truck and 16,100-pound (GVWR) service truck in operation – and being charged. Ride-along opportunities. • BACKGROUND: This demonstration project will accelerate the commercialization of heavy-duty advanced, zero-emission technologies. The electric-powered trucks will operate at a Daylight Transport trucking freight facility and at two BNSF rail yards, replacing the most commonly used diesel-powered trucks in freight facilities. The project is paid for in large part by a $9.1 million grant awarded to SBCOG from CARB through California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The electric trucks are provided by BYD Motors, whose North American headquarters are in Los Angeles. A BYD all-electric yard truck eliminates use of diesel fuel. A typical yard truck burns 2 to 4 gallons of diesel fuel per hour.

Air Force to buy foreign ammunition for F-35 stealth multi-role fighter Defense Blog / March 6, 2017 German defence and automotive group Rheinmetall said on Monday it had booked a $6.5 million U.S. Air Force contract to supply ammunition for the F-35 multi-role fighter, adding that further orders were likely to follow. The order is of major strategic significance to Rheinmetall for two reasons. For one thing, the US Air Force is currently procuring the F-35 on a large scale, with 1,200 planes on order. Numerous other nations have opted for the new aircraft as well, among them Denmark, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey and Japan. For another, the ammunition selected – the new 25mm x 137 Frangible Armour Piercing (FAP) – complements Rheinmetall’s existing array of high-performance aircraft ammunition, allowing the Düsseldorf, Germany-based Group to bring its full expertise to bear in the field of aircraft armament. This means that further major orders can be expected, especially since the first user nations are already ordering smaller amounts of this advanced ammunition for testing purposes. The FAP round was specifically developed by Rheinmetall for, and in conjunction with, NATO air forces to provide the F-35 with superior lethality against modern Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) at extreme slant ranges while still remaining deadly against enemy aircraft in air-to-air engagements. The 25mm x 137 FAP is a true all-purpose cartridge that is already in service with the F-35s of two NATO nations. Manufacture of the ammunition for the US Air Force will take place at Rheinmetall Switzerland. Rheinmetall intends to have the ammunition of possible follow-up contracts assembled in the USA by Rheinmetall Day & Zimmermann Munitions (RDZM), a joint venture that operates out of Rosslyn, Virginia. American Rheinmetall Munitions and Day & Zimmermann established the joint venture in autumn 2016. Other potential customers will be supplied from locations belonging to Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Schweiz AG. .

Longer semi-trailer trial permits now available Commercial Motor / March 6, 2017 Hauliers can now apply for the new round of permits to run longer semi-trailers (LSTs), as part of the extension to the trial announced earlier this year. The Department for Transport (DfT) has extended the original 10-year trial by five years, and made permits available for an additional 1,000 LSTs. The permits allow the holder to run either 15.65m or 14.6m trailers, on the condition that they report data from their operation back to the DfT. Permits for the new wave of trailer can be obtained by emailing freight@dft.gsi.gov.uk, and operators will be able to put the new trailers on the road from 1 May onwards. Hauliers will have six weeks to prove they’ve ordered their permitted trailers after the permit has been granted by DfT. The RHA said it supported the time limit, which, it said, demonstrated that “applications should only be made where there is a firm intention to order and not be speculative”. Those already running LSTs in the trial are eligible to apply for further permits up to a limit of 20% of their total vehicle fleet. In regards the used market, once participants have obtained longer semi-trailers, they are free to purchase vehicles from each other (the allocation quota moving with the vehicle although they need to inform the DfT). .

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Heavy Duty Trucking / March 6, 2017 Truck and van body maker Morgan Corporation has launched its NexGen line of truck bodies for dry freight and refrigerated applications. NexGen bodies make use of more advanced designs and materials, resulting in truck bodies that are lighter than similar units but are capable of carrying more payload, according to Morgan. The design of NexGen bodies also results in increased fuel economy and better resistance to the elements. The lightweight body is built of non-corrosive materials to inhibit rust, improving durability and slowing aging. NexGen bodies feature stain-resistant phenolic flooring in the dry freight body and an aluminum silent floor in the reefer. Sealed joints prevent leaks to keep product, cargo, or tools dry, using elastomeric gaskets in the connection profiles to provide protection from water intrusion. The bodies also use hard-mount installation brackets in place of U-bolts to improve overall durability. For more information, click here. .

