Transit union to administration: Address bus driver fatigue

{mosads}Hanley said bus drivers are exempt from the law that governs most workplace rules, such as minimum wage and overtime pay, the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The result is that drivers work longer hours and are tired during overnight trips, Hanley said.

“The federal agencies, Congress and bus companies need to recognize that to deal with the problem of driver fatigue we need laws that would require intercity bus operators to abide by the same overtime rules governing the majority of American workers,” Hanley said. “Extending these protections to intercity bus drivers is not only the right thing to do; it’s the safe thing to do for our riders and our drivers.” 

The Department of Transportation touted this week that it was hiring “special investigators” to oversee intercity bus operations.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) said the effort was part of “a top-to-bottom analysis of its current passenger carrier oversight system to look for opportunities to strengthen its authority and practices.”