Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced two pilot programs as part of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, saying the pilot programs will allow drivers to break up their 14-hour “driving window” by as little as 30 minutes and as much as three hours. He said the department is looking to collect program data and evaluate whether the additional flexibility can maintain or improve safety outcomes.
Regarding the flexible sleeper berth pilot, he said it will explore additional sleeper berth split options beyond the current “8/2” and “7/3” schedules. It will examine the safety impacts of allowing drivers to divide their 10-hour off-duty requirement into “6/4” and “5/5” split periods. The research will examine how these options affect driver fatigue and overall safety performance to determine whether a wider range of rest options could benefit both drivers and the motoring public.
Duffy said the pilot programs will help the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration “study increased flexibility in current regulations to determine whether giving drivers more control over their own schedules would reduce fatigue and improve safety.”
The pilot programs were launched in June as part of the Pro-Trucker Package, a series of regulatory changes and initiatives designed to improve the lives of America’s truck drivers. The White House was tasked with finding ways to improve working conditions for truckers.