Truck Driver Fatigue Pilot Programs
Proposed Driver Schedule Studies
Two hours of service pilot programs would test more flexible truck-driver schedules, and FMCSA is seeking approval to collect study data. One would examine a pause in the driving window; the other would examine different sleeper-berth rest periods. The driving-window study and sleeper-berth study notices were published October 6 and 7, 2026. Both have a December 7 comment deadline. These are information-collection notices, not findings that the schedules improve safety.
Three-Hour Driving-Window Pause
The first study would examine a pause of up to three hours in the 14-hour driving window. The qualifying period could be off duty, in the sleeper berth, or on duty without driving at a cargo pickup or delivery location. That location condition prevents the proposal from becoming an unrestricted pause for any on-duty waiting. The study would compare schedules, fatigue and driving performance under ordinary rules and the proposed flexibility.
| Authority | Applicable Condition | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| AuthorityFederal Agency Action | Applicable Condition Driving-Window Study Pause of up to 3 hours | IssueDriving-Window Study |
| AuthorityFederal Agency Action | Applicable Condition Sleeper Study Alternative rest-period combinations | IssueSleeper Study |
| AuthorityFederal Agency Action | Applicable Condition October Notices Data-collection review | IssueOctober Notices |
| AuthorityFederal Agency Action | Applicable Condition Public Comments Due December 7, 2026 | IssuePublic Comments |
Source: Federal Agency Action.
Flexible Sleeper-Berth Periods
The other study would reduce the longer sleeper-berth period to at least five consecutive hours, allowing combinations such as five hours plus five hours or six hours plus four hours. The rest periods must still total at least 10 hours. The research question is whether more flexible rest timing can achieve equivalent or greater safety. A study design establishes the comparison to be tested; it does not supply the results.
Driving Limits Outside the Studies
The ordinary property-carrier limits allow 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty, subject to applicable exceptions. Existing sleeper-berth provisions remain in force. Drivers outside an authorized program cannot treat a proposed study schedule as an exception outside the study. The distinction is part of reviewing hours-of-service records.
Fatigue Evidence in Truck Accidents
A recorded schedule and a sufficiently rested driver are different questions. In a truck accident investigation, review the actual program authorization, duty record and available evidence about the driver’s condition. The driver’s workday must be assessed against the rules that applied then. Neither an unapproved study schedule nor a future safety result resolves whether that driver was fatigued at the time of an accident.
Injuries Involving a Fatigued Truck Driver
A duty record can meet a time rule while leaving questions about a driver’s rest and alertness. If fatigue may have contributed to an accident that caused serious injuries, our truck accident lawyers can review your case. Contact Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers for a free case review.
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