The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has altered the rules concerning the hours of service for commercial motor vehicle drivers.
The rule is designed to improve safety, the agency said, and do not increase driving time. The changes will allow CMV operators more flexibility in their breaks but will continue to prevent operators from driving more than 8 hours without a break.
The changes to the hours of services rules include:
• CMV operators will be required to take a 30-minute break after eight consecutive hours of driving, but that break can use “on-duty, not driving” status, instead of being required to be in “off-duty” status.
• In trucks with sleeper-berths, two drivers can split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods of either an 8/2 split or a 7/3 split – with neither period counting against the driver’s 14-hour driving window.
• The agency will extend the window of time during which driving is permitted during adverse weather conditions by two hours.
• Short haul drivers will have a maximum of 14 hours of on-duty time, and the distance they can operate in will expand to 150 air miles.
The agency estimated the changes would save American consumers and the U.S. economy nearly $274 million.
“America’s truckers are doing a heroic job keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented time, and these rules will provide them greater flexibility to keep America moving,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
The changes come after the USDOT received more than 2,800 comments from the American public, the agency said.
“Today’s rule is the result of a two-year, data-driven process, and it will result in needed flexibility for America’s professional truck drivers while maintaining the safety of our roads,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “We appreciate the time and attention President Trump, Secretary Chao and Administrator Mullen have paid to our industry and to this regulation, which, while maintaining the core limitations on drivers’ work and rest cycles, makes smart changes to portions of the rules.”