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| Friends of mine from Kansas |
The US Dept. of Transportation is toying with the idea that farmers who move equipment from one field to another need to be regulated. So, the CDL idea. Sounds good on the surface, maybe?
Well in the world of unintended consequences, you would find that those with CDL's are only allowed to work 10 hours per day, then take at least an 8 hour rest period.
I don't know about the DOT, but I have been in the farm belt during planting and harvest, there is NO SUCH thing as a 10 hour day. Sunrise to sunset is the standard, then longer if there are breakdowns. Add to the hours of service issues, then you have hazmat licensing issues, drug testing, DOT inspections, and testing to add to a farmers headaches and work schedule.
The real question is why is this even being proposed? Has there been an outbreak of farm equipment accidents. I lived in southern Kansas for 8 years. This is part of the wheat and corn belt. I can only remember a hand full of accidents with injuries or fatalities in my time there. Accidents are not common. So, what I figured happened was some Washington DC type was in a land vehicle (they usually fly over the mid west) and was delayed because a farmer was moving a combine or 8 wheel tractor and drill from one field to the other, and the DC type was pissed because he/she was delayed from doing the governments business.
Hence the dire need for regulation based on nothing.
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