Hours of Service
FMCSA lays out two hours-of-service pilots: a 5/5 sleeper split and a 3-hour pause of the 14-hour clock
FMCSA has published the study plans for two hours-of-service pilot programs, one allowing a 5/5 sleeper-berth split and one letting drivers stop the 14-hour clock for up to three hours, and is taking comments on both until December 7, 2026.
US hours of service: the 11-hour, 14-hour and 30-minute break rules
How FMCSA's core driving limits for property carriers work, including the 60/70-hour limits, sleeper berth splits and the exceptions drivers most often use.
FMCSA Restores 30-Day Hours-of-Service Relief After Regional Emergencies
A final rule effective October 5, 2026, lengthens automatic hours-of-service relief after a regional emergency declaration from 14 days back to 30.
FMCSA Seeks Comment on Reviving California and Washington Meal and Rest Break Rules
In December 2023, FMCSA asked for comments on petitions to waive its decisions preempting the two states' break rules for interstate drivers.
FMCSA Finalizes Narrower Emergency Exemptions
An October 2023 final rule limited most regional emergency declarations to 14 days of hours-of-service relief.
Canada Makes Hours-of-Service Violations Ticketable
In July 2023, Ottawa announced set fines of up to $1,000 for drivers and $2,000 for carriers who break federal hours of service rules.
FMCSA Proposes Narrowing Automatic Emergency Exemptions
A December 2022 proposal would have limited most emergency declarations to five days of hours-of-service relief instead of 30 days of relief from nearly all safety rules.
FMCSA's COVID-19 Hours-of-Service Emergency Declaration Expires
The nationwide COVID-19 relief from driving-time limits, in place since March 2020, ended on October 15, 2022.
FMCSA Narrows COVID-19 Emergency Relief to Driving-Time Limits
In September 2021, FMCSA extended its nationwide COVID-19 declaration to November 30 but limited relief to the maximum driving time rule and added fuel to the qualifying loads.
FMCSA Extends COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Through May 31, 2021
In February 2021, FMCSA kept its hours-of-service and other relief for qualifying COVID-19 loads in place for three more months, while signalling it wanted to wind the exemptions down.
FMCSA Finalizes Hours-of-Service Changes to Break, Sleeper Berth and Short-Haul Rules
FMCSA's May 2020 final rule changed four parts of the U.S. hours-of-service rules without adding driving time, with compliance set for September 29, 2020.
FMCSA Issues First Nationwide Hours-of-Service Emergency Declaration for COVID-19 Relief
On March 13, 2020, FMCSA lifted hours-of-service limits nationwide for drivers hauling qualifying COVID-19 relief loads, the first relief of its kind to cover the whole country.