June 12, 2018
Dear Representative:
The Truck Safety Coalition, and the undersigned survivors and families of truck crash victims, write to express our strong opposition to the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely (TLAAS) Act, or any similar legislative language. Passage of this dangerous bill would effectively eliminate existing hours of service (HOS) requirements for truck drivers transporting livestock and insects in the U.S. at a time when truck crashes are at their highest levels in the past 20 years, and the resulting injuries and deaths, continue to rise. Allowing truck drivers to operate for more than an entire day while remaining in compliance would be a dereliction of your duty to protect the public and outright dangerous.
Driver fatigue has been recognized as a major safety issue in trucking for decades and it continues to be a factor in too many fatal truck crashes. Our organization has been at the forefront of educating the public about this deadly problem as well as championing data driven solutions, like electronic logging devices, to address it. We have always allowed research and real-life use to inform our advocacy decisions, which is why we are adamantly against this policy change that is based on anecdotes and assumptions about the transportation of livestock and insects via trucks.
The changes prescribe in the TLAAS Act have not been studied by the appropriate agencies, reviewed by Congress, or commented on by the public. The proposed 300 air-mile radius from the trip origin, exempting livestock and insect haulers from the HOS and ELD mandates; the 15 to 18 hours of permissible driving time, once a driver exits the aforementioned air-mile radius; and the 150 air-mile exemption to HOS and ELD mandates from the point of delivery are all arbitrary. To make matters worse, proponents of this legislation have also failed to provide any justification for this proposal, such as evidence that truck drivers transporting livestock or insects are demonstrably safer than other truck drivers are or that the safety of their operations will significantly improve if Congress grants them further relief from the HOS and ELD regulations.
Another family need not lose a loved one because a truck driver transporting livestock, who would be compliant while driving in excess of 24 hours under this proposal, fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into their vehicle. Another American need not incur injury because a cattle-hauler, who could legally drive 450 air-miles without counting any time towards his daily or weekly limit under this bill, dozed off and drifted into oncoming traffic. Yet, both are more likely to occur if the TLAAS Act becomes law.
We urge Members to reject this reckless legislation and look forward to working with them to advance meaningful safety measures, including a advancing a mandate for automatic emergency braking, finalizing the heavy vehicle speed limiter rule, and passing a bill to require comprehensive underride protections on trucks and trailers. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
| Dawn King
Davisburg, MI President, Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) Board Member, CRASH Daughter of Bill Badger Killed in truck crash 12/23/04
Jane Mathis St. Augustine, FL Vice President, TSC Board Member, PATT Mother of David Mathis Mother-in-Law of Mary Kathryn Mathis Killed in a truck crash 3/25/04
Randall Higginbotham Memphis, TN Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Father of Michael Higginbotham Killed in a truck crash, 11/18/14
Jennifer Tierney Kernersville, NC Board Member, CRASH Daughter of James Mooney Killed in a truck crash 9/20/83
Morgan Lake Sunderland, MD Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 7/19/13
Monica Malarczyk Hastings-on-Hudson, NY Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 12/29/15 Son of Ryszard and Anita Malarczyk Killed in a truck crash 12/29/15
Debra Cruz Harlingen, TX Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 8/8/08
Laurie Higginbotham Memphis, TN Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Mother of Michael Higginbotham Killed in a truck crash, 11/18/14
Peter Malarczyk Hastings-on-Hudson, NY Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 12/29/15 Son of Ryszard and Anita Malarczyk Killed in a truck crash 12/29/15
Alan Dana Plattsburgh, NY Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Son of Janet Dana, Uncle of Caitlyn & Lauryn Dana, Brother-in-law of Laurie Dana Killed in a truck crash 7/19/12
