FMCSA plans to submit a new information collection request to OMB for a research study on letting truck drivers extend the 14-hour driving window by up to 3 hours of non-driving time. The pause would need to be taken at the location of cargo pickup or delivery. The agency is inviting public comment as part of the Paperwork Reduction Act process.
Key Points
- The study tests extending the 14-hour driving window with up to 3 hours of off-duty, sleeper berth, or on-duty/not-driving time.
- The paused time must be taken at the location where cargo is delivered or picked up.
- About 256 commercial motor vehicle drivers will provide data for the study.
- FMCSA will examine driver fatigue and driving performance under current hours-of-service rules and under split duty period exemptions.
- The research aims to determine whether the change improves drivers' working conditions and quality of life while providing equal or greater safety.
Why It Matters
The study will give FMCSA data to assess whether a more flexible 14-hour window can maintain or improve safety compared with current hours-of-service regulations.