🚚FMCSA Proposes Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program for Drivers
FMCSA proposes a pilot program allowing temporary regulatory relief from the Agency's regulation requiring one rest period of at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth for drivers who elect to split their time in the sleeper berth. Participation in the pilot program would be limited to approximately 256 drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) who possess a valid commercial driver's license (CDL) and regularly utilize the sleeper berth. Both drivers who wish to participate in the pilot and their employing motor carriers would be required to meet specific eligibility criteria to participate. Drivers selected for participation would provide FMCSA with data for a 4-month period, divided into a "baseline" period of 1 month, during which they would comply with the current sleeper berth regulations, and another period of 3 months, during which they would operate under an exemption allowing additional flexibility in how they may split their sleeper berth time. The Agency would use the data collected to compare drivers' safety performance and fatigue levels between the baseline and exemption periods. The goal of the analysis would be to assess whether additional flexibility in how sleeper berth time may be split achieves a level of safety equivalent to that which would be achieved absent the regulatory relief.
Learn More🚚Proposal for New Pilot Program on Truck Driver Hours of Service
FMCSA proposes a pilot program allowing temporary regulatory relief from the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) requirement that all driving by drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) be completed within 14 hours after coming on duty. During the proposed pilot program, known as the "Split Duty Period Pilot Program," participating CMV drivers would have the option to extend their 14-hour "driving window" by taking one off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty/not driving period (taken at the location of a pick-up or delivery of cargo), including what is sometimes called "detention time", of no less than 30 minutes and no more than 3 hours. Participation would be limited to approximately 256 commercial driver's license (CDL) holders who meet the eligibility criteria specified for participation. Because the program would be applicable only to the rules for drivers of property-carrying CMVs, drivers of passenger- carrying CMVs would not be eligible for participation. This pilot program would examine whether such flexibility achieves a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be achieved through compliance with the current regulations. FMCSA believes that the exemption covered by the proposed pilot program provides the flexibility to take extra rest, avoid driving during traffic congestion, and mitigate the impacts of unreasonable "detention times," thereby improving the working conditions of America's truck drivers.
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