Effective July 1, 2013, truck drivers must comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) update to the hours of service (HOS) rules.
The stated purpose of the rule update is to reduce the number of fatigue-related trucking accidents and fatalities. Under the old HOS rules truck drivers were able to structure their work week to maximize their driving hours by:
- Starting a new work week (for the purposes of calculating the maximum number of driving hours) at any point after a 34-hour break from driving.
- Starting and stopping the 34-hour break from driving at any point during a given day.
The HOS rule update limits the use of the 34-hour week restart provision.