The Federal Motor Provider Security Administration is transferring forward with two packages that would ultimately give truck drivers extra flexibility in how they construction their workdays.
The transfer comes regardless of issues from freeway security advocates that one of many initiatives may successfully prolong drivers’ 14-hour working restrict.
FMCSA introduced Thursday that it has accomplished pre-tests for its Versatile Sleeper Berth and Break up Responsibility Interval pilot packages and is reviewing the outcomes forward of a deliberate full launch in 2027.
The packages are designed to guage whether or not giving drivers extra management over once they take breaks and relaxation intervals can preserve or enhance security. FMCSA launched the initiatives in September 2025 as a part of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s Professional Trucker Package deal.
The company stated the just lately accomplished pre-tests had been meant to guage procedures, information assortment strategies and driver participation necessities earlier than increasing the packages subsequent yr.
Every pilot is anticipated to enroll 256 drivers, for a complete of 512 individuals. Drivers will take part for 4 months and may obtain as much as $1,600 for finishing all research necessities.
Break up-duty pilot may pause 14-hour clock
The Break up Responsibility Interval Pilot Program is aimed toward one of the consequential restrictions in federal hours-of-service laws: the 14-hour driving window.
Beneath the pilot, taking part drivers can be allowed to pause that window for as much as three hours per day whereas in a qualifying non-driving standing.
Qualifying intervals may embrace off-duty or sleeper berth time, in addition to on-duty time spent at a pickup or supply location.
FMCSA stated the flexibleness may give drivers extra capacity to attend out heavy visitors or extreme climate, account for detention time at buyer amenities, or take a break with out having the time depend in opposition to their accessible driving window.
The company additionally stated it plans to observe shippers through the pilot to make sure that the added flexibility doesn’t end in elevated detention or exploitation of drivers.
FMCSA examined the idea from Could 18 by July 17 with 9 drivers from three motor carriers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio. The drivers participated for six weeks and obtained $600.
When FMCSA proposed reviving the Break up Responsibility Interval pilot final yr, the company stated this system may assist decide whether or not permitting drivers to pause the 14-hour clock may scale back fatigue and supply extra flexibility round real-world working situations.
Associated: Regulators take one other swing at easing trucker work guidelines
Security advocates push again
The proposal has drawn opposition from freeway security advocates who say FMCSA ought to deal with the underlying causes of extreme detention fairly than lengthening a driver’s workday.
Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security criticized the Break up Responsibility Interval proposal through the public remark interval in November 2025.
“The company must be analyzing issues with detention time as a substitute of proposing this harmful and misguided initiative,” the group wrote in feedback filed with FMCSA.
The group argued that FMCSA ought to as a substitute research detention time and the coercion of drivers as they relate to scheduling and fatigue. It additionally questioned whether or not the company had produced ample proof displaying that permitting carriers to pause the on-duty clock would enhance security.
The protection group famous that the pilot may successfully stretch a driver’s workday from 14 hours to so long as 17 hours.
Some trucking firms have taken the alternative view.
Werner Enterprises beforehand advised FMCSA that extra versatile hours-of-service guidelines may enhance security by permitting drivers to take breaks when obligatory as a substitute of adhering to schedules that won’t mirror real-world situations.
The service stated further flexibility may scale back stress on drivers throughout inclement climate and peak visitors intervals or when a driver just isn’t feeling properly.
Associated: Security group opposes extending truckers’ workday
Sleeper berth pilot checks further choices
FMCSA’s second initiative, the Versatile Sleeper Berth Pilot Program, will take a look at other ways of dividing a driver’s required relaxation interval.
Taking part drivers will have the ability to cut up their off-duty time into two intervals in any mixture so long as the intervals complete at the very least 10 hours and one consists of at the very least 5 consecutive hours within the sleeper berth.
The company carried out its pre-test from April 1 by June 11 with 9 drivers from three motor carriers in Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. These drivers additionally participated for six weeks and obtained $600.
FMCSA has explored related adjustments earlier than with out in the end rewriting hours-of-service laws. An try in 2020 to ease the 14-hour restrictions drew opposition from labor and security teams, whereas sleeper berth pilot efforts launched in 2017 and 2021 didn’t advance past the general public remark stage.
This time, nevertheless, the packages have superior past the remark stage and into real-world pre-testing.
FMCSA stated it’s reviewing the outcomes and can use the findings to refine each packages earlier than increasing them to tons of of drivers in 2027.
Why it issues: The pilot packages may present the info the Federal Motor Provider Security Administrations must pursue a few of the most vital adjustments to truck driver hours-of-service flexibility in years, probably reshaping how drivers handle detention, visitors, climate and relaxation with out altering the underlying 11-hour driving restrict.
The put up FMCSA checks giving truckers energy to pause 14-hour clock appeared first on BigRig.