The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced two pilot programs aimed at exploring more flexibility in truck driver Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules. The initiative seeks to reduce driver fatigue and improve highway safety by giving drivers more control over how they manage their time on the road.

The first program, known as the Split Duty Period, would allow participants to pause the 14-hour driving window for a period ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours. This pause could be used to avoid rush-hour traffic or to compensate for long delays during loading and unloading.

The second pilot focuses on more flexible sleeper-berth options, testing 6/4 and 5/5 rest splits instead of the traditional 8/2 or 7/3 configurations. The goal is to determine whether drivers can better manage their rest and stay more alert while driving.

More than 500 drivers will participate in the study, which is expected to run for about three years. FMCSA will use electronic monitoring devices, driver surveys, and reaction-time tests to evaluate the impact on safety and fatigue.

Public comments will remain open until November 17, 2025. According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, this measure is key to “making truckers’ jobs safer and more efficient without compromising public safety.”