Truckers Talk New Road Rules

H .C. Reynolds, district supervisor of the bureau of motor carriers of the interstate commerce commission, and Walter Watson, representative of the Washington state department of public works, met with district truck operators at the Lewis-Clark hotel last night for an informal discussion of federal and state motor truck traffic regulations. Both are from Spokane.

After a brief outline of state and federal regulations, the session was thrown open for questions by the truck operators. Present were Idaho Traffic Officers Harry L. Clark, Franklin Conway, Lewiston, and Officer E. J. Wold of Clarkston.

Mr. Reynolds said federal regulations consisted of four major requirements from truck operators: Need to obtain a certificate, or permit, from the interstate commerce commission in instances where operations are in interstate; need to carry adequate insurance; living up to safety requirements, both in the matter of proper mechanical equipment and hours of work by drivers, and the posting of tariff schedules.

To Penalize Violators

The interstate commerce commission representative said that enforcement of ICC regulations, heretofore, has not been rigid due to a lack of personnel. He said, however, that trucker, who fails to comply with the federal requirements and who is caught, will be severely penalized.

“We are anxious to cooperate and help in every way possible,” Mr. Reynolds said. “When we find someone who has been violating the regulations through ignorance of the law, we do everything in our power to straighten things out for him, but where a man deliberately violates the ICC regulations, simply because he thinks they are not being enforced, that will be just too bad.”

In the matter of working hours, Mr. Reynolds said the ICC regulations limit work of drivers to 60 hours a week, effective July 1, 1938. He added that the maximum work week was adopted as a safety measure, “and not as a social measure.”

All Trucks Regulated

Mr. Watson said that Washington state laws place all truck operators under regulation of the department of public works. “Trucks are under jurisdiction of the department,” Mr. Watson said, “whether they are being used to transport commodities for the general public; by contract with several firms; to transport the owner’s own goods, and even vehicles such as school buses.”

The Washington representative said that the department plans to start a campaign when all trucks on the highways in Washington will be stepped and checked to determine if an regulations have been complied with. He said truck operators found not complying will be taken into court.

This story was published in the March 11, 1938, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.