The FMCSA has set forth new hours of service for truck drivers across the country. While many drivers are becoming stretched thin while fighting the frontlines of COVID-19, the FMCSA is ensuring a more stable work environment.

“America’s truckers are doing a heroic job keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented time and these rules will provide them greater flexibility to keep America moving,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The plan comes from the public outcry for better working conditions for truck drivers. Two weeks ago, the Trump administration was dealing with the backbone of the country’s industry. Truck drivers parked out front of the White House to protest low freight wages.

While you could hear the horns blasting over the press conference, Donald Trump reiterates that they weren’t there to protest him, but that they came to show his support.

The FMCSA has Made the Following Updates:

• The FMCSA will increase safety and flexibility for the 30-minute break rule by requiring a break after 8 hours of consecutive driving. The break by a driver using on-duty, not driving status, rather than off-duty status.
• The sleeper-berth exception will allow drivers to split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods. An 8/2 split, or a 7/3 split—with neither period counting against the driver’s 14‑hour driving window.
• The FMCSA will modify the adverse driving conditions exception by extending by two hours the maximum driving window.
• The Agency will change the short-haul exception available to certain commercial drivers. This lengthens the drivers’ maximum on‑duty period from 12 to 14 hours. This also extends the distance limit within which the driver may operate from 100 air miles to 150 air miles.

The overall drive time for each driver will not be more than 8-hours per day. If a driver were to drive for 8 consecutive hours, then they must take a 30-minute break.