Steube Introduces Bill to Lessen Restrictions on Agricultural Truck Drivers
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the Freedom from Regulating Edible Supplies and Horticulture Trucking Act, also known as the FRESH Trucking Act, to improve safety conditions for commercial agricultural drivers by eliminating harmful regulations that can result in dangerous driving practices and spoilage of products.
“My district is the largest citrus producing district in the United States. These citrus producers, and all the hard-working farmers and growers across my district, rely on commercial agricultural drivers to get their products from point A to point B,” explained Congressman Steube following the introduction of the bill. “Unfortunately, current federal regulations for drivers often create dangerous driving situations and can lead to the expiration of agricultural, horticultural, or floricultural products including fruits and flowers. This bill seeks to remedy these issues to improve safety and service.”
The FRESH Trucking Act changes the hours of service and break regulations for commercial agricultural drivers, allowing them to complete their trip if they are over the maximum on-duty drive time but within 150 miles of their destination. The bill also removes loading and unloading time from being counted against on-duty time and gives agricultural drivers discretion to use their mandatory 30-minute break how and when they see fit across their 8-hour shift.
###
