Catherwood LibraryILR School

A federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out a Bush administration decision to allow long-haul truckers to drive for up to 11 hours straight. For 60 years, truckers could drive for 10 hours at a time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has been trying to change the rule to allow truckers another hour of driving time. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said in Tuesday's ruling that the FMCSA did not adequately explain its reasoning for adding the extra hour. Opponents of the new rule cheered the decision. "We never thought it was a good idea to allow drivers 11 hours behind the wheel of a heavy piece of machinery," said Teamster President James Hoffa. "I hope this ruling forces the Bush administration to start paying attention to highway safety.".