DOT wants your opinions on autonomous trucks, hours of service

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The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to know what you are thinking about autonomous trucks and possible changes to federal hours of service regulations.

The department will accept for 60 days comments on its recently released updated guidance on automated vehicles, Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0). And, it is seeking comments on the impact of autonomous trucks on drivers.

Comments will be accepted beginning Tuesday, Oct. 9, when the document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register. Comments can be made by searching Docket No. DOT-OST-2018-0149 at www.regulations.gov.

DOT will also publish Tuesday a solicitation for comment and feedback on a Congressionally-mandated analysis of the impact of autonomous vehicle technologies on the workforce. The study will be conducted by the DOT and Department of Labor to analyze the impact of advanced driver assist systems and highway automated vehicles technologies on commercial vehicle drivers.

The study will examine training and what will be required to transition the traditional commercial driver into the new environment. Finally, the study will analyze the issues of driver situational awareness in vehicles that may require operator re-engagement, the safety of truck platooning and related traffic management.

Comments regarding the scope of the upcoming DOT study on workforce impact of autonomous vehicles can be made at www.regulations.gov by searching Docket No. DOT-OST-2018-0150 once its published in the Federal Register Tuesday.

And, here’s a reminder: the deadline to comment on proposed hours of service rule changes is Wednesday, Oct. 10.