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FMCSA Releases Final HOS Rule

Earlier today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its final rule modifying federal hours of service (HOS) regulations.

The rule, which takes effect 90 days from its publication in the Federal Register, includes several AED-supported updates:

• Expanding the short-haul exception to 150 air-miles and allows a 14-hour work shift to take place as part of the exception;
• Increasing the driving window during adverse driving conditions by up to an additional 2 hours; and
• Requiring a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving time (instead of on-duty time) and allows an on-duty/not driving period to qualify as the required break

AED is still reviewing the rule in its entirety, but its early indications should provide significant relief for equipment dealers and their service technicians.

Stay tuned to AED for further analysis and updates.

The final rule is available here: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2020-05/HOS%20Master%20050120%20clean.pdf

To view AED’s comments on FMCSA’s notice to propose rulemaking, please click here.

To view AED’s comments submitted on October 10, 2018, responding to FMCSA’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, click here.