Truck driver hours of service rules, first published in 1937, have been through numerous iterations, court challenges, and Congressional interventions in the past two decades. Take a tour through our timeline.
Hours of Service Timeline: The Long, Convoluted History of Truck Driver Rules
Truck driver hours of service rules first published in 1937 have been through numerous iterations, court challenges, and Congressional interventions in the past two decades. Take a tour through our timeline.

Photo: Schneider
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FMCSA Revokes Another Nine Electronic Logging Devices
Motor carriers using the affected ELDs must switch to paper logs immediately and install compliant devices by April 14 to avoid out-of-service violations.
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FMCSA Locks in Non-Domiciled CDL Restrictions
After a legal pause last fall, FMCSA has finalized its rule limiting non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses. The agency says the change closes a safety gap, and its revised economic analysis suggests workforce effects will be more gradual than first thought.
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Samsara Taps Nascar Champ Jesse Love as its First Driver Coaching Avatar
A new AI-powered coaching platform from Samsara uses real-time voice agents and digital avatars to strengthen driver safety and scale fleet training.
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Geotab Launches AI-Powered GO Focus Pro Dash Cam With 360-Degree Visibility
Geotab launches GO Focus Pro, an AI-powered 360-degree dash cam designed to reduce collisions, prevent fraud, and protect fleets from nuclear verdict risk.
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Operation SafeDrive Nets 704 Drivers, 1,231 Vehicles Out of Service
A high-visibility enforcement effort conducted January 13–15 removed hundreds of unqualified drivers and unsafe commercial vehicles from major freight corridors nationwide.
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6 Regulatory Changes for Trucking to Watch in 2026
After a year of what safety and compliance expert Brandon Wiseman calls “regulatory turbulence,” what should trucking companies be keeping an eye on in 2026 when it comes to federal safety regulations?
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Smith System Adds Digital Trainer Center Platform
A new Digital Trainer platform digitizes behind-the-wheel assessments, generates Smith5Keys driver scorecards, and connects safety training to ongoing driver risk management.
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Are You Using One of These Revoked ELDs?
Within a two-week period, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration removed eight ELDs from the list of registered electronic logging devices, but has since reinstated two of them.
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What FMCSA’s New Enforcement Push Means for Fleets in 2026 [Video]
Last year was one of regulatory turbulence for trucking companies and truck drivers. Trucking attorney Brandon Wiseman breaks down the top DOT changes and what fleets should be aware of heading into 2026.
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