Hours of Service Final Decision

On Friday, August 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued its ruling on ATA’s challenge to the most recent revisions in the HOS rules.

The FMCSA’s rulemaking was upheld with the exception that ATA prevailed in its challenge to the applicability of the rest break to short haul drivers.

This means the following:

1. There will be NO change to the restart rule that became effective on July 1^st
2. The 30 minute rest break rule does NOT apply to local, short haul drivers (100 air mile radius drivers) but DOES still apply to all drivers required to complete a logbook.

Click here for the decision.

HOS Rules Take Effect

The new HOS rules took effect July 1, 2013 notwithstanding the opposition of everyone in the industry. Carriers with long haul operations report an 18-24% reduction in productivity due to: 1) the two overnight requirements on the restart, 2) the restrictions when the restart can be taken and, 3) the 30 minute meal break. The meal break is operationally difficult because additional time is lost in finding a place to stop, logging off, logging back on and returning to the road.

See below for the guidance issued by the Agency concerning this break.