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DOT Releases Final rules on Hours of Service
Date: Thursday, April 24, 2003 12:48 PM

Today, DOT released a summary of the new hours of service rules for truck drivers. The actual rule will be in the Federal Register on April 28th and on their website April 25th. Their website is: fmcsa.dot.gov. If you would like a fax copy of this summary, please let us know. The new rules will not become effective until January 4. 2004. A summary will appear in the next newsletter with a survey of its impact on members.

The new rule increases daily driving time from 10 to 11 hours, but reduces daily on duty time from 15 to 14 hours. The 14 hours will be consecutive time. Ten (10) hours off duty time must be taken each day, compared to the 8 hours now required. A home based driver will be allowed to be on duty for 16 hours on 1 day of the week, subject to the 11 driving time limit.

The weekly limits of 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days remain, but a restart is now allowed. A driver can restart his weekly time limit after taking 34 hours off duty. This restart may be taken at anytime after the start of a work week.

The sleeper berth split shifts remain. A driver may split his on duty time and accumulate the 10 hours off duty in 2 periods provided they are at least 2 hours long.

Finally, there is no requirement of on-board recording devices.