FMCSA Extends HOS Exemption

Rick Worthington

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is extending their emergency declaration that exempts livestock haulers from Hours Of Service regulations until December 31, 2020.

Allison Rivera with the NCBA discusses the announcement and the flexability of the FMCSA.

FMCSA requests public comments on a new pilot program to allow drivers one off-duty break of at least 30 minutes, but not more than three hours, that would pause a truck driver’s 14-hour driving window, provided the driver takes 10 consecutive hours off-duty at the end of the work shift. Participation in this pilot program would be limited to a certain number of commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders who meet the criteria specified for participating. This pilot program—scheduled to operate for three years or less—would gather statistically reliable evidence to analyze the safety and feasibility of such a modification to the hours-of-service rules.

“FMCSA wants to hear directly from drivers about the possibility and safety of an hours-of-service pause pilot program. The Agency remains committed to exploring ways to improve safety on our roadways, while increasing flexibility for truckers. We encourage drivers, motor carriers, and interested citizens to review the proposed pilot program and provide substantive public comments for FMCSA to review,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Jim Mullen.

Under Secretary Chao’s leadership, FMCSA has worked to improve safety and add flexibility for commercial drivers. In May 2020, the Agency published a final rule updating existing hours-of-service regulations to provide greater flexibility, allow drivers more control over their work days, and reduce regulatory burdens by $273 million annually. The updated hours-of-service rules will go into effect on September 29, 2020.