On Wednesday, August 14, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) released five
proposals intended to increase roadway safety and ease driving
rules for truckers.
The five
key revisions are:
- 30-minute break
Increase safety and
flexibility for the 30-minute break rule by tying the break
requirement to eight hours of driving time without an
interruption for at least 30 minutes, and allowing the break to
be satisfied by a driver using on duty, not driving status,
rather than off duty.
- Split sleeper berth
Modify the
sleeper-berth exception to allow drivers to split their required
10 hours off duty into two periods: one period of at least seven
consecutive hours in the sleeper berth and the other period of
not less than two consecutive hours, either off duty or in the
sleeper berth. Neither period would count against the driver’s
14‑hour driving window.
-
Off-duty break
Allow one off-duty break of at least
30 minutes, but not more than three hours, that would pause a
truck driver’s 14-hour driving window, provided the driver takes
10 consecutive hours off-duty at the end of the work
shift.
- Adverse driving
conditions
Modify the adverse driving conditions
exception by extending by two hours the maximum window during
which driving is permitted.
-
Short-haul exception
Change to the short-haul
exception available to certain commercial drivers by lengthening the
drivers’ maximum on‑duty period from 12 to 14-hours and extending
the distance limit within which the driver may operate from 100 air
miles to 150 air miles.
The public comment period will be open for 45 days. Instructions on
how to submit comments can be found here.
If these proposed changes go into effect, Thermo King’s TriPac®
Evolution Diesel and TriPac Envidia® All-Electric APUs
will become an even more powerful tool to strengthen your fleet. A
drivers’ total rest duration would be shorter and more frequent. An
APU could save you money because it would not be necessary to idle the
truck when the driver is taking a mandatory break. Reduced tractor
idling also has the added benefit of offering lower runtime and
maintenance costs.
In addition to lower costs, APUs can increase
driver comfort, which could lead to retention. Drivers
spend long days away from home on the road, and a comfortable sleeper
is important for well-rested and safe drivers. The APU brings the
comfort of home to wherever home is for the driver whether it’s for a
short break or overnight stay.
ThermoLite®
solar panels will also be beneficial since more frequent driver stops
and increased APU usage may lead to low batteries. Solar panels help
lower operational costs by reducing diesel APU run time by 20 to 30%
and extend battery life to five or more years. With APUs, solar
offsets daytime heat loads, helps maintain peak performance, and
provides a full battery bank even in low light conditions
According to the FMCSA, the trucking industry employs more than
seven million people and moves 70 percent of the nation’s domestic
freight. These proposed rules on hours of service regulations could
provide $274 million in savings for the U.S. economy and American
consumers. Why not use Thermo King products to help increase savings
to your business.
