Hours-of-Service Revisions on the Way?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the federal agency responsible for regulating the trucking industry. Over the years, the FMCSA has enacted a wide range of measures to ensure the safety of truckers and others on the roadway. Among these are the hours-of-service (HOS) regulations, which set forth the maximum drive times and minimum rest periods for interstate truckers. 

The hours-of-service rules are intended to reduce the fatigue of truckers on the highway. Although relatively straightforward, the rules can be complex for those new to them. For example, under the current HOS rules semi operators may not drive their trucks after 60 hours on duty in seven consecutive days (or 70 hours on duty eight consecutive days).  The numbers reset after a 34 hour rest period, during which the trucker must be completely off-duty.

After remaining unchanged for many years, under the Bush administration in 2003 the FMCSA revised the rules, allowing truck drivers to drive longer hours on less rest. Among other changes, these revisions increased the number of hours that a trucker could drive, from 10 to 11.

The 2003 HOS revisions have long been opposed by a coalition of public safety advocates and the Teamsters Union, who have filed a number of lawsuits challenging the new regulations. Last fall the FMCSA agreed to settle the latest lawsuit; the agency has agreed to "review and reconsider" the hours-of-service rules this year. Under the terms of the settlement, the FMCSA must publish a final rule by the summer of 2010.

Many believe that, under the Obama administration, the FMCSA will move to undo the 2003 revisions, decreasing the drive time and increasing the mandatory rest periods for truckers. For its part, the agency has announced that it will contact interested parties and solicit feedback from the public before the summer deadline.