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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Anne Ferro, head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, heard the concerns of truck drivers, fleet owners and brokers about such issues as electronic logging and knowledge testing for newcomers, as well as the controversial hours-of-service restart provision during the Mid-America Trucking Show here.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it is planning to do a field study on split rest times for those who drive sleeper berths.

American Trucking Associations and the Minnesota Trucking Association are asking the federal government to do a pilot project to study whether greater flexibility in hours-of service-rules for truck drivers who use sleeper berths would affect highway safety.

House Republicans and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro sparred over the 34-hour restart provision of the new hours-of-service rule for truck drivers at a hearing last week, with some members accusing her agency of “arrogance” and slowness in producing a congressionally required study on the rule.

Just four months into the federal hours-of-service rules on rest breaks, carriers said they have had to hire more drivers, pay higher wages, buy more rigs, juggle work schedules and lower customer expectations of service.

Hostess is back under new management and leaner structure and says it plans to have Twinkies and its other snacks on shelves by July 15, the Associated Press reported.