America Has Seen an Increase in Tragic Accidents, Driver-Related Problems are Responsible for 60% of the Fatalities Occurring in Intercity Bus Crashes / Legislation Would Apply FLSA’s Overtime Provisions – Which for Decades Have Covered the Majority of American Workers – To Intercity Bus Drivers
Washington, D.C. – As cities across the country have seen a sharp increase in the number of tragic bus accidents, and driver related issues are a major contributor to these accidents, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced Driver Fatigue Prevention Act to address the problems associated with driver fatigue. U.S. Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA-14) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. As it stands now, bus drivers are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime provisions, which cover the majority of America workers. This legislation would extend these overtime provisions to intercity bus drivers.
“We know that driver fatigue is causing accidents and we have an obligation to do something about it,” said Senator Casey. “By ensuring that employers must compensate their bus drivers for every hour of work completed, they are less likely to overwork their employees. If my colleagues are serious about making our roads safer, than we must pass this legislation.”
“When bus drivers are overworked and fatigued, there is a greater likelihood of accidents, injuries and deaths,” said Representative Speier. “We can’t afford it. We owe Americans safety on the roadways.”
Among other benefits, the Driver Fatigue Prevention Act would help to ensure that drivers are compensated for the full amount of work that they complete, thus making employers less like to overwork their drivers.
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