Business · 19/12/2013

Regulatory Guidance on Hours of Service of Drivers Rest Break Requirement; Drivers Who Become Ineligible for the “Short-Haul” Exception During the Duty Day

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued regulatory guidance on the hours of service for drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) who are initially exempt from the 30-minute break rule as 'short-haul' drivers but may exceed these limits, requiring them to take a break and document their status. The guidance clarifies that drivers must take a break at the earliest opportunity and explain in their record-of-duty-status (RODS) annotation why the break was not taken within the required 8 hours of their last off-duty break of at least 30 minutes.