No 'Net Benefit' Found in Controversial 34-Hour Restart Provisions Heavy Duty Trucking / March 6, 2017 A DOT study apparently has failed to “explicitly identify a net benefit” from two suspended provisions of the hours of service rules regarding the 34-hour restart. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued hours-of-service regulations in 2013 that featured two controversial restart provisions. They required that the 34-hour restart include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods, even if the 34 hours had already been reached. It also limited use of the restart provision to once every 168 hours. The trucking industry raised concerns about the rule’s unintended consequences, such as increased congestion during daytime traffic hours. In late 2014, as part of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, Congress suspended those two provisions and directed FMCSA to conduct a study of the operational, safety, health, and fatigue impacts of these rules. Although the data collection for that study was completed in 2015, the study has not yet been made public. But a DOT spokesperson told HDT on March 6 that "we are currently in the final stages of review before transmitting the report to Congress." The law also mandated that the DOT's Office of Inspector General review the study. Last week, in a letter to Congress, the OIG wrote that it “found that DOT’s study met the act’s requirements. We also concur with the Department’s conclusion that the study did not explicitly identify a net benefit from the use of the two suspended provisions on driver operations, safety, fatigue, and health.” Drivers from a variety of fleet sizes and operations provided a substantial amount of data during the study period, according to FMCSA. More than 220 drivers contributed data as they drove their normal routes. The data included over 3,000 driver duty cycles captured by electronic logging devices, over 75,000 driver alertness tests, and more than 22,000 days of driver sleep data. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said the trucking industry was pleased by the news. "The release of this report closes what has been a long, and unnecessary, chapter in our industry's drive to improve highway safety," Spear said. "We knew from the beginning that these Obama administration restrictions provided no benefit to safety, and in light of the DOT's findings – corroborated by the DOT Inspector General – it is good for our industry and for the motoring public that they will be done away with permanently as specified by language ATA lead the charge on including in the most recently passed Continuing Resolution." ATA has fought against these restrictions – which limited drivers' flexibility in the use of the restart – since they were first proposed in 2013. "Congress repeatedly told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that rules of this nature must show a benefit to safety and this report clearly shows there was no benefit," Spear said. "This marks the end of a long struggle, but hopefully the beginning of a new era of inclusive and data-based regulation." The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association also was quick to respond to the news. “It’s not only common sense, it’s trucker sense,” said OOIDA executive vice president, Todd Spencer, in a statement. “We have always championed the need for flexibility in the hours-of-service regulations so that drivers can drive when rested and avoid times of heavy congestion or bad weather conditions.” Lane Kidd, managing director of the Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, told HDT that “the results of the restart study were no surprise, since the Congress set the bar very high that the federal agency had to meet to justify the net safety benefits of the new rule.” “The OIG’s assessment of the restart study supports what the industry has been saying all along, that requiring two consecutive periods of 1-5 a.m. and limiting the restart to once a week didn't contain any net benefit to the industry,” David Heller, the Truckload Carriers Association’s vice president of government affairs told HDT. He added that TCA “looks forward to working with the Trump administration on promulgating future rules regarding truck drivers hours of service that make sense for the whole industry.” Joe Rajkovacz, director of governmental affairs and communications for the Western States Trucking Association, told HDT that the group also was "not really surprised by the finding and don’t think many others are in trucking, either. "The whole issue of the 34-hour restart provision had been politicized in our opinion," he added, "and it's nice to see a government agency actually use science appropriately to arrive at the correct result-– it's just too bad they sat on the findings for so long."

