Hours of Service of Drivers: Association of American Railroads and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association; Application for Exemption

Résumé

FMCSA announces its decision to grant the application submitted by the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and member railroads (collectively "the Associations") for an exemption from the prohibition against driving after the 14th hour from the beginning of the work shift (the 14-hour rule) and the prohibition against driving after accumulating 60 hours of on duty time within seven consecutive days, or 70 hours of on duty time within 8 consecutive days (the 60- hour/70-hour rule). The exemption will enable railroad employees subject to the hours-of-service (HOS) rules to respond to unplanned events that occur outside of or extend beyond an employee's normal work hours. FMCSA concluded that granting the Associations' application is likely to achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.