All DiscussionsMy DiscussionsSettingsAddOptionsâ–¼.FMCSA NEW HOS RULING,
U.S. Department of Transportation Takes Action to Ensure Truck Driver Rest Time and Improve Safety Behind the Wheel
New hours of service rules have now been issued,
FMCSA’s new HOS final rule reduces by 12 hours the maximum number of hours a truck driver can work within a week. Under the old rule, truck drivers could work on average up to 82 hours within a seven-day period. The new HOS final rule limits a driver’s work week to 70 hours.
In addition, truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the eight-hour window.
The final rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit. FMCSA will continue to conduct data analysis and research to further examine any risks associated with the 11 hours of driving time.
The rule requires truck drivers who maximize their weekly work hours to take at least two nights’ rest when their 24-hour body clock demands sleep the most - from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. This rest requirement is part of the rule’s “34-hour restart” provision that allows drivers to restart the clock on their work week by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty. The final rule allows drivers to use the restart provision only once during a seven-day period.
Companies and drivers that commit egregious violations of the rule could face the maximum penalties for each offense. Trucking companies that allow drivers to exceed the 11-hour driving limit by 3 or more hours could be fined $11,000 per offense, and the drivers themselves could face civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense.
Commercial truck drivers and companies must comply with the HOS final rule by July 1, 2013. The rule is being sent to the Federal Register today and is currently available on FMCSA’s Web site at
I have always had the feeling of shock that a driver can drive for 11 hours without stopping, suicidal or what … I insist on stopping after 4.5 hours for at least 30 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours. To have to take a break before 8 hours of total work including non driving is a good thing.
Pat Hasler:
I have always had the feeling of shock that a driver can drive for 11 hours without stopping, suicidal or what … I insist on stopping after 4.5 hours for at least 30 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours. To have to take a break before 8 hours of total work including non driving is a good thing.
I sometimes stop after 2 hours, sometimes 5 or even 8 hours, depends entirely on how I feel. In Canada we can theoretcially drive non-stop for 13 hours and I have done it once just to see if I could, obviously stopping to take the occasional pi** but thats it. I have always felt that we work far longer hours here than back in the UK but the much more relaxed rules made the job so much easier and less stressful and that in turn made me much safer on the road. I see this is another small step towards EU style total over-regulation of the industry and thats before we even mention the electronic logs that you are already running on, Pat!
Maybe the magnificent US government should pay more attention to the causes of illegal running such as shippers/receivers and milleage based pay and not the symptoms. But then, who’s the easiest target. Its far easier to employ thousands of government workers to go after 100,000 fragmented and dis-united drivers than it is to go after companies and large corporations who cause the situation in the first place.
Trucks are already by far the safest vehicles on the road, what we need is more enforcement on car drivers who are the most reckless and dengerous instead of nonsense like this and more importantly, whats to come after this.
Pat Hasler:
I have always had the feeling of shock that a driver can drive for 11 hours without stopping, suicidal or what … I insist on stopping after 4.5 hours for at least 30 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours. To have to take a break before 8 hours of total work including non driving is a good thing.
WTF are you on nowadays Pat ? Constantly moaning and wining about every aspect of a truckers life,if it ■■■■■ that much get out of the job.
Maybe 4.5 hrs on the East coast is tiring but in the Western world 11hrs straight can be done in a breeze,just a couple of years ago it was 13 driving ,4 off duty ,then another 13 behind the wheel,only allowed the “short shift” once every so many days,but it was easy.
Personally rarely take breaks during duty,once the 14 hr clock is ticking then so am I.Have a load due out tomorrow for Nipawin and Saskatoon,a long day any time of the year let alone in the winter but it’ll be a one hit wonder and I will be home in front of the fire before 9pm 
BTW Merry Xmas.
As for running for hours out west … been there, done that and these laws are only as good as the drivers and companies that have to abide or not abide by them. Loose leaf logs can just be thrown away and re-written, dont it hundreds of times in my self employed past 
Oh an Merry christmas to you all.