On November 19, the Department of Transportation‘s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a final rule on commercial drivers’ hours. The key provisions:
- commercial motor vehicle drivers may continue to drive up to 11 hours within a single workday; and
- drivers may now reset their weekly limits after they have been off duty for at least 34 consecutive hours.
The final rule will take effect Jan. 19, 2009 (60 days after publication). Click here to download the Final DOT Rule. Click here to read the FMCSA’s press release on the new rule.
Several advocacy and consumer protection groups are critical of the new rule, which they say puts fatigued and dangerous drivers behind the wheel. Click here to read Public Citizen’s reaction. Don’t be surprised if the Obama administration takes a new look at this rule in 2009.