The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) is looking to perform a study to see if there are other, more safer ways to allow drivers to get their federally mandated rest breaks. The Administration has announced that is looking to test a pilot program into split sleeper berth options.
Since the 2013 Hours of Service rule change (and for some even before), drivers have been unhappy with the strict one-size-fits-all nature of the 8-and-2 rule. Critics have voiced a multitude of objections to the dogmatic rule. Some complain that it is less safe by forcing drivers onto the road during daytime hours when highways are more crowded. Others that the split means drivers have to keep going until they run out of hours regardless of how tired they are. Still others point out that the rules were forced down drivers’ throats based off of few and flawed studies, amounting to little more than guesswork.
Now, the FMCSA seems to be open to at least testing to see if telling drivers when they’re tired is the best way to keep them safe.
Titled “Hours of Service of Drivers; Pilot Program To Allow Commercial Drivers To Split Sleeper Berth Time,” the program is seeking to recruit 200 drivers who will agree to be part of the study for 90 days. The study will seek to determine whether other split sleeper options (5-5, 6-4, 7-3) are safe and gauge what their impacts are on driver’s fatigue. Drivers will be allowed to split their sleeper berth time into any combination they want as long as the two segments add up to 10 hours.
The study will ensure drivers are following the rules and track their results using a whole host of devices including Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), OnBoard Monitoring Systems (OMBS) like driver- and road-facing cameras, wrist actigraphy data, sleep logs, and psychomotor vigilance test to measure driver reaction times. To see a full list of the requirements and a writeup on the study itself, click here.
The proposed pilot program is currently just in its public comment stage, which means that it will be collecting input from insurance companies, carriers, trade organizations, and, hopefully a few actual drivers.
You can leave a comment for the FMCSA here.
In addition to whatever comments or suggestions you have for them, they have asked that you also answer the following questions as well:
- Are any additional safeguards needed to ensure that the pilot program provides a level of safety equivalent to that without the consolidated sleeper berth time exemption?
- Should completion of modules 3 and 8 of the NAFMP be required for study participation (instead of recommended)?
- Are the data collection efforts proposed for carriers and drivers so burdensome as to discourage participation?
- How should data collection efforts differ for team drivers?
Source: gobytrucknews, truckinginfo, fleetowner, overdrive, federalregister, FMCSA, FMCSA
I would love to be part of this study as before the rules changed I routinely broke 5 and 5
Data collection? Umm, how about just common sense?
Here’s what I mean:
If you work flatbed, or for other construction or oil-drilling operations, you tend to work on fairly regular schedules. Your customers open at predictable times, usually in the morning, so you’re able to maintain a fairly regular sleep schedule.
If you work van or reefer, though, you tend to work very irregular schedules. It’s not at all unheard of to have 2am appointments. And just about any other irregular hour you can think of – making it nearly impossible to develop any kind of regular sleep schedule. Then, the law demands that you take these very regular breaks. I can’t count the times I was barely holding it together because I had to drive to get my load in on time. I was so tired, I knew I was a danger, but yet, I had to keep on driving, because I wasn’t permitted to lie down and just take a nap when I needed one, because of our current laws.
The powers that be can collect data if they want to, but the simple answer is people need sleep when they need it, especially those people who are forced to work the wildly irregular schedules that many of trucking’s customers demand.
Preachin,to the choir. Bud. But your dead on target
Been there too and I tend to agree with you 100% . I have had 2 am deliveries and after unloading called dispatch and they want me to go here to pick up a load then lie down only to find out that that delivery has to be delivered the next morning at 2 am 500 miles away. How can they expect you to do this ? Then when your done with that one they want you to do another. I would tell them that when I’m done I’m going to bed ,call you 8.5 then we’ll talk . They treat you more human after because they know what you are going to do .
Oilfield doesn’t run on a regular schedule, J. I’ve been in and around it nearly 40 years….at any rate, common sense seems to indicate that the best time to sleep is when you get tired. Anything else is preposterous and counterproductive, to say the least. Back in the old days I had a 2 or 3 hour nap every afternoon, and never felt as worn out as I do now (maybe 6 million miles has something to do with it…). Having a guy that drives a desk write the rules for us is like having me tell the military how to do their job right. Absolutely ridiculous how the do-gooders can’t leave anything or anybody alone….
