Washington Pushes Flexibility to Support America’s Truckers

Source: USDOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is taking a fresh look at how truck drivers manage their time on the road. With two newly announced pilot programs, the agency aims to test greater flexibility in Hours of Service (HOS) rules — balancing road safety with quality of life for drivers.

Giving Drivers a Longer Break Option

The first program will allow truckers to pause their 14-hour driving window for anywhere between 30 minutes and 3 hours. The goal is to give drivers more control over their schedule while monitoring whether safety standards remain intact.

Rethinking Sleeper Berth Splits

The second initiative reimagines the sleeper berth rules, currently limited to 8/2 and 7/3 splits. Under the pilot, new options such as 6/4 and 5/5 will be tested to see how they affect fatigue and alertness.

More than 500 commercial drivers are expected to participate, with protocols set to begin in 2026. Both projects fall under the broader Pro-Trucker Package, launched earlier this year to improve truckers’ working conditions nationwide.

“Truckers are the backbone of our economy,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, stressing that the pilots are meant to lead to “smarter, data-driven policies that make driving both safer and more rewarding.”