Cindy Southern Cleveland, TN Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Wife of James Whitaker, sister-in-law Anthony Hixon and aunt of Amber Hixon Killed in a truck crash 9/18/09
Beth Badger Columbus, GA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Daughter of Bill Badger Killed in truck crash 12/23/04
Vickie Johnson Hartwell, GA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Wife of Curt Johnson, Step-mother of Crystal Johnson Killed in a truck crash 10/1/09
Michelle Lemus Los Angeles, CA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 4/10/14
Marc Johnson Hartwell, GA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Brother of Curt Johnson Killed in truck crash 10/1/09
Linda Wilburn Weatherford, OK Board Member, PATT Mother of Orbie Wilburn Killed in a truck crash 9/2/02
Nancy Meuleners Bloomington, MN Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 12/19/89
Melissa Gouge Washington, D.C. Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Cousin of Amy Corbin Killed in a truck crash 8/18/97
Marchelle Wood Falls Church, VA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Mother of Dana Wood Killed in a truck crash 10/15/02
Sandra Lance Chesterfield, VA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Mother of Kristen Belair Killed in a truck crash 8/26/09
Tina Silva Ontario, CA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Sister of Kris Mercurio, Sister-in-Law of Alan Mercurio, Aunt of Brandie Rooker & Anthony Mercurio Killed in a truck crash 12/27/89
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Daphne Izer
Lisbon, ME Co-Founder, Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT) Mother of Jeff Izer Killed in a truck crash 10/10/93
Julie Branon Magnan South Burlington, VT Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 01/31/02 Wife of David Magnan Killed in a truck crash 01/31/02
Kate Brown Gurnee, IL Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Mother of Graham Brown Injured in a truck crash 5/2/05
Jackie Novak Hendersonville, NC Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Mother of Charles “Chuck” Novak Killed in a truck crash 10/24/10
Santiago Calderon Arcata, CA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 4/10/14
Kim Telep Harrisburg, PA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Wife of Bradley Telep Killed in a truck crash 8/29/12
Larry Liberatore Severn, MD Board Member, PATT Father of Nick Liberatore Killed in a truck crash 6/9/97
Warren Huffman Odessa, MI Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Brother of Tim Huffman Killed in a truck crash 5/6/13
Tami Friedrich Trakh Corona, CA Board Member, CRASH Sister of Kris Mercurio, Sister-in-Law of Alan Mercurio, Aunt of Brandie Rooker & Anthony Mercurio Killed in a truck crash 12/27/89
Steve Izer Lisbon, ME Board Member, PATT Father of Jeff Izer Killed in a truck crash 10/10/93
Ron Wood Washington, D.C. Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Son of Betsy Wood, Brother of Lisa Wood Martin, Uncle of Chance, Brock, and Reid Martin Killed in a truck crash 9/20/04
Ed Slattery Lutherville, MD Board Member, PATT Husband of Susan Slattery Killed in a truck crash 8/16/10 Sons Matthew & Peter Slattery critically injured in a truck crash 8/16/10
Amy Fletcher Perrysburg, OH Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Wife of John Fletcher Killed in a truck crash 1/24/12
Wanda Lindsay New Braunfels, TX Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Wife of John Lindsay Killed in a truck crash 5/7/10
Michelle Novak Delevan, NY Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Aunt of Charles “Chuck” Novak Killed in a truck crash 10/24/10
Paul Badger Davidson, NC Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Son of Bill Badger Killed in truck crash 12/23/04
Tammy Huffman Odessa, MI Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Sister-in-law of Tim Huffman Killed in a truck crash 5/6/13
Christina Mahaney Jackman, ME Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Injured in a truck crash 7/19/11 Mother of Liam Mahaney Killed in a truck crash 7/19/11
Ashley McMillan Memphis, TN Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Girlfriend of Michael Higginbotham Killed in a truck crash 11/18/14
Bruce King Davisburg, MI Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Son-in-law of Bill Badger Killed in truck crash 12/23/04
Frank Wood Falls Church, VA Volunteer, Truck Safety Coalition Father of Dana Wood Killed in a truck crash 10/15/02
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