I drive those irregular odd hours and I like to take advantage of the driving through cities during the off-peak rush hour at the time it occurs, or rather not occuring. I am an avid user of the 8/2 split. It gets useful and sometimes I get good sleep, but to tell you the truth, most times I get really deep sleep in the 2 hour break than the 8 hr that I just lay there. As far as trying to figure out and find the best split ratio (8/2, 7/3, 6/4, 5/5) I believe we as drivers should be able to use ANY of those ratios to continue with our day. Make all of those ratios acceptable, and apply the same basic rule of when one ratio is complete, it follows the 8/2 guideline. How many times have I (we as drivers), especially reefers, start the day, drive 30 mins to delivery destination, dock for 5 hours, drive another 1-2 hours, just to repeat another 5 hours at the loading dock & you cant park there afterwards. There goes your 14 hour duty clock and I’m not tired or groggy as much as I am pissed at not being able to drive. The 5/5 ratio [as well as the 6/4 ratio] & (completed within the start of the original 14th duty hour in this case should allow us to have our 14 hr extended at at the start of the end of 1st offduty 5hr set, just as in the basic 8/2 rule. Just allow us to be able to use any ratio starting with the 8/2, 7/3, 6/4, 5/5. Maybe a thought, but the second set of the ratio(s) in the following: 6/4, 5/5 ratio has to be completed to extend the DRIVING & 14th hour, i.e.:(7am-onduty/drive for 1hr, 8am-offduty/sleeper for 4hrs, 12pm-onduty/drive for 2hrs, 2pm-offduty/sleeper for 6hours, 8pm-NOW you have 8 [not 9 hrs as with the current 8/2 split] (used 3 of 11 since start) drive hours within 12hours leftover (start at end of 1st set of RATIO 5/5 or 4/6(any order) SPLIT – 14hr minus the 2 onduty/driving hours used at 12pm and allow the 8/2, 7/3 to be used at our discretion, allowing the 8 & 7 to extend the 14th hour at any time of our reasonable choosing as the current 8/2 rules apply. ONLY (if found to be reasonable in safety) in RATIOS of the 4/6, 5/5, 6/4 split, is the beginning Driving hours to be taken out of the extention exception rule. I’m NOT trying to be complicated or hinder, but to give incentive in both sides of the driver and regulations.
While we are talking about being tired or not, driving 55mph on the I-5 in California, from Phoenix to Seattle, CERTAINLY makes me sleepy, or not as Alert as much. Im sorry, but it’s a stupid rule to have across the whole state; however not so restricted within other states that have reduced truck mph areas (some are in reasonable areas – downhills & curves). Oregon was smart, and I thank those states that havent reduced truck mph.
Every body’s clock is different. Since child hood I’ve slept about six hours and a half hour nap mid day. Loved the old eight hour rest for a day split. These days being 66. Sometimes, I can get seven some days and the half hour is around an hour these days. I’m wide awake other wise. I know drivers that can go to bed and sleep till hell freezes over. All changes if company is pushing. Heat of the day, need break and just before dawn. Yes, common sense and driver take moral responsibility serious..So many variables to make a hard fast rule.
As a team, I think the 5-5 split would be great. Why do a study, just ask drivers what would work best for them. These pencil pushers making rules lack common sense and real world experience. Let’s drain the swamp!
I’m gonna answer No, No, Yes, and there is no comparison. Then suggest they “fast track this idea.” Quit the sand bagging. Start the study next week. Make the rule by October and be done with it once and for all. Isn’t this the same Dept that administered the split sleeper berth provision in 2002 ?
7 billion people on the planet & each one has different circadian biological rhythm (sleep pattern)!! One size fits all(sleep period) for the Transportation Services will NEVER work!! The human brain is designed to be awake during daylight & asleep @ night!! Its been the way for tens of thousands of years!! Of course the suits that make the rules don’t have any clue cuz they’re politicians & NOT doctors!!
It worked for 40 plus years before some bean counter with the Guberment…yes its misspelled….took it out of the equation….They are just making themselves look sillier than ever…Pilot program…give me a break.
Now they are going to waste a stack of money to do “testing” on something that we did for decades prior to the 11/14/10/34 nonsense came about. That is the gooberment way.
How stupid is the FMCSA!!!!
We had split sleeper and then they took it away and now they want to waste our tax dollars to do a study, What a bunch of morons. Just goes to show that no one in the FMCSA is a experienced Truck Driver
The 8 and 2 doesn’t work for myself. Sometimes I sleep 6 hours and sit there for the remainder, then I’m tired and have to go. Either the 5 and 5 or 6 and 4 sounds great to me. But is anyone realty LISTENING??????. I sit in the dock six or more hours especially shamrock in Phoenix, they are one the worst, last week 13 hours, why do they make appointment and then take their time, but if your late, they punish you. Doesn’t matter that the ELD didn’t allow me to go ,even though I’m near by.. many times i loose out on miles because i dont have enough to get there..8 and and 2 really doesn’t work very well… we are grownups after all. And the majority want to be safe doing our jobs, our families depend on it. As well as our paychecks,, I’m losing miles plain and simple…
This could only work if
1. A driver can’t be forced to work under the allowable hours guidelines. If they are tired they should be able to get rest.
2. There has to be enough time to get to load destination to allow rest if needed.
Are those going to be put in place? NO. Is this a waste of time? YES
This whole thing is so they have a reason to look like they are needed. The more shuffling of rules, stupid studies, “pilot programs”, etc. they can come up with, the more important their jobs look. They are afraid we’ll realize they serve no purpose.
The pencil pushers have not got a clue.They should have left the old hours of service in effect but just gave us the 34 he. Retart.At least then there was no 14 he. Rule forcing you to work.You could pull over and take a nap when you wanted.No but they had to screw everything up.Morons!!!!
I would also like to see a study done on TEAM exhaustion! Sure, I’m on sleeper birth, in the bunk, but have you ever tried sleeping through driving down I10 or i40 in Arizona!? That CHEESE GRATER they call a right lane?? Try sleeping while hitting bridge joints between road and bridge that LAUNCHES you right out of the bunk! How freaking restful is that?
A 5/5 split would be the way to go. At least give us that option especially for the livestock haulers
Logging is dumb period this is america just let us get job
done