Automotive Fleet, November 2020

THE CONNECTED FLEET GUIDE 2020 12 1THE 30 MINUTE BREAK REQUIREMENT The new regulation The 30 minute break rule requires a break after no more than 8 hours of consecutive driving time rather than on duty time Further a break can be taken while on duty but not driving rather than off duty to satisfy the requirement The previous regulation Under the previous rule drivers were required to take a 30 minute break after 8 hours on duty even if part of that time was not spent driving That break had to be taken while off duty or in the sleeper berth In other words drivers had to stop all work for 30 minutes every eight consecutive hours Note Shorter breaks cannot be combined to reach 30 minutes of non driving time The 30 minutes must be consecutive On September 29 2020 revised federal hours of service HOS requirements went into effect The changes are designed to offer drivers more flexibility create more jobs and strengthen the motor carrier industry The regulatory savings are estimated at 270 million The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FMCSA s final HOS rule includes four key changes to the existing HOS regulations Even though there has been some HOS regulatory relief due to COVID 19 it is a pause and not a full stop so its important to be familiar with the revised regulations for when they resume The following is an overview of the revised regulations what electronic logging device ELD providers are doing to adjust and what companies can do to ensure they remain compliant during the enforcement pause What the change means Drivers can squeeze more driving time into a day and can take a break while on duty but not driving to satisfy the requirement This revision accounts for the majority of the FMSCAs 270 million yearly savings estimate Example A driver can satisfy the break requirement while performing a work related task but not driving like stopping to fuel the truck So a driver could stop at a truck stop and spend 15 minutes getting fuel then another 15 minutes getting a cup of coffee and that combination of on duty and off duty time would comprise an acceptable 30 minute break What wouldnt satisfy the requirement is if the driver stopped for 15 minutes to fuel the truck drove another hour or two and then stopped for another 15 minute break REVISED HOS REGULATIONS WHAT DO THEY MEAN FOR YOUR FLEET Four changes to the HOS rules which went into effect in 2017 promise to add flexibility and save fleets money HOS REGULATIONS HOS rules have changed the way fleets manage and track drivers time Revisions to the rules are adding flexibility Photo GettyImages com Smederevac