FMCSA moves to relax time rules for truck drivers

August 15, 2019

Sources: Richard Lardner, Associated Press

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with changes to truck driver hours-of-service rules.

Currently, regulations limit long-haul truck drivers to the following:

• Drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving time within an on-duty period of 14 hours
• Drivers must have had 10 consecutive hours of off-duty time before before the on-duty clock starts again
• A driver who is going to be driving for more than 8 hours must take a 30-minute break within that 8-hour period

Among other changes, the FMCSA’s proposed revision to the rules would allow drivers to take a break while they’re on duty, but not driving (such as when they’re waiting for cargo to be unloaded).

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