FMCSA seeks input on changes to hours-of-service rules

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is seeking public feedback on possible changes to the hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers. On Thursday (Aug. 23), an advance notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register.

The FMCSA seeks comment on four areas in which the federal agency is considering to change: The short-haul hours-of-service limit, the hours-of-service exception for adverse driving conditions, the 30-minute rest break provision, and the sleeper berth rule to allow drivers to split their required time in the sleeper berth. Also, the agency seeks comment on petitions from the trade organization Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and TruckerNation.org.

The OOIDA wants to amend the hours-of-service rules to allow drivers to take a rest break once per 14-hour duty period for up to three consecutive hours if the driver is off-duty. The organization also wants to eliminate the 30-minute rest break requirement. TruckerNation.org wants to revise the restriction against driving after the 14^th hour of the beginning of the work shift, allow drivers to use multiple off-duty periods of three hours or longer instead of having to go off-duty for 10 consecutive hours and remove the 30-minute rest break requirement.

Comments on the proposed changes must be received by Sept. 24. Visit www.regulations.gov and enter “FMCSA–2018–0248” in the search box to comment. Also, comments can be mailed to Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or submitted via fax at 202-493-2251.