The plan for hours-of-service reform has reached the Federal Register for public inspection and is scheduled to publish today, Aug. 22.
The notice of proposed rulemaking was announced Aug. 14. After publication in the Federal Register, the public will have 45 days to comment on the agency’s proposal that promises to give truck drivers more flexibility within the hours-of service regulations. Comments may be submitted to the Regulations.gov website by using docket number FMCSA-2018-0248.
FMCSA proposed five changes to the hours of service:
- The limits for short-haul operations would increase from 12 to 14 hours and from 100 air miles to 150.
- The adverse driving provision would allow a driver up to a 16-hour window within which to complete up to 13 hours of driving if the driver encounters adverse conditions.
- The 30-minute break requirement would be modified, prohibiting driving for more than eight consecutive hours without at least one 30-minute change in duty status. This would allow 30 minutes of on-duty, not driving time, off-duty time, or sleeper-berth time to qualify as a break.”
- In addition to splits of 10/0 and 8/2, drivers would be allowed a split-sleeper option of 7/3.
- Drivers would have the option of stopping the clock a minimum of 30 minutes and up to three hours consecutively once per duty period.
The agency has also planned two listening sessions to hear what truck drivers and other members of the public think about the proposal.
The first public listening session regarding hours of service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23 at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas. This will be truck drivers’ first opportunity to deliver their opinions on the proposal in person.
In addition to the event in Dallas, FMCSA plans to have another listening session sometime in December in Washington, D.C. Both listening sessions will provide an opportunity for the public “to present comments, views and relevant research.”
All of the comments will be transcribed and placed in the rulemaking docket for the FMCSA’s consideration. The sessions also will be webcast to allow interested parties to participate remotely. Questions during the live stream can be emailed to listeningsession@dot.gov.