Orlando, Fla.—The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) just extended the maximum working day for short-haul drivers, and the extension was also applied to more drivers since the short-haul driving concept was also redefined. Truckers have played a key role in getting America through the COVID-19 public health emergency. Since the beginning of the national health crisis, the FMCSA has provided regulatory relief to commercial drivers to get critically important medical supplies, food, and household goods to Americans in need. The nation’s truck drivers have been on the front lines of this effort and are vital to America’s supply chain. 

“America’s truckers are doing a heroic job keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented time and these rules will provide them greater flexibility to keep America moving,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Although the concept of expanding hours have been at the top of all industry discussions, and is considered somehow controversial, based on the detailed public comments and input from the American people, FMCSA’s final rule on hours of service offers four key revisions to the existing HOS rules:

1. The Agency will increase safety and flexibility for the 30-minute break rule by requiring a break after 8 hours of consecutive driving and allowing the break to be satisfied by a driver using on-duty, not driving status, rather than off-duty status.

1. The Agency will modify the sleeper-berth exception to allow drivers to split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods: an 8/2 split, or a 7/3 split—with neither period counting against the driver’s 14‑hour driving window.

1. The Agency will modify the adverse driving conditions exception by extending by two hours the maximum window during which driving is permitted.

1. The Agency will change the short-haul exception available to certain commercial drivers by lengthening the drivers’ maximum on‑duty period from 12 to 14 hours and extending the distance limit within which the driver may operate from 100 air miles to 150 air miles.

The new hours of service rule will have an implementation date of 120 days after publication in the Federal Register. 

These changes are expected to not only lengthen the on-duty day for short-haul drivers, it will more than double the square miles that they can cover, up to 150 miles from their home base, according to the agency.

According to FMCSA, the final rule is crafted to improve safety on the nation’s roadways. The rule changes do not increase driving time, except for short-haul drivers, and will continue to prevent CMV operators from driving for more than eight consecutive hours without at least a 30-minute break.

The agency said these changes will save trucking companies more than $2.8 billion over 10 years, will let drivers make more deliveries, and won't compromise safety. FMCSA’s rule modernizing hours of service regulations is estimated to provide nearly $274 million in annualized cost savings for the U.S. economy and American consumers. The trucking industry is a key component of the national economy, employing more than seven million people and moving 70 percent of the nation’s domestic freight.

At Orlando Truck Insurance, we have the staff, the local experience and the customer service platform to help you walk through these difficult times. Call one of our truck and commercial vehicles insurance specialists today at (407) 203-7085 to get you started in the right track, we’ll be happy to assist. We are all in this together!

Hector Perez, Producer

Email Hector
Call 407-203-7085