Q. I've heard that the Department of Transportation is going to make a bunch of changes to the Hours of Service rules, is that true?

A. Yes and no — in March, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced that she had sent a notice of proposed rulemaking aimed at updating the Hours of Service rules to the Office of Management and Budget for its review.

The proposal of rulemaking addresses the five specific issues identified in last year’s advanced notice — the first step in making a rule change — which elicited 5,200 comments.

The issues that the proposed rulemaking will address include:

The overall hours of service limits
HOS exemptions for adverse driving conditions
The 30-minute rest break provision
The rule allowing drivers to split their off-duty time in a sleeper berth
Petitions filed by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) and Trucker Nation on rest breaks and the 14-hour rule

While it’s known what the proposed rulemaking is addressing, Secretary Chao has not released any specifics about the changes she’s recommending, and there is no indication the timeframe when the Office of Management and Budget will finish its review, and a new comment period will commence.

What is almost certain is that if the notice of proposed rulemaking moves forward is that there will be some changes to the Hours of Service rules.

Answered by : Scott Sutarik from Geotab

VP, Commercial Vehicle Solutions

Scott Sutarik is the VP of Commercial Vehicle Solutions at Geotab Inc. He has extensive experience within the truck manufacturing industry, specializing in medium duty and heavy duty trucks. He previously worked in sales and marketing at Navistar Inc. where he supported over 700 dealerships, worked with suppliers and telematics providers, and managed the OnCommand Connection Program. With his expertise in telematics, regulatory compliance, engine diagnostics, and alternative fueled vehicles, Scott provides training and works with Geotab's partners to develop leading-edge fleet management solutions for the trucking industry.

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