The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving eight Indiana counties — Daviess, Dubois, Knox, Martin, Perry, Pike, Pulaski and Starke — from the Eastern to Central time zone beginning April 2, when the nation switches to daylight-saving time, according to a final rule published in the Federal Register Friday, Jan. 20.
Nine other counties that asked the department to make the change — Carroll, Cass, Fulton, Lawrence, Marshall, Sullivan, St. Joseph, Vermillion and White — will remain in the Eastern time zone. The final decision follows public hearings held in November 2005 in Jasper, Logansport, South Bend and Terre Haute, as well as a review of written and videotaped comments collected from residents.
Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, the Secretary of Transportation has the authority to set time-zone boundaries and must base decisions on the “convenience of commerce.” The final rule, proposed rule, county petitions, comments and other documents in this case are available at dms.dot.gov.
