It’s a pretty safe bet to assume that almost everyone involved in the U.S. trucking industry has heard that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised the hours-of-safety (HOS) regulations impacting interstate commercial drivers. The new HOS rules went into effect at midnight (Eastern time) Sept. 29.
To help drivers, dispatchers and other freight-industry professionals better understand the new HOS regulations, the OOIDA Foundation, which is the research affiliate of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), has created and released a series of free, online videos, all posted on YouTube, explaining the recent changes.
The modifications are aimed at giving drivers more flexibility within four key areas, including the short-haul exemption, adverse driving conditions, 30-minute rest break and split sleeper — all of which are covered in the series of videos.
“While we think more changes are needed, the updated rule is intended to give drivers more flexibility within the regulations and more control over deciding when it is safe to drive and when it is not, without hurting their bottom line,” said Andrew King, research assistant with the OOIDA Foundation. “It is important to know what’s in the rule and how best to use it.”
The first video, an overview of the new HOS rule, appears above, or view it on YouTube here.
The remaining four videos provide clarity on the short-haul exemption, adverse driving conditions, the 30-minute rest break and split sleeper guidelines.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.