New FMCSA updated rules on September 2020
On September 2020, FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) has updated the HOS. Hours of service(HOS) are referred to as the maximum time that the drivers spent on the duty which involves driving time and length they travelled. It is mandatory for the carriers and drivers operating CMVs to comply with the HOS regulation that is found in 49CFR 395. On 1st June 2020, FMCSA has revised the four provisions of the hours of service regulation for adding flexibility for drivers without harming the safety. From 29th September 2020, Motor carriers need to comply with the HOS regulations.
Well, the rules created by FMCSA encompasses restriction like mandatory rest breaks. This rule has been made for drivers to minimize their drowsiness and driver fatigue. As per the report of the Large Truck Crash Causation Study, it is found that almost 13% of the commercial vehicle drivers meet collisions because of fatigue. Thus, this rule will help the drivers to remain compliant. FMCSA has made it mandatory for the vehicles to install ELD to keep track of their Hours of Service.
What are the four changes made?
The four changes that have been made in the HOS Final Rule are-
Short-haul Exception
The new rule expanded the short-haul exception work shift from 12hours to 14hours and also the distance that the driver can operate from 100 air-miles to 150 air-miles radius.
Adverse driving conditions exception
It is the adverse driving conditions exception which has extended the duty day by two hours when a driver encounters any adverse driving conditions. Moreover, this is an addition to the extra two hours of driving time which is already allowed. This is applicable for both properties that are 14hours driving window and passenger motor carriers.
Requirement of 30mins break
After 8 cumulative hours of driving, every driver must take a break of 30 consecutive minutes and must allow the on-duty/not driving period to succeed as the necessary driving break.
Provision of Sleeper Berth
The sleeper berth provision provides the driver an opportunity to split their 10hours of the off-duty period in different ways. At least 7hours consecutive must be spent in the sleeper berth and the rest 2-3hours they can spend out of the sleeper berth.
How to log the HOS with TXTELD?
It is easy and simple to stay compliant and log the Hours of Service with TXTELD. Whenever a driver connects the TXTELD app with their vehicle gateway, TXTELD will automatically set your duty status. You can also find your remaining Hours of Service which can be automatically calculated as well as displayed on the mobile screen. With just a couple of clicks, you can change the duty status on the mobile app. If you want to know more about the TXTELD device and the benefits that you can get, please contact us.
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