FMCSA Publishes Proposed HOS Rule Changes

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has finally published its long-anticipated notice of proposed rulemaking on changes to hours of service for commercial motor vehicle drivers.

FMCSA publishes proposed HOS rule changes

I'm still genuinely not seeing the advantage of these changes?

WHY would you want to take a 30 minute break ON DUTY? It may not hit your 14 (under the proposed rule) but does hit your 70? It looks like the only advantage to staying ON DUTY - would be for drivers who are paid HOURLY.

Adding a 7/3 split to the 8/2 split would give a little more flexibility to folks that get stuck at a shipper for extended periods of time (by not having to wait the additional hour to complete the split), but it still has to be made up on the "back end".

I'm unsure of how these changes actually HELP THE DRIVER. Most people think the 30 minute break rule is BS - but if you've been behind the wheel for 8 hours straight - I don't care WHO YOU ARE - you need to stop and stretch your legs for a bit.

I also don't see how these new rules are going to "allow coercion". They really don't change a whole lot - except for the short haul exception.

Rick

One small advantage I see from the new 30min break rule is it will allow us to satisfy the break requirement even while remaining on duty.

In the flatbed world specifically, we really should log 30 mins or so on-duty for an average strap/tarp load. Upon inspection, a savvy LEO will pick us apart if we don't. He/she will know we couldn't have done it in the 5-15 obligatory minutes we normally log for check-in. Ahem, I'll neither confirm nor deny that I do that...

Under the new rules, I can run 3 hours to a shipper , spend 30 minutes on duty prepping the load while at the same time satisfying the 30min break requirement, allowing me to boogie another 8 hours once I'm done.

I see the changes making it a bit easier to remain in compliance, while effectively changing little.

My opinion remains that they should do away with the 14 hour rule altogether, and simply let us take our 10hr break in either 1 or 2 segments in a 24hr period.

Does fueling need to be on duty?

Does fueling need to be on duty?

Yes, On Duty, Not Driving.

As with most things government, they make a rule, then make the rule impotent (e.g. the 30 minute break).

Just get rid of the 14-hour clock.

Just get rid of the 14-hour clock.

That's the problem right there. I literally remember the day they announced that rule. I thought it would never last. I figured they would almost immediately see what a catastrophe it was. Unfortunately, a combination of ego and ignorance will prevent them from ever going back to the best rule set, which was the way the rules were for like 50 years:

• 10 on, 8 off
• Split sleeper berth option
• 70 hour rule, same as today
• No 14 hour rule

Those rules were as good as it gets. They gave plenty of flexibility but still limited you to about 3,200 miles per week on average. It's a shame they've screwed it all up. Now they're just becoming ever more convoluted.

One of the toughest things to recognize as a manager or rule-maker is when you have a good thing going and you should just let it be. We have this constant desire to improve things all the time, which is a good thing, but sometimes leads to change for the sake of change. Ego often prevents people from admitting things were better the way they were, so going back never becomes a viable option.

I'm still genuinely not seeing the advantage of these changes?

WHY would you want to take a 30 minute break ON DUTY? It may not hit your 14 (under the proposed rule) but does hit your 70? It looks like the only advantage to staying ON DUTY - would be for drivers who are paid HOURLY.

Adding a 7/3 split to the 8/2 split would give a little more flexibility to folks that get stuck at a shipper for extended periods of time (by not having to wait the additional hour to complete the split), but it still has to be made up on the "back end".

I'm unsure of how these changes actually HELP THE DRIVER. Most people think the 30 minute break rule is BS - but if you've been behind the wheel for 8 hours straight - I don't care WHO YOU ARE - you need to stop and stretch your legs for a bit.

I also don't see how these new rules are going to "allow coercion". They really don't change a whole lot - except for the short haul exception.

Rick

Sounds good to me. I can spend my MANDATORY break as I’d like rather than how the government forces me to.

I believe the rule changes will help as it will allow the flexibility to use my fueling, scaling, drop and hook time as part of my 30 minute break instead of sitting an extra 30 minutes. It will also be helpful, in my opinion, to be able to pause your 14 hour clock for up to 3 hours, to nap, avoid rush hour, or whatever, where as the 8/2 split... that 2 hour segment didn't pause anything.

I honestly believe it's a step forward in allowing more flexibility and will be good for drivers who are savvy enough to use it to their advantage.

I believe the rule changes will help as it will allow the flexibility to use my fueling, scaling, drop and hook time as part of my 30 minute break instead of sitting an extra 30 minutes

Unless i am mistaken you have to be "on duty not driving" so it really limits what you can do.

I would to have my time spent hooking and dropping a set in the yard count toward the 30 min break but as I read it I will not be able too.