The US Senate Appropriations Committee voted 30-0 on Thursday to restore a legislative drafting error that put the 34-hour restart at risk.

However, the amendment from Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also included a cap of 73 hours for truck drivers in any 7 day period.

Last week, the Illinois Trucking Association met on Capitol Hill with the offices of US Senators Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk. ITA urged both Senators to ensure the 34-hour restart is retained, but ITA opposes a cap on driver hours. Instead ITA supports the existing hours of service regulations. Both Senators Durbin and Kirk sit on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The focus now turns to the House Appropriations Committee. ITA's Rocky Caylor (Cadence Premier), Michele Schafer (Triple G Enterprises) met with Congressman Dan Lipinski, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last week as part of the ITA Call on Washington (pictured). Points of discussion were ELDs, HOS and the current driver shortages. Caylor, Schafer, Contreras and Bidochka stressed the need to fix the legislative drafting error that has put the 34-hour restart in jeopardy.

From Left to Right: Caylor, Schafer, Lipinski, Contreras, Bidochka

Picture far left is Chariman Congressman Schuster (PA), Congressman Mike Bost (IL), and far right is Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL)