Changes to Hours of Service

 Changes to Hours of Service.pdf

On June 1, 2020 (85 FR 33396) the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA revised the hours of service (HOS) regulations to provide greater flexibility for drivers subject to those rules without adversely affecting safety.  The Agency expanded the short-haul exception to 150 air-miles and allows a 14-hour work shift to take place as part of the exception; expands the driving window during adverse driving conditions by up to an additional 2 hours; requires a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving time (instead of on-duty time) and allows an on-duty/not driving period to qualify as the required break; and modifies the sleeper berth exception to allow a driver to meet the 10-hour minimum off-duty requirement by spending at least 7, rather than at least 8 hours of that period in the berth and a minimum off-duty period of at least 2 hours spent inside or outside of the berth, provided the two periods total at least 10 hours, and that neither qualifying period counts against the 14-hour driving window.  This final rule is effective September 29, 2020.  Petitions for Reconsideration of this final rule must be submitted to the FMCSA Administrator no later than July 1, 2020.