2000-0499
INTRODUCED BY: TERRY AUTHEMENT, COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT IV
RESOLUTION NO. 4857
Title
A resolution urging and requesting that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transportation thoroughly review the proposed regulations, and modify such regulations to recognize the duty of utility company personnel to respond effectively and timely, regardless of the hour of day or night, to all routine, maintenance, seasonal, and emergency situations as required to render effective customer service and maintain stable utility operations and to grant to utilities private and public an exemption similar to that granted for the operation of fire trucks and rescue vehicles.
Body
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation, through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, on May 2, 2000 proposed regulations that govern the hours of operation of trucks utilized by utility companies, such rulemaking being contained in "Hours of Service of Drivers; Rest and Sleep for Safe Operation"; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed federal regulations pertaining to the hours of service performed commercial motor vehicle drivers apply these provisions to utility personnel and their utility trucks and vehicles; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed federal regulations, if adopted, will profoundly threaten public safety, reliability and costs of utility operations, and preempt state authority; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed rulemaking as applied to electric utility companies has the undesirable effect of impeding effective and timely customer service and adversely impacting utility operations and consumer satisfaction; and,
WHEREAS, in the State of Louisiana, as well as other states along the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards, the services of utility personnel and vehicles are in enormously high demand to restore or stabilize electric power supplies during times of disaster or other extraordinary circumstances, such as hurricanes, tropical storms, severe weather, ice, and snow storms, and prolonged heat waves; and,
WHEREAS, municipal governments, which are among the largest consumers of electricity services, will be hampered by delays in the restoration of electricity if utility company personnel and their vehicles are forced to comply with the reduction of services and hours; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed regulations regarding the hours of service of utility drivers and service personnel also must address safety and liability issues with respect to government mandated delays in service to restore electric power to residential and business customers.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL do hereby urge and request that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transportation thoroughly review the proposed regulations, and modify such regulations to recognize the duty of utility company personnel to respond effectively and timely, regardless of the hour of day or night, to all routine, maintenance, seasonal, and emergency situations as required to render effective customer service and maintain stable utility operations and to grant to utilities private and public an exemption similar to that granted for the operation of fire trucks and rescue vehicles.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be transmitted to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transportation, and to each member of the Louisiana Congressional Delegation, to convey the position of the St. Charles Parish Council on this vital issue.
Vote
The foregoing resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: RAMCHANDRAN, FAUCHEUX, HILAIRE, FABRE, ABADIE, AUTHEMENT, BLACK, MARINO, MINNICH
NAYS: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
And the resolution was declared adopted this 23RD day of October , 2000, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
Hours of service of drivers.doc
CHAIRMAN :
SECRETARY:
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:
APPROVED : DISAPPROVED :
PARISH PRESIDENT:
RETD/SECRETARY:
AT: RECD BY: