Changes to the Hours of Service Regulations Offer Increased Flexibility For Drivers

The U.S. Department of Transportation has updated the truck drivers Hours of Service (HOS) regulations.

A summary of the changes:

• An adjustment to the sleeper-berth exception, allowing drivers to split their mandatory 10 hours of rest in two different ways (an 8-2 or 7-3) split, as opposed to being forced to take it all at once

• The ability to count time spent on activities such as waiting for the truck to be loaded as break time rather than having to be entirely off duty

• The extension of the maximum on-duty period for drivers hauling goods short distances to 14 hours from 12, and the distance limit to 150 air miles from 100 miles

• For the adverse driving conditions extension, the ability to drive more slowly or take a break if needed without exceeding the driving window by extending the maximum window that driving is permitted by two hours

The goal, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is to provide increased flexibility “without adversely affecting safety.”

These changes are scheduled to take effect on September 29, 2020 – pending any legal challenge.

The full HOS rules can be found here: FMCSA - Hours of Service Rules