A bunch of small trucking firms and self-employed truckers are making a case: if the government is going to dictate driver working hours, brokers should pay up for the wait time during freight loading. They argue this idle time is a road safety hazard. This conversation is gaining traction as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is eyeing a study to see how waiting around affects safety and trucking workflows.

Small trucking outfits have always been stressed about the dangers and hitches driver waiting time brings, but they feel the pinch more. Unlike the big players, they can't haggle for shorter wait times and often find themselves pushed to the back of the line when it comes to service. According to one self-run trucker, brokers are usually keen on keeping things sweet with the freight handlers, even if it costs the little guys.

There’s talk about brokers being well-versed with the truck’s timetable but the drivers are still left twiddling their thumbs for hours before they can get loading or unloading, with the clock racing. The idea floated is to have drivers paid the minute they show up, which might also light a fire under freight handlers to speed things up, creating a safer ride for the drivers.

A dispatch service firm, Arctic King Logistics LLC, chimed in saying that the rush to stick to delivery timelines because of wait times could tempt drivers to play it fast and loose on the road. They noted that it’s not just the brokers; certain spots where trucks stop are part of the problem, often because they’re short-staffed or just don’t care. Tidying up these spots is viewed as key to boosting overall safety.

Some are nudging the FMCSA to okay a two-hour grace waiting period, post which a $100 per hour wait fee should be billed to the broker or the freight handlers. One voice suggested a straight-up payment setup to square up with the drivers and the small trucking firms for the wait time.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is treating wait time as a money matter best sorted out between trucking firms and their clients. They’re skeptical about it being a safety concern under FMCSA’s watch.

On the flip side, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association alongside truck safety crusaders refer to a 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, indicating that long waits ramp up the odds of major mishaps. The advocacy squad, Truck Safety Coalition, representing families of crash victims, is all for the FMCSA’s proposed study, rooting for it as crucial to making roads safer.