But when did it Become the Monster it is Today?
As automobiles grew in popularity so did the need to fix and improve the roads. But more than that was a need to get merchandise from one place to another quickly and safely.
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So the highway departments were born to improve and maintain the roads. Uncle Sam was quick to see a means to raise revenue and thus the creation the regulatory agencies like:
- Department of Transportation (DOT);
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA);
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA);
- Department of Labor (DOL);
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA);
- About 2 dozen other federal agencies;
- The state and local regulatory agencies.
Believe it or not, it actually isn’t obese as it once was. Yet there is a whole lot more red tape. But don’t blame modern politicians. You can trace some the laws all the way back to 1887, to oversee the railroads.
The Motor Carrier Act of 1935, started the creation of certifications and licensing, for a lack of better words. This also made it very difficult for new trucking companies to get started.
That is the deregulation of federal laws in 1976. The first was the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act. This was eventually followed by the Motor Carrier Act of 1980.
So the industry was deregulated but the drivers and their semi-trailer trucks became more regulated. This is evident in such regulation as the hours of service rule in 1965. Yes even the HOS become rules you need to follow!
