FMCSA publishes proposed rule on HOS
Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Dec.29 published a notice of proposed rule regarding (.pdf file) hours-of-service regulations for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles.
According to the NPRM, FMCSA made seven changes in an attempt to provide flexibility for drivers to take breaks when needed and reduce safety and health risks associated with long hours. The proposed changes include:
- Limit drivers to either 10 or 11 hours of driving time following a period of at least 10 consecutive hours off duty
- Limit the standard "driving window" to 14 hours, while allowing that number to be extended to 16 hours twice a week
- Limit actual duty time within the driving window to 13 hours
- Retain the 34-hour restart, subject to certain limits
In a statement released Dec. 23, Bill Graves, president and CEO of the Arlington-VA based American Trucking Associations, said the proposal is "overly complex, chock full of unnecessary restrictions on professional truck drivers and, at its core, would substantially reduce trucking’s productivity."
Comment on the proposed rule will be accepted until Feb. 28.
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