34-hour restart study affirms less restrictive hours of service, buries 2013 regs Overdrive / March 6, 2017 The results of a new study confirm that truckers’ 34-hour restarts will not require two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods and will not be limited to once per week. The study has not yet been made public, but a letter issued by the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General confirms the report’s conclusions. To comply with an order from Congress, the study’s results dictate the removal of the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. provision and the removal of the once-weekly limit. Congress suspended the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. requirement and the once-weekly limit in December 2014, pending the issuance of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s study. The long-awaited report from the Department of Transportation shows those provisions did nothing to enhance safety, according to an OIG update issued last week. The DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will likely need to issue a formal notice to permanently remove the rules, but the regs have been suspended since a December 2014-issued notice. The report does not change the rules truckers’ currently operate under. The DOT’s OIG on Thursday sent a letter to Congress signing off the DOT study, saying it agreed with the report’s conclusions and that the DOT followed Congress’ directives in completing the research. The study itself has not yet been made public by FMCSA. The study found that truckers abiding by the July 1, 2013, regulations — those requiring the early morning periods to be included in the restart — operated no more safely than truckers not abiding by the rules. More than 200 drivers were studied for the DOT’s report, which was executed by FMCSA and Virginia Tech. The drivers were divided into two groups. One group followed the more restrictive 2013 rules and the others were free to use the restart as they wanted. The study “did not explicitly identify a net benefit from the use of the two suspended provisions of the restart rule on driver operations, safety, fatigue and health.” Researchers compared drivers’ schedules and analyzed events like crashes and near crashes, as well as driver alertness and health. The more restrictive hours of service rules took effect in July 2013, prompting widespread criticism by both fleets and drivers for preventing truckers from returning to duty until 5 a.m. after a restart, even if the restart had spanned a full 34 hours. Chief arguments against the regulations were that it pushed drivers into early morning rush hour traffic — which caused safety and operational concerns — and that FMCSA issued the rule with little scientific evidence to back up the restrictions. Congress cleared legislation in December 2014 to halt the regulations and require FMCSA to perform the 34-hour restart study. Congress set the bar high for the 2013 rules to go back into effect, requiring the study to show exceeding safety and health benefits for drivers’ operating under the 2013 rules.

Fleet Owner / March 6, 2017 Inspector General signs off on review of 2013 hours of service changes The Congressionally mandated review of 2013 changes to truck driver hours of service requirements has turned up no evidence that the restart provisions are, overall, beneficial. The tip comes from none other than the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG). In a letter to new Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and key committee members in Congress, OIG signs off on the yet-to-be-released final report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), saying the agency followed the review requirements imposed when lawmakers suspended provisions that included requiring consecutive nighttime off-duty periods (1 a.m. to 5 a.m.) to reset a driver’s weekly work limits. Those limits were not to be enforced pending a study that demonstrated the plan was effective in reducing fatigue-related accidents. Many in the trucking industry had lobbied successfully that the 2013 requirement disrupted the work schedules—and rest routines—of nightshift truckers and put more trucks on the highway during morning rush-hour periods. “We concur with the Department’s conclusion that the study did not explicitly identify a net benefit from the use of the two suspended provisions of the restart rule on driver operations, safety, fatigue, and health,” the OIG letter states. Language in the current DOT budget extension calls for the suspension to be made permanent with such a determination. A DOT spokesman told Fleet Owner the agency is "currently in the final stages of review" before sending the full report, delivered to OIG on Jan. 5, to Congress. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said the trucking industry was pleased with the validation of its position that the restart did not perform as advertised. “We knew from the beginning that these Obama administration restrictions provided no benefit to safety,” Spear said, “and in light of the DOT’s findings—corroborated by the DOT Inspector General—it is good for our industry and for the motoring public that they will be done away with permanently.” ATA has fought against these restrictions—which limited drivers’ flexibility in the use of the restart—since they were first proposed in 2013, the association notes. “Congress repeatedly told the FMCSA that rules of this nature must show a benefit to safety and this report clearly shows there was no benefit,” Spear said. “This marks the end of a long struggle, but hopefully the beginning of a new era of inclusive and data-based regulation.” The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association likewise agreed with the finding that there is no safety benefit in the currently suspended provisions. “It’s not only common sense, it’s trucker sense,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. “We have always championed the need for flexibility in the hours-of-service regulations so that drivers can drive when rested and avoid times of heavy congestion or bad weather conditions.”