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July 12, 2000 10:54 AM, EDT

WASHINGTON — Shippers weighed in on behalf of trucking July 6 at the start of the final public hearing on the controversial hours-of-service proposal and lambasted the Department of Transportation’s work.

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Several food distribution shippers were among the dozens of witnesses urging DOT to scrap its proposal to limit drivers to 12 hours of work a day and to mandate a 10-hour rest period between shifts.

Perry Bourne, assistant vice president of IBP Transportation in Dakota City, Neb., said his $75 million annual freight costs could increase by as much as $50 million if the DOT proposal were enacted.

Much of the increase would come from carriers having to recruit and train additional drivers to offset the estimated 25% loss in productivity, Bourne said. The figure also included the increased spoilage from freshly-ground beef and pork that would sit in trucks while drivers take mandatory “weekend” rest breaks.

For the full story, see the July 10 print edition of Transport Topics. .