FMCSA Pilot Program for a 3 Hour Break

Drivers wanted this for the new HOS that goes into effect on Sept 29 but it didn't make it.  Well, it is back.  The FMCSA is going to start a pilot program to test a new break.  Here is how it would work.  You would be able to stop your clock for between 30 minutes and 3 hours, once per day, and have it not count against your 14 hour clock.  It would stop the 14 hours so you could theoretically mean you work 17 hours.  Now, at the end of this you MUST take a full 10 hour break, no split sleeper if you use this.  This could very much extend your day.  In fact, here is the longest day you could have.  Start at 9 am.  At noon stop for a 3 hour sleeper (allowed under new rules for split sleeper).  Now 3 pm and that section stopped your clock under the new rules in effect Sept 29.  At 6pm stop for 3 hours off duty, stopping your clock again. It is now 9 pm and you only have 6 hours logged.  At 5am you hit the sleeper.   WOW.  You just legally worked from 9am one day until 5 am the next day.  Amazing.  This would be allowed under the new proposal.  I think they might change so you can't use the first split part to stop your clock as well but currently this would be just fine.  At 5am you would be required to get  a full 10 hour break.  Since all this does is extend your day without extending your pay I am against it.  Sure, it might help avoid traffic but companies don't have to become better at dispatching as long as drivers continue to accept sitting in traffic being paid mileage.  I encourage everyone to carefully consider this new proposal.  Going from 14 hours to 17 hours or even more without an increase in pay means I am against it.  We are already expected to do work for free so I don't support more free work.

​See you on the road!